FORT WORTH, Texas – Over the past 365 days, there’s been a lot to be thankful for in the world of Western sports.
New Champions were crowned. Retiring veterans were celebrated. And we’ve seen endless youthful cowboys coming out of the woodwork during one of the most rookie-driven premier series packs in PBR history.
Records were broken, set, reset and then broken again between the likes of Man Hater, Cassio Dias and some productive streaks from the Carolina Cowboys and company.
First-year sensation John Crimber nearly outlasted Dias for the 2024 PBR World Champion honors, only to one-up the Brazilian by being named both the outright 2024 PBR Teams MVP and 2024 PBR Teams Championship MVP riding with his Florida Freedom.
RELATED: 24 moments we’re thankful for in 2024
Not to mention a rather successful season for the Austin Gamblers and all that the PBR Camping World Team Series brought to the table during its third season of 5-on-5 action.
And while we’re 100% transitioned into the epic world of Unleash the Beast action, with two events already in the 2025 books, we’re having a hard time letting the summer slate and all of its dramatic personnel puzzles.
Knowing several standouts from this year’s pack are slated to don their respective PBR Teams jerseys during select events throughout the individual season via the Monster Energy Team Challenge, PBR.com is taking a look at some of the initial offseason trades and transactions that shook the camaraderie-driven landscape during the first month of moving and shaking!
So far, seven of the league’s 10 squads have executed some sort of transaction during the first month of offseason swaps and signings. The three who haven’t made any splashes yet include the Arizona Ridge Riders, Kansas City Outlaws and Texas Rattlers. Which somewhat makes sense knowing each of those squads were amongst the deeper rosters when it comes to overall talent in 2024.
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On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Austin Gamblers have pulled off one of the biggest free agent signings in league history, let alone the offseason. Landing seven-time PRCA Champion Sage Steele Kimzey, the defending PBR Teams Champions are set to run it back with their top-tier trio of aces (Jose Vitor Leme, Dalton Kasel, Kaique Pacheco) intact, while having added the man who finished No. 7 in the world during the 2024 UTB slate.
A complete list of all completed offseason transactions through Nov. 26 is below:
Austin Gamblers:
Released Guilherme Valleiras from the Protected Roster
Signed Sage Steele Kimzey to the Protected Roster
Signed Dener Barbosa to the Protected Roster
Carolina Cowboys:
Assigned Dawson Branton to the Protected Roster from the Reserve Roster
Florida Freedom:
Signed Marcelo de Souza Junior to the Protected Roster
Missouri Thunder:
Released Andy Bohl from the Reserve Roster
Released Grayson Cole from the Reserve Roster
Released Trey Kimzey from the Reserve Roster
Released Tristin Parker from the Reserve Roster
Removed Trace Redd from Injured Reserve and assigned him to the Protected Roster
Released Briggs Madsen from the Protected Roster
Nashville Stampede:
Placed Silvano Alves on the Retired List
Released Cody Teel from the Protected Roster
Released Ednelio Almeida from the Protected Roster
Assigned Luke Parkinson to the Protected Roster from the Reserve Roster
New York Mavericks:
Released Ernie Courson from the Reserve Roster
Released Davi Henrique da Lima from the Reserve Roster
Released Ederson Santos from the Reserve Roster
Released Leandro Machado from the Protected Roster
Removed Vitor Losnake from Injured Reserve and placed him on the Protected Roster
Assigned Eikson Pereira to the Protected Roster from the Reserve Roster
Signed Briggs Madsen to the Protected Roster
Oklahoma Wildcatters:
Removed Josh Frost from Injured Reserve and placed him on the Protected Roster
Removed Kyler Oliver from Injured Reserve and placed him on the Protected Roster
Released Hayden Harris from the Reserve Roster
Released Hagen Braswell from the Reserve Roster
Released Dustin Herman from the Protected Roster
Released Bob Mitchell from the Protected Roster
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When this season’s PBR Monster Energy Buck Off at the Garden Presented by Ariat invades Madison Square Garden Jan. 3-5, fans will see their favorite 5-on-5 riders reunited with their respective colors. And while there’s some rivalries to be reignited and bragging rights to be earned, the scores will 100% count towards as the riders’ respective Round 1 scores.
The 6-on-6 format is slated to begin entertaining fans Jan. 3 during a head-to-head showdown between the hometown New York Mavericks and fellow East Coast-lurking Florida Freedom.
And with several transactions likely to take place over the next month, there are plenty of reasons to stay tuned to PBR.com and all things Unleash The Beast and PBR Camping World Team Series!
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media