Reigning PRCA World Champion Sage Kimzey wins PBR Velocity Finals and Earns First-ever Invite to World Finals

Brazilian Alex Marcilio wins Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour Title

 As the dirt settled at South Point Arena Monday night, it was reigning PRCA champion bull rider Sage Kimzey (Weatherford, Oklahoma) who arose victorious as the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour (RVT) Finals event winner.

Sage Kimzey

Kimzey, who vowed he would not come to Las Vegas to finish in second place, claimed his win aboard Vegas Lights (A Bulls) for 88 points in the championship round, capping off a 4-for-4 weekend. His earnings for the event totaled $26,300, and he accumulated 340 world standings points. The three-time champion earned his ticket to the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals to join an already hotly contested world title race in which the top five riders are separated by a mere 492.5 points.

With an impressive 2017 season behind him, Alex Marcilio (Macaubal, Brazil) won the Velocity Tour championship and a $50,000 bonus. Marcilio won the championship over Ramon de Lima (Sao Paulo, Brazil) via a tiebreaker (total money earned at Velocity Tour events).

Taylor Toves (Stephenville, Texas) finished second after riding Ground Control (Mann Creek Buckin Bulls) for 81.5-points in the championship round. Toves (4-for-4) earned 140 points toward the world standings and $13,800.

Lima finished in third place with 85.5 points on Kookaburra (Wallgren Bull Co./High View Cattle Co,) during the championship round. He earned a total of 105 points along with $9,800.

Young gun and 2016 PBR Rookie of the Year Jess Lockwood (Volborg, Montana) was on a mission to collect much-needed world standings points as the weekend played out. Despite failing to cover his bull in the championship round, Lockwood jumped one place in the PBR world standings and went on to place fourth in the event overall collecting 227.5 points and $13,900.

The 20-year-old Montana man is closing the gap between himself and PBR world leader Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington). Kolbaba failed to pick up any points in Round 2 and 3 and is now a mere 467.5 points ahead of Lockwood.

Indian National Finals Rodeo Champion Cody Jesus (Window Rock, Arizona) was not far behind with an 87.5-point ride aboard Mortimer (Julio Moreno Bucking Bulls). For the event, Jesus will walk away with 120 world standings points and $9,200.

Five qualifiers from this weekend have advanced to the Built Ford Tough World Finals that start Wednesday night at T-Mobile Arena.

Kimzey and Toves will compete at the Finals as the top-two finishing riders at the Velocity Tour Finals.

Marcilio and Skeeter Kingsolver (McLouth, Kansas) qualified by being the top-two riders in the Velocity Tour standings who were not already qualified for the World Finals.

2017 PBR Brazil champion Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) earned an invitation to compete at the World Finals as the highest-finishing international invite at the Velocity Tour Finals.

American Bucking Bull Inc. (ABBI) concluded their two-night Wild Card Classic Monday night, with Smooth Wreck (Owens/Teller’s) taking first with a 90.33 which earned him $7,945. In second was Big Black (Robison/Haworth) with an 88.83. Stretch (Barker Bulls/Flying S) was third with an 87.83. With an 87.67 in fourth was Good Vibes (Tammy Pate/Sonny Barthold). Struttin’ Stuff(Futrell/D&H) finished fifth with an 87.5. These Top 5 Wild Card Classic finishers will advance to the ABBI Classic World Finals later this week where the champion bull will win $200,000. ABBI also held a Maturity for older bulls during Round Three, with Curtis Mendell’s Red Rover winning first with an 86.5 which was worth $4,200.      ~ PBR Media