By: James Youness
PUEBLO, Colo. – With riders like John Crimber, Kaiden Loud, Marco Rizzo, Clay Guiton and Cassio Dias emerging as some of the tour’s top talents during their respective rookie campaigns (all of whom earned invites to last weekend’s short round), the tour has enjoyed a youthful resurgence of new faces as it continues to attract the best talent in the world.
Age, past achievements and celebrity status aside, Unleash The Beast will always feature the best bull riders on the planet. Which means plenty of ups and downs over the course of a 24-event season.
Between injuries, buckoff streaks, unlucky matchups and beyond, the pack of 40 is constantly changing and evolving. And for as much of that change lately has come in the form of new kids getting their first look under the bright lights, this week’s group of newly invited riders give much more of a throwback vibe, as each of the newcomers have participated, if not excelled, on the premier series in the past.
One of six riders set to return to competition Friday, Lucas Divino brings 44 UTB points and a matching No. 44 rank into Jacksonville after beginning his 2024 season with a 4-for-18 record. Able to parlay those conversions into respective 12th, 13th, 15th and 23rd-place finishes, his time skating by came to an end after posting an 0-for-2 slate in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Jan. 19-20.
Relegated to the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour for the first time since 2022, Divino accepted the opportunity to improve his craft rather than dwell on the bumps in the road.
Piecing together a rank 7-for-10 streak of performances through four PWVT appearances (which includes five-straight during his last two events and an event buckle in Cedar Park, Texas), the veteran has also enjoyed a perfect 3-for-3 record competing in two PBR Stockyards Showcase events (Touring Pro Division) to combine for a stellar 10-for-12 slate since last competing on UTB.
Set to dance with The Judge in Friday night’s opening round, he’ll look to keep the hot streak alive while returning to action for the first time in month!
Not quite as long as his Austin Gamblers’ teammate Ramon de Lima has been away, as the 33-year-old Brazilian opted into a later start to his season, electing to rest and spend time with family back home following the 2023 PBR Teams Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Getting his PWVT season underway once the new year rolled around, he’s since managed three Top 10 finishes within seven appearances. Most recently securing a fourth-place result in Memphis, Tennessee, last weekend, he’s paved his way back to the premier series courtesy of an 18th-place finish at Cedar Park and primarily due to his runner-up effort in North Charleston, South Carolina.
Ranked No. 11 in the PWVT standings (No. 25 overall in the Velocity Global rankings), it wasn’t so long ago that Lima finished his 2023 UTB season ranked No. 10 in the world.
Exactly why he’s grinded his way back: To earn another shot at a world title. And with a No. 8 finish already on his resume, albeit a few years back, we know the talent has what it takes to compete amongst the best.
Scheduled to attempt the 8 just one out after Divino, he’ll get his first shot at the 8 during a head-to-head showdown with Chute Boss.
Speaking of veterans … 10-time PBR World Finals qualifier Marco Eguchi is expected to compete on Unleash The Beast for the first time since exiting the 2022 PBR World Finals ranked No. 30 in the world.
While the 34-year-old rider participated in a few games within the inaugural season of 5-on-5 action, it’s been nearly two years since the cowboy has gone head-to-head with the best in the world. Ramping things up this winter as he returned to competition, he’s posted a 9-for-15 record throughout six PWVT events to stamp his way back on the top tour.
Spelled out via his mark of the best-esque finishes, (now three-consecutive sixth-place finishes), Eguchi will be reunited with the (Unleash The) Beast Friday night during a Round 1 draw with Black Tie.
The pack may be actually outnumbering the growing rookie presence this weekend, with another heavy-hitting experienced presence in Michael Lane accepting a UTB invitation for the first time in nearly a year this weekend.
Unafraid to spread his workload out over the years, he hasn’t converted during a UTB event since the tour was last in Jacksonville, in May of 2021, as he went the distance aboard Super Duper for 85 points. Where he has been converting as of late, is the Velocity Tour, now 7-for-15 after securing the event win in Reading, Pennsylvania, two weeks after capturing the runner-up honors in Greenville, South Carolina.
Accepting a Round 1 dance with Risky Business just before Divino, the trio of veterans could return in a big way while cranking the arena vibes high if all goes well.
Dawson Branton and Jesse Petri are veterans in their own rights, but at 22 and 26 years of age, respectively, they aren’t quite in the “North of 30” club, but still represent quite potent threats to return with a bang, nonetheless.
Hell, if anything, this season has reminded us that it pays to be young!
Ranked No. 40 in the UTB standings as he prepares to make his return, Petri was able to ride a few bulls early on in the season, but never more than one in any given event. Combine the five solo-showings with five scoreless outings and it’s no wonder the Dublin, Texas, native found his way down to PWVT.
Since last bucking with the big boys in Sacramento, California, Feb. 2-4, he’s wasted little time in reclaiming his UTB spot, quickly ripping off seventh and second-place finishes in Cedar Park and Youngstown, Ohio, respectively. Sandwiched between the favorable finishes, he turned in a sixth-place finish at the Feb. 15 iteration of the PBR Stockyards Showcase to make it three-straight events in the ride column.
Hoping to keep the momentum flowing inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena Friday night, he’ll be challenged by Tchoupitoulas.
Whereas Branton, who’s only participated in three UTB sessions in 2024, will prepare for an opening round showdown with Stone Cold. Producing a seventh-place showing during his season debut, he followed the effort up with a rideless showcase in Houston, Texas, before eventually placing 23rd in Sac Town. Just like Petri, down he went, though motivated to ensure it was a quick turnaround.
One of many riders to turn in some rank flashes in Cedar Park, he took home a third-place finish courtesy of his 2-for-3 performance down south. Letting the success fuel his fire, he decided to one-up himself, this time going 3-for-3 in front of an electric audience in Youngstown.
Representing his second PWVT win of the season, the win propelled him back to where he wants to stay in a quick way, going 5-for-6 overall during his pitstop. Since turning in a sixth-place showing during the 2023 World Finals: Unleash The Beast, he’s been a rider PBR Teams coaches have kept an eye on.
And with all of the PBR Camping World Team Series expansion talk going on, he’ll be one of many riders teams will need to continue to watch as he attempts to secure a berth to this year’s showdown.
Between the talented group of returning riders, insane 2024 rookie class and well-documented world title hopefuls, UTB’s return to Jacksonville should be another one for the books!
With Unleash The Beast storming into the second half of the 2024 season this weekend inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena Feb. 23-24, let’s take a look at who’s drawing into the lineup during the U.S. Border Patrol PBR Jacksonville:
ROUND 1 MATCHUPSMauricio Gulla Moreira vs. NightmareJoao Lucas Campos vs. Stand OffWarlei de Oliveira da Silva vs. Grey FoxSilvano Alves vs. Ninja CowboyFelipe Furlan vs. SundanceDawson Branton vs. Stone ColdKeyshawn Whitehorse vs. Smokin’ JoeCort McFadden vs. AbracadabraJulio Cesar Marques vs. Walks FarJesse Petri vs. TchoupitoulasClay Guiton vs. RowdyAlex Cerqueira vs. Cracker JackVitor Losnake vs. Dream WalkinEdnelio Almeida vs. Sometimes SoberBoudreaux Campbell vs. Crazy TimesMarco Eguchi vs. Black TieEzekiel Mitchell vs. ShazamConner Halverson vs. Coca Cola CowboyPaulo Eduardo Rossetto vs. Doze OffBob Mitchell vs. GuachoMichael Lane vs. Risky Business*Lucas Divino vs. The JudgeRamon de Lima vs. Chute BossDaylon Swearingen vs. FlashbangCallum Miller vs. Big Chili*Kaiden Loud vs. Air MarshallWingson Henrique da Silva vs. Detroit LeanCaden Bunch vs. Lost PearlDalton Kasel vs. Mama’s Boy*Joao Ricardo Vieira vs. Hoka HeyBrady Fielder vs. RedwingCody Jesus vs. Calhoun OilAlan de Souza vs. ChupacabraKoltin Hevalow vs. Eduardo AparecidoJohn Crimber vs. Rustic PearlCassio Dias vs. Big Worm
* denotes a rematch
OUT BECAUSE OF INJURY/OTHERAustin Richardson (Injury)Kaique Pacheco (Injury)Sage Kimzey (Injury)Leonardo Castro (Injury)Jose Vitor Leme (Injury)Jess Lockwood (Injury)Dakota Buttar (Injury)Chase Outlaw (Injury)Marcus Mast (Injury)Derek Kolbaba (Injury)Colten Fritzlan (Injury)Jake Gardner (Excused absence)
ROUND 1 REMATCHESJoao Ricardo Vieira vs. Hoka Hey (re-ride issued in Nashville, Tennessee)Kaiden Loud vs. Air Marshall (3.27 seconds in Manchester, New Hampshire)Lucas Divino vs. The Judge (1.191 seconds in Manchester, New Hampshire)
NO. 24 JOSE VITOR LEME EXPECTED TO MISS TIME AFTER AGGRIVATING INJURY IN L.A.If it wasn’t his opening night, round-winning go aboard Hoof Stock Genetics Mud Train (88.5 points) that aggravated an existing groin injury for two-time World Champion Jose Vitor Leme, then it was definitely an early exit during his dance with Black Gold in the second round which ultimately forced the superstar to doctor out of last Saturday’s short round due to the nagging injury.
Having taken more than a month off to rest and recover since starting his season with a pair of appearances in Tucson, Arizona, and St. Louis, Missouri, (where he began the 2024 slate a perfect 4-for-4), he returned to action in Salt Lake City with a 1-for-2 effort. Attempting to test the injury in Los Angeles, he survived his round-winning out and made it back for day two, but upon seeing one of the best to ever do it limp off the dirt ever so gingerly, he’s expected to miss this weekend’s action in Jacksonville. However, he’s yet to officially be ruled out as of Friday morning, so anything is possible! Will seeing Dias run away with such a historic start make the veteran want to try and grind it out throughout the second half of the slate? Or would he be wise to rest up and ensure he’s ready to go for his chance to capture what would be his third-straight PBR Teams MVP alongside his Austin Gamblers squad?
NO. 9 DALTON KASEL, NO. 14 CADEN BUNCH BACK ATOP THE CHUTESAfter missing last weekend’s showdown in Los Angeles, No. 9 Dalton Kasel is set to return to action Friday night during a showdown with Mama’s Boy in Round 1. Experiencing a bit of slow streak throughout his past few events, just 1-for-6 over his past two events attended, it was an 82.5-point conversion aboard Sky Harbor in Sacramento which marks the lone qualified ride since posting a pair of flashy 90s in Tulsa. We obviously know the Muleshoe, Texas, native has what it takes to not only hear the whistle, but really sell his outs, regularly marked at an elite rate when he finds the 8.
Rookie No. 14 Caden Bunch also returns to action in the Sunshine State after sitting out last weekend’s western showcase. Since posting a set of consecutive Top 10 finishes in Houston (ninth) and Sacramento (fourth), he was able to log a qualified ride in a third-straight event, going the distance atop Spice for 85.75 points. As one of the many talents set to represent the Florida Freedom this summer, one of the 10 teams set to compete in the 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series, Bunch will have an opportunity to entertain his team’s home state crowd Friday, beginning via a dance with Lost Pearl in Round 1.
FOLLOW ALONGRepresenting the 13th event of the premier series season, the two-day, three-round showcase in Jacksonville, Florida, is set to begin Friday, Feb. 23 at 7:45 p.m. EST, with Round 1 airing live via RidePass on Pluto TV.
Round 2’s action will begin Saturday, Feb. 24 at 6:45 p.m. EST, followed by the Championship go, with all of championship Saturday’s action slated to air on CBS Sports Network Sunday, Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. EST.
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 VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena!
Photo courtesy of Josh Homer/Bull Stock Media
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