CROWNING A CHAMPION: The 2025 season comes to a climactic finish this afternoon inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday, May 18, at 1:45 p.m. CT. The World Finals is the richest bull riding event in the sport, which includes a $1 million bonus awarded to the rider who is crowned the PBR World Champion, and the 2025 event will award a record-setting $3.26 million in prize money. The final day of the season still has 578 points up for grabs should a rider win both remaining rounds, the event aggregate and post two 90-point rides.
THE FINAL FIVE: After the first two rounds inside AT&T Stadium, just five contenders remain in the 2025 gold buckle race entering the final day of the season. No. 1 Dalton Kasel still holds the lead entering Championship Sunday despite bucking off DirtyBru in 7.3 seconds in Round 1 and Hunting Trip in 7.7 seconds. However, he maintained his 238-point lead over No. 2 Brady Fielder as the Aussie cowboy was bested by Magic Hunter in 1.8 seconds and Nightmare in 3.3 seconds. Kasel attempts to hold on and claim his first gold buckle aboard Night Hawk in Round 1 while Fielder tries to catapult up the standings on back-to-back YETI PBR World Champion Bull winner Man Hater.
Battling a broken collarbone, No. 3 John Crimber still managed to go 1-for-2 in a valiant effort Saturday night. Now 434 points back from the top spot in the standings, the teenage phenom covered July for 88.25 points in Round 1 before bucking off Miller Time in 6.07 seconds in Round 2. Crimber will continue to prove his mettle in Round 3 on Sunday, taking on Magic Potion.
The hottest rider in the Top 5 is No. 4 Jose Vitor Leme, who won both of the first two rounds on Saturday. The two-time PBR World Champion rode Ugly This for 88.75 points to win the opening round before moving in perfect time with Oyster Creek Brawler for an event-high 90.5 points in Round 2. Now 6-for-6 across the Eliminations and Championship stages, Leme has rocketed up the Unleash The Beast standings and now leads the event while sitting just 446 points behind Kasel. The Brazilian superstar looks to remain perfect in Round 3 on Sunday against Lari’s Speck.
The final rider who can still seize the gold buckle is No. 5 Clay Guiton, who is 501 points behind the top spot in the standings. After going 4-for-4 during Eliminations, Guiton finally met his match against Good Riddance in Round 1 on Saturday, bucking off in 5.29 seconds. The Tarheel State cowboy was unable to rebound in Round 2, as he was unseated by Mercy in 3.3 seconds. Guiton attempts to bounce back atop Cool Whip in Round 3.
Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media