FORT WORTH, Texas – Regardless of which week or within which arena PBR’s Unleash The Beast cowboys give their all in, the goals remain the same for the most part.

Stay above the cutline. Make your 8-second ride.

And eventually capture the shiny gold buckle.

Much easier said than done, especially for guys who have been exposed to the physically grueling requirements it takes to stay on said top tour en route to earning some veteran status.

That’s kind of the high-pressure nature of the premier series to a certain extent, right?

One weekend you’re barely above the cutline, using a one-ride outing to stay alive and away from being relegated to the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT).

The next weekend you’re 30, flirty and thriving (okay, he’s 28, but you get the point) – ripping off flawless 3-for-3 performances on one’s way to earning the No. 4 spot in the Unleash The Beast standings.

RELATED: #InCaseYouMissedIt: Kolbaba victorious on UTB for first time in seven years

Exactly where veteran Derek Kolbaba finds himself after securing his first premier series event title since 2017, which was *checks calculator* SEVEN YEARS ago!

Entering the Week 5 showdown inside SNHU Arena ranked No. 33 in the UTB standings, Kolbaba knew he had some work to do should he want to continue hanging with the top dawgs.

Beginning his night by excelling during a head-to-head showdown against Chupacabra, the Walla Walla, Washington, native was eventually scored 87.5 points as he tied for second place during the opening go.

Bringing a similarly successful effort to Round 2 as he continued to build some sincere momentum, Kolbaba doubled down with a matching 87.5-point score, this time besting First Class as he captured his first round win of the season.

Later selecting a date with Feeds Red River, the 28-year-old completed his first 3-for-3 effort of the season by earning an elite 90-point mark as he matched the bovine’s every move. 

Taking home a much-needed 143 UTB points and ever-welcome check inked for $49,390, Kolbaba is suddenly ranked within the circuit’s Top 5 riders courtesy of his big win in the northeast!

RELATED: Flawless Derek Kolbaba wins in Manchester, New Hampshire, for first premier series victory since 2017

And with the tour set to host its next two events in that part of the country here as we close out the 2024 calendar year before flipping the page to 2025, including stops in Albany, New York, Dec. 27-28 and New York, New York, Jan. 3-5, the holiday season slate is in full swing!

With the first five events of the 2025 campaign officially in the books, we’re back with a Tuesday tradition as we analyze Kolbaba turning back the clocks, Kaiden Loud quietly piecing together another stellar stretch and several other standout performances and outlying numerals from last weekend’s spicy showdown in Manchester, New Hampshire! 


Seven Years Coming: Helping his Carolina Cowboys to one of the hottest starts in PBR Camping World Team Series history this past summer courtesy of a productive 10-for-22 record as he returned to the chutes after nearly a year off due to injury, Kolbaba enjoyed many wins as one of the checkered flag squad’s year three pillars. Yet, the 28-year-old hasn’t been able to top the charts in individual competition for quite some time, with his victory last weekend in Manchester representing his first premier series victory in seven years (dating back to 2017, when he earned a big win in San Jose, California, when the tour was known as the Built Ford Tough Series). Kolbaba technically won a pair of 15/15 Bucking Battles during the 2020 campaign, but alas, don’t count the same as an outright event title. What DOES count 100% is the veteran’s first 90-pointer in more than two years, with his last elite strike coming during the 2022 PBR Teams Championship.

Funny enough, his summertime teammate Adriano Salgado also enjoyed a productive night after joining Kolbaba in serving as mid-lineup boosts to Carolina’s former top-tier trio of Cooper Davis, Daylon Swearingen and Sage Steele Kimzey. 

Up to the 8 Spot: One of just eight men to record at least two qualified rides throughout the three-round event, Adriano Salgado began his weekend with a flash, quickly capturing the Round 1 honors courtesy of his 89-point dance with Lights Out. The 26-year-old Brazilian rider wasn’t able to make the requisite 8 during his second attempt – but was obviously saving some juice for his final showcase of the night. Exiting a head-to-head dance with Rockville by securing one of the biggest scores of the season and a spot on the event podium, he reminded fans how flashy he can be!

Setting the high mark of the round and showdown overall, Salgado set the bar with a rank 91.5-point effort, which remains tied for the third-highest score of the season thus far. Also serving as the tour’s 17th ride to be deemed worth 90 or more points, it’s clear the boys came to ride once more this season. As did Salgado, who’s rocking a No. 8 rank after taking home 93 UTB points for his third-place finish. 

3-for-3 x 2: That’s no disrespect to Kaiden Loud, by any means, who outperformed Salgado by one bull, joining Kolbaba as the only other man to produce flawless 3-for-3 slates. Marking his first Top 10 finish of the year while doubling down as his first Top 5 effort as well, it was clear the 19-year-old Kaufman, Texas, native was ready to bounce back from a pair of rideless events in St. Louis, Missouri, and Wichita, Kansas.

Trailing Kolbaba by just five points in the endgame aggregate, Loud recorded qualified rides in both of the weekend’s long rounds, initially besting Pneu Dart's Gold Standard for a sound 87 points before advancing to 2-for-2 via his 8 seconds of grit atop Don’t Come Easy. Knowing he had to take advantage of his successful stretch, Loud decided to challenge Buffalo Heifer during Saturday’s championship round: A decision which quickly proved to be the right choice! In control the entire way, he exited the man vs. beast spectacle with a quality 88.5 points on his way to completing his perfect performance. Representing the first event of the season in which he’s posted more than one qualified ride, Loud took home $22,602 in winnings alongside 92.5 UTB points as he skyrocketed from the No. 24 rank all the way up to the No. 6 spot, now just 12.5 points behind No. 5 Jose Vitor Leme, who’s enduring an uncharacteristic six-out buckoff streaking heading into Albany.
 
Third Round Thriving: Fans inside of SNHU Arena were treated to quite the showdown during Saturday night’s final slate, as riders combined for a season-high five conversions during the circuit’s most recent championship round. Naturally, both of the cowboys to finish perfect 3-for-3 records in Derek Kolbaba and Kaiden Loud made the whistle. As did Adriano Salgado, who won his second round of the weekend courtesy of his sincere 91.5-point strike. But with veteran Claudio Montanha Jr. producing a nasty 90.5-point finale against Mike’s Motive and Keyshawn Whitehorse accepting a 77-point out atop Rombauer, the pack nearly doubled its combined short round conversion figures, improving from just eight through the first events to 13 courtesy of Saturday night’s five successful journeys. 

Four others were above the 5-second mark (including veterans Sage Steele Kimzey and Luciano De Castro) during the short go, while a pair of tour newcomers in Vinicius Pinheiro Correa (7.08 seconds paired against UTZ BesTex Smokestack) and Jake Morinec (7.51 seconds dancing with Big Chili) suffered heartbreakingly-close calls. And after seeing the cowboys get the best of the pack’s animal athletes during the first three events, bulls were able to limit UTB riders to just a combined 32 qualified rides in Week 5, just a week after limiting the pack to a mere 34 conversions in Wichita.

Feels like the First Time: Speaking of Correa, the 24-year-old Brazilian seems to be settling into his stateside experience just fine, which was thoroughly on display inside SNHU Arena last weekend as the talent made his official UTB debut. Having just made his overall debut riding bulls in the U.S. just two months ago, competing in the Challenger Series Championship in Las Vegas, he has made quick and effective usage of his time competing within the organization’s weekly PBR Stockyards Showcase events as he continues to get used to American bovines. But after turning in a No. 5, 2-for-3 effort during his debut in Manchester suggests the cowboy is already up to speed! Besting Trump for 84.5 points during his first-ever UTB out, he improved to a perfect 2-for-2 after lasting the 8 aboard Velvet Revolver in Round 2. However, the short round bucking talents of Smokestack quickly reminded the rider he’s got plenty to learn still. Entering the weekend unranked, he’s all the way up to the No. 30 spot ahead of this weekend’s showcase inside MVP Arena after taking home 43 UTB points and his first premier series check for $7,100. 

Photo courtesy of Todd Brewer/Bull Stock Media