It was a busy weekend with plenty of bull riding action to try and stay on top of in North America.
Six Aussie cowboys competed in PBR events across the Australia day long weekend. Let’s take a look at how they fared.
2020 PBR Unleash The Beast Tour – Sacramento, CA.
Once again, the Clermont duo of Aaron Kleier and Brady Fielder were joined in California by Moura’s Lawson Nobbs, who gained one of the thirteen alternate spots in the draw.
Round 1
Fielder was the first to ride, and he bucked off Angry Elf from Evan Matthews in 7.37 seconds. The bull looked to the left from the left delivery but turned back to the right. Fielder seemed to have a great seat, but gets rocked forward and goes out the front door. He took a shot or two in the process. He was able to leave the arena under his own steam but appeared to be in plenty of pain. The score for the bull was 42-points.
Nobbs was the next to go aboard Tested Crazy from Dakota Rodeo – Berger, Struve and Barnhard. The bull goes made a turn to the right which was away from Nobbs’ hand. Nobbs stayed with him for 4.69 seconds but lost his feet, falling forward and spun out over the handlebars. The bull was marked 43.5 points.
Kleier did battle with Nathan from D&H Cattle and Harrison. The bull turned back to the right immediately. Kleier was able to hang with the bull and remain in good shape as they floated together through the spin, but it became too much for Kleier, who was out the back at 5.50 seconds. The bull was awarded 43.5 points.
Round 2
Early morning tweets by PBR Insider Justin Felisko indicated that Fielder was in the hospital, diagnosed with bruising to his large intestine and that Dr Tandy Freeman has ruled him out of the remainder of the event.
Bailey’s Roxet Swag from Bridwell Pro Rodeos was the first opponent for Kleier on Saturday night. The bull began with a turn back to the left close to the chutes. He then reversed direction mid-ride and leapt forward, which caused Kleier to lose balance and make the touch over the front at 5.78 seconds. The bull was marked 41.5 points.
Nobbs was out very late in the round against Culp Bucking Bulls’ Money. The bull turned back to the right and was strong and fast with loads of kick. Nobbs stuck with him for a few rounds, but the buck off came at 3.75 seconds. 43.5 points went the bull’s way.
15/15 Bucking Battle
Kleier made his first 15/15 appearance against Speed Demon from Dakota Rodeo – Berger, Struve and Heald Pro Bulls.
The bull took a couple of jumps out and in the process puts in a fake to the left, but he dives back to the right. Kleier slowly got to the end of his reach, and he was out the back. Judges awarded 43.5 points to the bull in the 3.86-second matchup.
João Ricardo Vieira was the only rider to post a score in the bonus round, marked 92-points aboard Foghorn Leghorn from Dakota Rodeo – Berger, Struve and WSM Auctioneers
Round 3
Kleier put together an excellent ride to get his name onto the leaderboard, combining with Rusty Bones for 85.5 points. The Julio Moreno and Bar CB bucker wasted no time leaving the chute and turned back to the left. Kleier was immediately behind in the ride, but he showed great hustle to catch back up and finish strong.
Nobbs did battle with Diamond Bar Cattle’s Space Monkey who turned back to the right as the gate cracked. Nobbs looked to have a pretty good seat, but he was worked to the outside late and slapped as he was flung out the back door. The clock read 7.91-seconds, so Nobbs challenged, but the time came down to 7.64 seconds. 41.25 points was the bull score.
Kleier‘s ride in the third round placed him ninth, earning him 3 points towards the 2020 PBR World Standings. He finished the event in nineteenth place on the aggregate leaderboard.
Jose Vitor Leme dominated Rising Sun from Dakota Rodeo – Berger, Struve and Heald Pro Bulls in the Championship Round for 91 points to score the Sacramento event win. His aggregate total on four bulls was 351.5 points.
2020 PBR Velocity Tour – Lexington, KY.
Coonamble’s Nathan Burtenshaw was looking to build on his third-place finish in Portland last weekend as he made his way across the USA to compete in Kentucky.
Round 1
Burtenshaw took on GEM Bucking Bulls’ Bring The Bling. The bull was expected to turn back to the left with excellent timing, and he delivered. Burtenshaw looked outstandings in a dominant performance away from his hand. The 86-points was enough to split second in the round with four other riders. He earned 2.5 points towards the 2020 PBR World Standings.
Championship Round
Burtenshaw‘s opponent in the short-go was Slapping Bo from CBT4.
The bull made a strong turn back to the left as the gate cracked and Burtenshaw looked in beautiful shape. He appeared to handle the bull’s reversal with ease, but all of sudden Burtenshaw was out of position and over the wrong end of the bull with the buck off recorded at 6.24 seconds. Burtenshaw was hung up and got dragged across the front of the chutes before getting clear. He looked to be shaken up but left the arena under his own steam.
Burtenshaw finished the event splitting sixth through eight and collected a further 4 points towards the World Standings.
Texan Cole Melancon and Brazilian Lindomar Lino shared the win with an aggregate score of 175 points.
2020 PBR Canada Monster Energy Tour – Calgary, AB.
A pair of Queenslanders headed to Canada to kick off the 2020 season in the Great White North. Mundubbera’s Lane Mellers, who was crowned 2019 PBR Canada Rookie of the Year was joined by Warwick’s Callum Miller, who would make his first appearance in the PBR since 2017.
Round 1
Miller matched up with Grizz from Wild Hoggs and Trish Streeter and posted 85.5 points to split fourth place in the round. The bull took a look to the left but turned back to the right. Miller made some big moves to stay on top, and he finished the ride strong.
Mellers was out a short time later, and he also posted a score to finish the night splitting fifteenth place. He combined with Wild Hoggs Bucking Bulls’ Lon’s Lost It for 81.5 points. The bull took a big look to the left but chose to spin to the right. It wasn’t the best out for the bull, and Mellers avoided falling into the well late to reach the bell.
Round 2
Mellers was out early in Section 3 on Eno Bucking Bulls’ Honky Sam. The clock was stopped at 4.49 seconds, and the bull awarded 41 points after he left the chute in a hurry and made a left turn. Mellers gots slightly behind early, and things only get more to the outside from there as he kept sliding.
Miller put together a second score aboard Vold Rodeo’s Edge of Tomorrow. The bull made a very tight turn back around the gate but had a flat and fast action. Miller once again made plenty of corrections to reach the whistle and collect a further 78.5 points. He was offered a re-ride but kept the score to finish the long rounds in seventh place on 164 points.
Championship Round
Miller entered the short-go in seventh place and Come On Over from Vold Rodeo and Prescott was the bull waiting in that slot.
The bull looked to the right, but made the turn back to the left. Riding away from his hand, Miller seemed to have a great seat but got slightly to the outside. The bull took full advantage and followed up with an effort jump which put Miller out the front door. Judges awarded the bull 44-points.
Miller picked up no points towards the PBR World Standings despite his seventh-place finish He sits nineteenth in the early Canadian National Standings with 55 points.
Saskatchewanian Dakota Buttar finished atop the leaderboard with 258.5 points on three bulls to claim the win.
Other Events
Californian Alex Santana picked up his first career win in the PBR at the Velocity Tour event in Spokane, Washington. The 22-year-old went 2-for-2 and accumulated 164-points to claim the buckle.
In Calgary, PBR Canada also ran a 5 vs 5 Bucking Battle alongside the Monster Energy Tour event. Homestate cowboy Brock Radford took the win, riding Cool Bricks from X6 Ranch Bucking Cattle and Rank Pen Cattle Co for 89-points.
Head to the PBR Results Page for full results from every event.
World Standings Update
With four Unleash The Beast Tour events in the books, we are now halfway to the cut, where the tour transitions from last season’s qualifiers, to the 2020 Top-35.
There has been a bit of a shake up at the top of the World Standings with João Ricardo Vieira displacing Lockwood and taking over the No. 1 spot with 311.75 points.
Jose Vitor Leme also moved ahead of Lockwood and sits second, just 7.25 points behind Viera. Jess Lockwood is now third, 26.25 points behind Viera.
Kaique Pacheco and Daylon Swearengen complete the Top-5.
Aaron Kleier is the best placed Australian rider, sitting 16th in the standings on 78 points. He is 233.75 points behind the No. 1 ranked Viera.
Lachlan Richardson and Nathan Burtenshaw are grouped together in 19th and 20th on 73 and 61.66 points respectively. Troy Wilkinson is the only other Australian inside the Top-35 and is 29th on 47 points.
Check out the full 2020 PBR World Standings here.
Check back on Wednesday for a full rundown of what is coming up this week in the PBR! I also hope to have a wrap-up of all the ABBI Australia and BBA action from the weekend up on the website tomorrow.