After finishing in 2nd place at the Inaugural PBR Global Cup in Edmonton, Team Brazil has made 4 changes to their riding roster for the Sydney Event. Veteran riders including three-time World Champion Silvano Alves and Fabiano Viera, who has 17 career wins on the PBR’s Premier Series, have stepped aside with 4 Brazilian young guns scheduled to make their PBR Global Cup debut. The Brazilian team is stacked with riders who are all ranked in the Top 10 of the PBR World Standings.
2010 World Champion Renato Nunes (Buritama, SP) takes over from Robson Palermo as coach of the talented Brazilian team. After making his PBR debut in 2005, Nunes went on to capture 10 event wins, 44 Top-5 finishes and 87 Top-10 finishes, earning nearly $3 million in prize money. The 36-year-old was a member of Team Brazil in the last PBR International Event held in Australia where he went 3-for-6 on the Gold Coast back in 2007. Nunes was a PBR fan favourite who performed his signature backflip from the chutes after every qualified ride. He was not afraid to wear his emotions on his sleeve or speak his mind throughout his 10-year career.
Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, GO) – World Ranking: 8th. Following a strong 2017 season where he held down the Number 1 spot in the PBR World Standings for much of the year, Aparecido went 2-for-5 PBR World Finals and ultimately finished 4th in the World Standings. Aparecido went 1-for-2 at the PBR Global Cup in Edmonton where he covered Falling Rock (Big Chief Bucking Bulls) in Round 1 of competition. The 27-year-old has had a solid start to the 2018 season recording a big win in Glendale, AZ where he scored 90.75 points on Stunt Man Ray (Broken Arrow Bucking Bulls) in the Championship Round. With a riding percentage of 44% for the year, the Brazilian has also had Top 5 finishes in New York, Little Rock and Duluth to remain within striking distance of the World Championship.
Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, SP) – World Ranking: 1st. The 2015 PBR Rookie of the Year comes into the Sydney PBR Global Cup in red-hot form after winning the PBR’s Last Cowboy Standing in Las Vegas, NV to move into the Number 1 spot on the PBR World Rankings. After a slow start to the 2018 season, which included a 0-for-2 trip to the PBR Global Cup in Edmonton, Pacheco has ridden 19 of his last 24 bulls on the PBR’s Premier Series and increased his riding percentage to over 45%. The 23-year-old has had success previously in Australia finishing 2nd at the 2016 Troy Dunn Invitational in Townsville, QLD and 3rd at the 2016 Brendon Clark Invitational in Newcastle, NSW with a riding record of 5-for-6.
Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas Do Rio Pardo, MS) – World Ranking: 6th. The 2017 PBR Brazil Champion burst onto the scene late in 2017, going a perfect 10-for-10 in Las Vegas, NV across the PBR Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour Finals and the PBR World Finals event title where he was the only rider to go 6-for-6. The 21-year-old represented Team Brazil at the Global Cup in Edmonton finishing 5th in the individual standings with a 2-for-4 record. Leme is yet to break through for his maiden win on the 25th PBR: Unleash the Beast tour but the talented Brazilian has recorded nine Top 5 finishes for 2018 with five of those coming on the Unleash the Beast tour. Leme heads to Australia in excellent form after winning the Inaugural WRCA Rodeo in Las Vegas earlier in May.
Ramon de Lima (Sao Paulo, SP) – World Ranking: 3rd. The 27-year-old has been one of the stars of the 25th PBR: Unleash the Beast series producing 3 winning performance. Lima broke through for his first win on the PBR’s Premier Series back in January, taking the win at the Sacramento Invitational with a 4-for-4 performance across the weekend. The Brazilian was also crowned 2018 PBR Iron Cowboy when he outlasted the top bull riders in the World at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, TX through 4 Rounds of competition. Leme also has a 15/15 Bucking Battle win to his name after covering Big Dutch (Gene Owen/Jane Clark) for 87.0 points in Billings, MT back in April. With a riding percentage of over 50% for 2018, Leme will be one to watch when he makes his Global Cup debut in Sydney.
Claudio Montanha Jr. (Pacaembu, SP) – World Ranking: 2nd. Coming off a solid 2017 campaign where he finished 13th in the PBR Standings, Montanha once again finds himself within striking distance of the PBR World Championship following the first half of the PBR Season. The 29-year-old is riding at a very competitive 47% for the year with two wins and 9 Top 5 finishes across all PBR events. Montanha’s has won buckles in Billings, MT and Duluth, GA the 25th PBR: Unleash the Beast tour with runner-up finishes in Chicago, Anaheim and the WRCA Rodeo in Las Vegas. The Brazilian will make his PBR Global Cup debut in Sydney.
Dener Barbosa (Paulo De Faria, SP) – World Ranking: 10th. Barbosa makes his return to PBR events in Sydney after suffering a broken right foot at the Duluth Invitational in Georgia back in March. The Brazilian was riding at an incredible 71% and in 4th place in the PBR World Standings with seven Top 5 finishes in PBR competition for 2018 when the injury struck. The 24-year-old also has a PBR Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour event win to his name, going 3-for-3 on his way to winning the buckle in Huntington, WV. Barbosa will be looking to regain his early season form when he heads to Australia to make his Global Cup debut.
Luciano de Castro (Guzolandia, SP) – World Ranking: 5th. The 22-year-old already has two 25th PBR: Unleash the Beast tour wins to his name in just his second season on the premier series. Castro took home the Little Rock, AR event win in March, which he capped off with a sensational 91.75 point ride in the Championship Round on Big Dutch (Gene Owen/Jane Clark). He also added the Columbus 15/15 Bucking Battle Buckle with an 89.50 point ride on Wicked Stick from Dakota Rodeo, Chad Berger and Clay Struve. Making his PBR Global Cup debut in Sydney, Castro looks to be in great form riding 4 bulls from his last 6 outs on the PBR’s premier series.
Coming up next – Team USA