Pacheco Wins PBR’s U.S. Border Patrol Invitational

Brazilian’s league-best fourth event win of the season further cements him atop world standings, now more than 1,200 points ahead of No. 2 Claudio Montanha Jr.

At the first-ever 25^th PBR: Unleash The Beast event in Fairfax, Virginia, Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil) used a flawless 3-for-3 performance to win the U.S. Border Patrol Invitational, further cementing his lead atop the world standings.           

After tying for tenth in Round 1 with an 85.5 point effort on Dang It (Davis Rodeo Ranch/Fogle), the 24-year-old returned with a vengeance Sunday afternoon, covering Satisfaction (Kephart Bucking Bulls/K-C) for 84.75 points in Round 2, earning him the fifth pick in the championship round draw.

Selecting Springer Mountain (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve), Pacheco brought the crowd inside EagleBank Arena to its feet when he made the 8 aboard the bovine athlete for 86.75 points.

The event win marked his fourth premier series victory of the season, the most of any rider, having previously ridden to the titles in Tacoma, Washington and Springfield, Missouri, in addition to capturing his third consecutive win at the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Major Last Cowboy Standing in Las Vegas. 

Pacheco earned a check for $32,800 in addition to 450 world points allowing him to further increase his lead atop the world rankings. He now travels to next weekend’s tour stop in Austin, Texas 1211.67 points ahead of No. 2 Claudio Montanha Jr. (Pacaembu, Brazil) who failed to record a qualified ride in Fairfax.

Young gun Cody Jesus (Window Rock, Arizona) finished second, making the most of his invite earned via his win on the Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour in his hometown. The finish is a career-best for the newly minted Team USA-Wolves Global Cup team member in his three prior appearances on the sport’s top tour.

Jesus began the Sunday afternoon event with an 87-point ride on Check It Out (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve) and capped his 3-for-3 effort with 87.5 points on Mud Duck (Cornwell Bucking Bulls/Circle G).

Earning $18,100 and 350 world points, the 20-year-old surged from No. 66 to No. 38 in the world standings, now 115 points behind No. 35 Marcos Gloria (Central de Minas, Brazil).

Entering the event amid a nine-out buckoff streak, veteran rider Valdiron de Oliveira (Piranhas, Brazil) reversed his fortunes, going 3-for-3 to finish third, his best elite tour result since the season-launch event in New York City this January where he was second.

Beginning the two-day stop with an 85.75-point ride on Buck John (Broken Arrow Bucking Bulls) in Round 1, his perfection continued with an 81-point effort on Like A Boss (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Machinery Auctioneers) in Round 2, concluding with a round-winning 88-point ride on Cooper Tires Brown Sugar (Dakota Rodeo/Julie Rosen/Clay Struve/Chad Berger).

Collecting $13,373.33 and 281.66 world points, Oliveira rose five spots in the world rankings, now No. 15.

Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington) finished fourth, winning $11,315 and 205 world points for his seventh Top-5 finish this season on the premier series.

After splitting the Round 1 win for his 87.25-points ride on Nailed (Broken Arrow Bucking Bulls), Kolbaba maintained the event lead heading into the championship round after making the 8 on Crazy Horse (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Machinery Auctioneers) for a matching score in Round 2. The 22-year-old, however, was unable to go the distance on Shownuff (Blake Sharp/Henry Wilson) in the final round, sent to the dirt in 4.61 seconds.

Rounding out the Top 5 was Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) and countryman Marco Eguchi (Poa, Brazil), each earning 135 world points, and checks for $3,400 and $7,765, respectively.

For Vieira the 3-for-3 showing snapped a 12-out buckoff slump he carried into the Fairfax event, and was his best showing since April in Billings where he was also fifth. The finish propelled him from No. 29 to No. 23 in the world rankings.

His rides came atop Suspicious Minds (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Heald Pro Bulls) for 85 points in Round 1, Cheese Bandit (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Heald Pro Bulls) for 83.75 points in Round 2 and White Dynomite (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/lay Struve/Wilks Ranch) for 85 points in the championship round.

Vieira is just the second rider in 11 trips across all levels of competition to make the 8 on White Dynomite, joining fellow Brazilian Ramon de Lima (Sao Paulo, Brazil) who rode him for 87.5 points this April in Columbus, Ohio.

Splitting the first round win with Kolbaba, Eguchi rebounded from a 2.09-second buckoff of Hot Time (K-C Bucking Bulls/Bull Creek Bucking Bulls) in Round 2, making the 8 on Red Sails In The Sunset (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Heald Pro Bulls) for 85.25 points in the championship round.

Losing My Religion (Broken Arrow Bucking Bulls) and Shownuff (Blake Sharp/Henry Wilson), both marked 44.75 points, tied for the YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the Event honor. Marking both bovine athlete’s first win of the season, Losing My Religion earned the high marks for his 2.04-second buckoff of Lima in the 15.15 Bucking Battle, while Shownuff’s score came for his 4.61-second buckoff of Kolbaba.

Elsewhere in the PBR, Mason Taylor (Maypearl, Texas) won the second Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour event of his career Saturday night at the Rochester Rumble inside Blue Cross Arena.

The young Texan continued his hot streak following his first career win two weeks ago at the Wilkes-Barre Classic. In Round 1 Taylor covered Zipline (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls) for 87 points, capping his 2-for-2 effort recording the highest score of the night with an 88-point ride aboard Movin’ On Up (J Bar W). The win earned him 120 world points and a $7,300 paycheck.                 ~ PBR Media