2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis Wins Chicago Invitational

Pearl Harbor Takes Top Bull Honors in his Debut event of the 2018 season

In front of a record-setting crowd at Allstate Arena, 2016 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Champion Cooper Davis (Jasper, Texas) won the 25^th PBR: Unleash The Beast Series’ Chicago Invitational Sunday afternoon, capped by his first 90-point ride of the season. 

In Round 2, the 23-year-old rode Uncle Tink (Phenom Genetics/JCL Bucking Bulls/Waller Brothers Cattle Co.) for 83.5 points to enter the Championship Round tied for second overall with Claudio Montanha Jr. (Ribeirão Dos Indios, Brazil).

With the second selection in the draft, Davis chose Catfish John (Dakota Rodeo - Chad Berger / Clay Struve / Miller), a bull with whom he has rich history.

At the 2016 PBR World Finals, the Texan covered the Chad Berger bovine athlete for 91 points during the fifth round, propelling him to the World Champion title. One year later, Davis and Catfish John met again, this time Davis riding the bull for 89.5 points to help push Team USA to the title at the inaugural Global Cup in November 2017.

In the second event of the 25^th PBR: Unleash The Beast Series season, Davis extended his perfect streak aboard the bull, now 4-for-4, making the 8 for 91.25 points to win the Championship Round and event title. 

For the win, Davis earned $38,265 and 580 world points, catapulting him to the No. 1 spot in the world rankings. He now leads Gage Gay (Staley, North Carolina) by 80 points.

In second was Montanha Jr. who earned $15,650 and 330 world points for the runner-up effort.

Montanha Jr. began the Sunday afternoon event second in Round 2, riding Kookaburra (High View Cattle Co/Wallgren Bull Co.) for 86.5 points.

The last man out in the Championship Round, the 28-year-old Brazilian covered Cut The Cord (Broken Arrow Bucking Bulls) for 87.25 points.

With two Top 10 finishes to begin the 2018 season, he is now ranked No. 3 in the world, 190 points behind Davis.

Dener Barbosa (Paulo de Faria, Brazil) was third after logging qualified rides aboard Locke & Loaded (High View Cattle Co/Wallgren Bull Co.), 85.5 points, and Shownuff (Henry Wilson/Wallgren Bull Co.), 88.25 points, in the final two rounds of the event.

Taking home a paycheck for $11,250 and 235 world points, Barbosa will head to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for the third event of the 25^th PBR: Unleash The Beast Series’ 2018 campaign the No. 5 ranked rider in the world.

After bucking off in Round 1, Brennon Eldred (Sulphur, Oklahoma) was perfect Sunday afternoon to finish fourth in his first event on the elite tour for the 2018 season.

Eldred tied for fourth in Round 2 after he was marked 86 points for reaching the 8 aboard Mr. Jim (Blake Sharp / Sharp Farm & Cattle / Rio Rojo Cattle Co, LLC).

In the Championship Round, the second-year Oklahoma rider was the first to record a qualified ride, covering Losing My Religion (Broken Arrow Bucking Bulls) for 89.5 points.

Now ranked No. 15 in the world, Eldred netted $10,075 and 160 world points.

Rounding out the Top 5 was Valdiron de Oliveira (Piranhas, Brazil), who is now a perfect 7-for-7 to begin the season.

The last of four riders to be perfect in Chicago, the 38-year-old first rode Overstreet (Blake Sharp / Sharp Farm & Cattle) for 81.25 points, before making the whistle on Twinkle Toes (Broken Arrow Bucking Bulls) in the Championship Round for 75.5 points.

Slipping to No. 3 in the world, Olivieria collected $4,816.67 and 148.3 world points for his second consecutive Top 5 finish.

Pearl Harbor (Dakota Rodeo / Chad Berger / Clay Struve / H&C Bucking Bulls) was named the YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the Event after dispatching Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington) at the 5.29-second mark in the Championship Round. He earned a bull score of 46 points.  ~ PBR Media