Arizona Ridge Riders Defeat Austin Gamblers by One Ride to Collect Team’s First PBR Team Series Victory

Arizona Ridge Riders: 171.50
Austin Gamblers: 89.00
CHEYENNE, Wy. – The action-packed debut lineup of games for the season-launch PBR Team Series event in Cheyenne, Wyoming, came to a climactic conclusion as the Arizona Ridge Riders went to battle against the Austin Gamblers.

Compliments of a crucial, late-game score by the team’s first round draft pick Luciano De Castro (Guzolandia, Brazil), the Ridge Riders beat the Gamblers by one ride score to earn the roster’s first game win in the PBR Team Series. Following buckoffs byAlisson De Souza (Taubate, Brazil) for the Ridge Riders and Conner Halverson (Gordon, Nebraska) for the Gamblers, it was Marco Eguchi (Poa, Brazil) who would deliver the go-ahead score for Arizona. Matched up with Surprise Package (Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger), Eguchi reached the requisite 8 for 86.5 points. The charismatic Brazilian’s score was unanswered by the Gamblers, as Lucas Divino (Nova Crixas, Brazil) proved no match for Alakazam (D&H Cattle/Buck Cattle/Tommy Julian), hitting the dirt in a swift 3.31 seconds. The scoreboard remained unchanged as the next two riders for each team climbed aboard their draws. However, while the Gamblers suffered two buckoffs, Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil) was awarded a re-ride. As a result, with the game more than halfway complete, the Ridge Riders had two attempts left, while the Gamblers had just one. The fate of the game then rested in the hands of Ridge Riders first round draft pick Castro. In perfect time with Bentley (Viducic Bucking Bulls), Castro delivered the victory-clinching ride, marked 85 points. And while the fate of the game was already determined, No. 1 overall draft pick and Gamblers star Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) was still awaiting his out. Preventing his team from being shut out, Leme delivered what is now the high-marked ride of the PBR Team Series regular season, scored 89 points on The Right Stuff (Diamond Willow/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger). When the dust settled, the Ridge Riders earned their first victory, 171.5-89. On the final day of action in Cheyenne, the Arizona Ridge Riders will compete against the Carolina Cowboys, and the Gamblers will chase a win over the Oklahoma Freedom. 

“It’s just amazing to win the first game in the real season,” said Arizona Ridge Riders Technical Coach Paulo Crimber. “We were waiting so long for this; it couldn’t be any better. Unfortunately, Eduardo [Aparecido] had a little incident in the chute, but thank God it’s not broken. It’s going to be sore. He should be great for Kansas City. The team worked like we planned. Teamwork is always a great feeling. I’m excited for tomorrow.” 

CHEYENNE TEAM STANDINGS

Here are the current Team standings for the week after the opening day of competition for the PBR Team Series: Cheyenne regular season event:

1. Nashville Stampede, 1-0-0-337.75

2. Arizona Ridge Riders, 1-0-0-171.5

3. Missouri Thunder, 1-0-0-89.25

4. Kansas City Outlaws, 0-0-1-0

5. Oklahoma Freedom, 0-0-1-0

6. Carolina Cowboys, 0-1-0-257.25

7. Austin Gamblers, 0-1-0-89

8. Ariat Texas Rattlers, 0-1-0-0

PBR TEAM SERIES SEASON STANDINGS

Here are the current Team standings for the regular season after the opening day of competition for the PBR Team Series: Cheyenne regular season event:

1. Nashville Stampede, 1-0-0-0-337.75

2. Arizona Ridge Riders, 1-0-0-0-171.5

3. Missouri Thunder, 1-0-0-0-89.25

4. Kansas City Outlaws, 0-0-1-0-0

5. Oklahoma Freedom, 0-0-1-0-0

6. Carolina Cowboys, 0-1-0-0-257.25

7. Austin Gamblers, 0-1-0-0-89

8. Ariat Texas Rattlers, 0-1-0-0-0

JULY 26 GAME SCHEDULE

Here are the game matchups for the second day of action for the PBR Team Series: Cheyenne regular season event on Tuesday, July 26:

Arizona Ridge Riders vs. Carolina Cowboys

Nashville Stampede vs. Missouri Thunder

Ariat Texas Rattlers vs. Kansas City Outlaws

Austin Gamblers vs. Oklahoma Freedom

About the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series:

The PBR Team Series is an elite new league that will feature the world’s top bull riders competing on teams in five-on-five bull riding games during an 11-event season beginning in July and culminating in a team championship at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas November 4-6.  During the 2022 season, each of the eight teams representing teams in Austin, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Glendale, AZ; Kansas City, MO; Nashville, TN; Oklahoma City, OK; Ridgedale, MO; and Winston-Salem, NC will host a three-day homestand.  There will also be neutral site games in Cheyenne, WY and Anaheim, CA. To determine team rosters, the league held a rider draft on May 23 prior to start of the 2022 season among any bull riders who have declared for the draft during a league eligibility window. The PBR Team Series builds on the existing structure of professional bull riding with the same basic rules for judging and scoring qualified 8-second bull rides. Events will be staged in a tournament-style format with all teams competing in head-to-head matchups against a different opponent each day. Each game will feature five riders per team squaring off against another team. Full team rosters will be comprised of seven riders on the core roster and three practice squad members. The team with the highest aggregate score of qualified rides among its riders will be declared the winner of each game. The event winner will be the team with the most game wins across an event, with a special bonus round designed as a tie-breaker to determine final event standings. All PBR Team Series events will be carried on either the CBS Television Network, streaming live on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, or RidePass on PlutoTV.

Courtesy of the PBR