Jose Vitor Leme wins his first PBR event of the season in Tulsa
Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) earned the first regular-season event win of his career Sunday afternoon at the 25th PBR: Unleash The Beast, Express Employment Professionals Classic, presented by Osage Casino and Hotel. The win is Leme’s first since he rode to the event title at the PBR World Finals in November.
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| Jose Vitor Leme on Bottoms Up |
Heading into the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) championship round on Sunday at the BOK Center, Leme was in a battle with Cody Nance (Paris, Tennessee) and fellow countryman Fabiano Vieira(Perola, Brazil). Vieira became the first athlete to go 3-for-3, putting the pressure on Nance. Unfortunately, the Tennessee cowboy could not capitalize, leaving Leme the lone contender to challenge for the win.
The 21-year old Brazilian, who once played semipro soccer, was quick and catlike in covering Bottoms Up (TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.) for 90.5, tying the third highest score of his career on the elite tour. With the victory, Leme earned 625 world points, shooting from No. 6 to No. 3 in the standings. The 2017 PBR Rookie of the Year is now just 370 points behind Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil), the No. 1 bull rider in the world. Pacheco was shut out during two days in Oklahoma.
Watch Leme in the Championship Round
Earlier in the night, in Round 2, Leme covered Wound Up (M Rafter E Bucking Bulls) for 86 points. He took home a paycheck of $39,967.86.
Vieira finished second, marking his highest finish since winning the Columbus Invitational in April. The 12-year veteran made the whistle on Moe (Halpain & Roth) for 83.75 points, before going the distance on Mr. Miller (EJ Cattle Co.) for a score of 86.5 points.
Vieira climbed into the Top-10 for the first time this season, moving from No. 12 to No. 10. He earned 312.5 points towards the world standings along with $16,447.86.
In third place was Nance, earning 275 world points and a paycheck for $12,217.86. He rode Show Me Home (K-C Bucking Bulls) in Round 2 for 85.5 points but was unable to convert in the championship round. He narrowly missed the whistle aboard Hangman (Owens/Wyatt), sent to the dirt at the 7.96-second mark.
Competing at just his second-ever elite tour event, Lonnie West (Cadogan, Alberta) turned heads with his fourth place finish. The result is the best of the 22-year-old Canadian’s career on the premier series, improving upon his eighth place finish when he made his debut in Billings in April. He picked up 205 world points and vaulted up eight spots in the standings, rising from No. 33 to No. 25.
West went down early in Round 2 aboard Desperado (Hart Cattle Co./Manley Bucking Bulls) but rebounded in the championship round. He made the whistle on Lefty (Bill Henson/Gene Owen) for 87.5 points. West earned a total of $10,352.86 for the weekend.
Hometown favorite Ryan Dirteater (Hulbert, Oklahoma) finished fifth, picking up 155 world points and a paycheck for $7,152.86. To begin the second night of the event, Dirteater bucked off The Hard Stuff (Flying S Bucking Bulls) in 7.57 seconds but then went the required 8 aboard Scrappie (Terrell/Smith) in the championship round for 86.25 points.
Struttin Stuff (D&H Cattle Co./Futrell) and Bezerk (BMC Bucking Bulls/Jenkins Cattle Co.) were named the YETI “Built For The Wild” Bulls of the event after each earned bull scores of 44.5 points. Struttin Stuff took care of Sean Willingham (Summerville, Georgia) in 2.14-seconds in Round 2, while Bezerk downed Oklahoma’s own Colten Jesse (Konawa) in 3.01 seconds in the championship round. ~PBR Media
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