By: James Youness
PUEBLO, Colo. – When Koltin Hevalow exited Salt Lake City’s Delta Center last weekend with his career-first Unleash The Beast event title, he did so in rare fashion, as the 20-year-old cowboy became the first rider this season to capture the win with just two qualified rides.
Bringing his 170.75-point aggregate score into the final out of the short round, he was eventually bested by Chateau Montelena’s Montana Jacket in a brief 2.82 seconds. But with veteran Alex Cerqueira, Cort McFadden and Kyler Oliver having already bucked off while remaining below Hevalow on the leaderboard, the Round 3 out didn’t matter much on the scoresheet.
But it still meant something to Hevalow.
“You want to have a perfect weekend and you never forget about it,” Hevalow offered this week in reflecting on the win, albeit not finishing on a high note.
“You have to cherish the moment and allow it to fuel your fire for the next weekend, but at the same time, it comes down to business. You have to realize that that’s still not satisfying. Being No. 1 is what’s satisfying and you won’t be satisfied until you’re the one holding the gold buckle above your head at the end of the year. It’s awesome to see and it’s something to remember and cherish, but you have to eventually forget about it, come back to your sense and decide what is satisfying.”
It’s not that he wanted to give his career-best 106 UTB points back for the imperfect finish, which was still the best of 35 competing riders.
He just expects more from himself.
And if that’s how the winner of last weekend’s event felt, we can only imagine what the guys who didn’t enjoy as much success are feeling ahead of L.A.
Finishing just .75 points ahead of eventual runner-up Cerqueira, Hevalow’s 170.75-point aggregate score was still 147.75 points short of the previous weekend’s victor (Leonardo Castro: 318.5 points, 4-for-4 in Sacramento, albeit through four rounds of action).
Potentially even rarer that seeing a cowboy win it all with a 2-for-3 slate, there were only four total riders who managed to post 2-for-3 records on the weekend
Combining for 22 rides throughout three rounds of bucking, the pack’s total was officially the lowest of the season. Which, between coming off the second PBR Major the weekend prior and several guys dealing with the injury bug, is not extremely surprising.
What was a bit shocking, though, was the fact that the field went 0-for-12 in the short round for the first time in 10 months, with the last occurrence taking place in April of 2023 when the tour invaded Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Which means the riders have been putting on quite the show most weekends.
With a season-high total of 42 conversions coming during the season-opener in Tucson, Arizona, and 41 being earned a few events later in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, we know the boys are capable of firing on all cylinders, especially early on in the campaign.
But as the grueling season approaches its half-way point in Los Angeles, bumps and bruises are at a high, as riders have gone head-to-head with as many as 34 premier series bulls since Nov. 10.
It’s almost been refreshing to see the bovines get one back in their corner after seeing riders pop off throughout a majority of the first-half events. Yet, after surrendering just 24 qualified rides in Houston, Texas, three weeks ago, combined with last weekend’s 22-piece, the animal athletes may have the momentum as things sit currently.
While it can sometimes pain us to look in the past, it’s the future we’re celebrating this year, as the 2024 UTB rookie class continues to stand out as one of the most talented groups in PBR history.
Featuring the likes of No. 5 John Crimber, No. 10 Leonardo Castro, No. 19 Cort McFadden, No. 20 Clay Guiton and fellow first-year prospects, not to mention the tour-leading No. 1 Dias, the next wave of top-tier talent will again be on display this weekend as the best bull riders in the world regroup for another dramatic showdown out west.
Plus, we’re going back to Cali, just two weeks after the circuit put on quite the show inside of Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center, which included a flashy 39 qualified rides and a pair of rookie conversions in the short round, as two of the aforementioned rookies were able to ride for 8 in Crimber and Castro.
With Unleash The Beast storming into its 12th event of the 2024 slate this weekend inside Crypto.com Arena as the City of Angels prepares to welcome the world’s best bull riders Feb. 16-17, let’s take a look at who’s drawing into the lineup during the Michelob ULTRA PBR Los Angeles, presented by Ariat:
ROUND 1 MATCHUPSAlex Cerqueira vs. Cowboy TuxedoSilvano Alves vs. Brown BomberJake Gardner vs. Sharp ShooterWarlei da Oliviera da Silva vs. Boo RayLuciano De Castro vs. Sweatlodge TestifiedEli Vastbinder vs. BlackhawkMauricio Gulla Moreira vs. Ghost FaceKyler Oliver vs. TazEzekiel Mitchell vs. Little TexConner Halverson vs. RegulatorKeyshawn Whitehorse vs. War TrainVitor Losnake vs. Red Light SpecialBob Mitchell vs. Cherry BombClay Guiton vs. West CoastJulio Cesar Marques vs. Fort KnoxNick Tetz vs. California HearthrobKaiden Loud vs. BouchonEdnelio Almeida vs. Total AirFelipe Furlan vs. Devil’s RevengeBoudreaux Campbell vs. JasperDaylon Swearingen vs. Snoop DogCallum Miller vs. Mighty MikePaulo Eduardo Rossetto vs. Pearl’s GhostMarco Rizzo vs. Shot in the DarkJose Vitor Leme vs. Hoof Stock Genetics Mud Train*Wingson Henrique da Silva vs. BisonBrady Fielder vs. JulyCort McFadden vs. Whack AttackJohn Crimber vs. BadgerDaniel Keeping vs. Reinstate HankJoao Ricardo Vieira vs. Dirty DaveMason Moody vs. HostileAlan de Souza vs. Cherry BombCody Jesus vs. Lapua*Koltin Hevalow vs. Big Twist*Eduardo Aparecido vs. Top ShelfCassio Dias vs. Hell Storm
* denotes a rematch
OUT BECAUSE OF INJURY/OTHERAustin RichardsonKaique PachecoSage KimzeyLeonardo CastroCaden BunchMarco EguchiJess LockwoodDakota ButtarChase OutlawMarcus MastDerek KolbabaColten FritzlanJoao Lucas Campos
ROUND 1 REMATCHESEduardo Aparecido vs. Top Shelf (78.75 points in Cheyenne, Wyoming; 2.62 seconds in Corpus Christi, Texas; 3.54 seconds in Las Vegas, Nevada)Koltin Hevalow vs. Big Twist (5.11 seconds in Tacoma, Washington)Wingson Henrique da Silva vs. Bison (78.25 points in Houston, Texas; 86 points in Fort Worth, Texas)
NO. 1 CASSIO DIAS LEADS ROOKIE RACE, OVERALL PACK BY NEARLY 400 POINTSAnother event, another weekend that No. 1 Cassio Dias enters an arena with more than 300 points between he and the next healthy rider (currently boasting a 386.83-point advantage over No. 3 Koltin Hevalow, with No. 2 Austin Richardson expected to miss the reminder of the campaign due to injury, which is closer to 400 these days after the talented 22-year-old turned in a ninth-place finish last weekend in Salt Lake City).
Representing his ninth Top 11 finish of the year, as the Brazilian has recorded at least one ride in nine of 11 events attended, Dias brought home just 22 UTB points for his lone 87-point conversion aboard Black Tie. Of the nine events in which he’s made the 8 at least one time, Saturday’s effort marked the third event where he’s only managed one conversion, meaning he’s ridden two or three bulls in six events this season. Set to dance with Hell Storm Friday night in Los Angeles, fans can expect the superstar to get his weekend off to a hot start during the final out of Round 1.
MAN HATER RETURNS TO ACTION OUT WESTWhile fans around the world are pleased to see the tour’s top-ranked rider in No. 1 Cassio Dias compete in each of 11 UTB events so far this season, unfortunately the same can’t be said for the world’s top-ranked bovine. Needing a bit different set of efforts to qualify for the 2024 World Finals: Unleash The Beast, Man Hater may have already collected his high scores for the season, but that’s no reason the bull shouldn’t be able to still strut his stuff on a semi-regularly basis. Knowing the true prize awaits later this spring when the tour heads south for two weekends of season-culminating action, Man Hater would still be wise to stay in shape and remind riders just how potent of an opportunity he provides each and every time he loads into the arena. Crowned the YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the Event in all five of the contests in which he’s participated in, it’s not just his perfect 5-0 record which continues to qualify him as one of the best to ever do it … it’s how he’s sending riders to the dirt and forcing them into slaps that has stock contractors and riders alike mesmerized.
Posting the highest bull score (47.75 points) earlier this season since a legend by the name of Woopaa teamed up with two-time World Champion Jose Vitor Leme a few years back, all five of his successful outs (46.5, 45.75, 47.25, 47.75, 46.25) from the 2024 UTB season have surely given him a leg up as he chases down his first world title. Set to dance in Saturday night’s short round inside Crypto.com Arena, is he even a wise pick from the rider’s standpoint? Or merely a guaranteed trip to the disqualified ride column courtesy of his unridden status?
FOLLOW ALONGOfficially marking the half-way point of the 2024 Unleash The Beast season, with 23 regular season events leading into the grand finale of them all during event No. 24, the 12th stop on the premier series tour prepares for the two-day, three-round showcase inside Crypto.com Arena. With action set to begin Friday, Feb. 16 at 7:45 p.m. PST, Round 1 will air live via RidePass on Pluto TV.
Round 2’s action will begin Saturday, Feb. 17 at 6:45 p.m. PST, followed by the Championship go, with the second round slated to air live on CBS Sports Network Saturday night and the short go later broadcast on CBS Television Network on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 9 a.m. PST.
Fans can stay tuned to PBR.com and PBR social media channels throughout the weekend for the latest scores, wrecks, injury updates and beyond as Unleash The Beast prepares to invade Los Angeles, California, as the 2024 Unleash The Beast slate rages on!
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
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