What to Watch For: Is this the year No. 4 Dalton Kasel captures gold buckle No. 1?
“Mr. 90-Pointer” hasn’t been holding back in 2025 as he chases down glory inside AT&T Stadium.
By James Youness
FORT WORTH, Texas – In our weekly “What to Watch For” predictions turned highlighted storylines, we generally try to stay away from guys ranked in the Top 5 or so, as we already understand those cowboys have been grinding, thus earning some attention and adoration along the way.
And sometimes it’s a bit more fun breathing life into the “up-and-coming” talents establishing their respective runs, one event at a time.
Naturally, this isn’t a great time to be declaring such a statement when you consider we welcomed back No. 2 John Crimber during last week’s edition. And when we’re following it up with a look back at No. 4 Dalton Kasel’s sexy start to the 2025 slate, we’re practically eating crow.
But when you lead the tour with six round wins and continue to hold down the No. 4 spot, settling only for Top 15 efforts, you’re going to get the PBR.com bump.
In an effort to showcase a bit of consistency throughout the pack, we’ve been calling out riders who have earned at least one qualified ride in a majority of the season’s events as a new benchmark.
And while Kasel has logged at least one conversion in 80 percent of his events attended this season (finding the 8 at least once in eight of 10 performances), he’s officially captured a round win in five different events, having captured a combined six round victories throughout 10 events (which includes a double-down scenario after winning both Rounds 1 and 2 in Wichita, Kansas).
Which count as a conversions, no doubt. But shouldn’t he get a bit more credit when said qualified rides were the best on the night? Continuing to outwork even the industry’s new standard in Crimber by two session-capturing honors, six to Crimber’s four, it’s clear Kasel means business this time around.
Shining some additional light on his consistent start, he’s finished Top 14 in each of the eight showcases in which he’s placed. Which appears to be a tale of two sorts, as four of those results include Top 4 honors while the other four include No. 10, 11, 13 and 14 finishes.
So if Top 15 ranks are where his floor exists … just wait until his next ceiling-topping weekend rolls around.
Which could very well begin Friday night in Indy.
Most recently turning in a fourth-place finish as the first man left off the podium in Salt Lake City, Utah, Kasel collected 53 UTB points as he continued to jockey position in the standings ahead of this May’s 2025 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast.
Now just a mere 150 UTB points back from No. 1 Brady Fielder, it’s becoming clear that Kasel and any of the Top 5-ranked riders are more than capable of leaping to the front of the pack this weekend in Indianapolis as the tour prepares to embrace the Midwest for what’s shaping up to be another wintery weather-themed stop.
And when we think back to the tour’s 2024 iteration of competition inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home to the NBA’s Indiana Pacers and WNBA’s Indiana Fever, it was the same Muleshoe, Texas, talent we speak of which exited the showcase atop the shark cage.
So, we know Kasel is comfortable in the building.
And despite bringing just a 12-for-28 (42.86%) record into Indy, the fewest conversions amongst cowboys ranked throughout the Top 10, we know he’s comfortable and confident in his capabilities.
So why not run it back?
Perhaps one of the craziest takeaways from the 26-year-old’s season so far?
He hasn’t been marked below 86 points this year, officially averaging an 88.67-point score across his dozen qualified rides.
Winning rounds, and events, goes a long way when it comes to accruing UTB points.
The very formula he’s used thus far to maintain his near-tour-topping run through the first half of the 2025 campaign, combining his outright victory in Wichita with his six round wins.
Of course, a few extra points sprinkled in from some always-welcome 90-pointers haven’t hurt his ascension as he remains tied with Luciano De Castro with three each, respectively, trailing only the living teenage legend in Crimber, who’s amassed four at this point.
Hell, he nearly turned his 2-for-3 slate last weekend inside Delta Center into another flawless feat but was sent to the dirt in 6.36 seconds by Gene’s Best as he qualified for yet another short go. An area he tends to operate in nearly three out of every four times he enters an arena.
Knowing Crimber endured an uncharacteristic 0-for-2 last weekend suggests he’ll rebound in usual fashion this weekend. Fielder, who only managed one conversion, albeit a Round 1-capturing go, is likely to string a few together as well.
Not to mention Castro, who’s arguably the hottest cowboy on tour right now.
So, with three promising yet motivating talents in front of him, will Kasel be able to continue his spicy stretch by grinding his way back into another short round? More importantly, can the flashy finisher get the job done once more within the midwestern plains during a Round 1 dance with Wild Turkey?
Fans can check all of this weekend’s action LIVE and FREE beginning Friday night!
This weekend’s Ariat PBR Indianapolis, presented by Cooper Tires, in Indianapolis, Indiana, is set to begin Friday, Feb. 14 at 7:45 p.m. ET as the best bull riders in the world prepare to put on a show inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Competition will conclude Saturday, Feb. 15 at 6:45 p.m. ET with Round 2, followed by the short go, as riders look to improve their respective ranks during the Midwestern meet-up.
