Unstoppable Team Cooper Tires and Resurgent Team Wrangler Headline Explosive Action from Challenge Day 4 of New PBR Team Challenge

Photo By: Andy Watson @BullStockMedia

SCORE BULLETIN – CHALLENGE DAY 4

Rookie Sensations Moreira and Santos Propel Team Can-Am to Second Shutout Victory of PBR’s New Team Tournament

Team Can-Am: 173.25 points

Team Union Home Mortgage: 0 points

LAS VEGAS – With just two days of competition remaining in Division A at the Pendleton Whisky Let ‘Er Buck Saloon at South Point Arena in Las Vegas, the first game of Challenge Day 4 for the PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by U.S. Border Patrol, was a highly-anticipated bubble match, pitting No. 3 Team Can-Am against No. 4 Team Union Home Mortgage. Despite both contingents being led by two of the sport’s veterans in eight-time World Finals qualifier Fabiano Vieira (Perola, Brazil) and three-time PBR World Champion Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sul, Brazil), the game’s decision makers were two of PBR’s newest cowboys in Mauricio Moreira (Gaviao Peixoto, Brazil) and Rafael dos Santos (Sebastioanopolis, Brazil). Team Can-Am outlasted Team Union Home Mortgage 173.25-0, to improve to 2-2 in the division. Team Can-Am’s second shutout victory, however, wasn’t without its obstacles. In just the second out of the game, Ezekiel Mitchell (Rockdale, Texas) was instantly sidelined, stepped on by Haboob (Shuler Bucking Bulls) after getting hung up during the buck off. Exemplifying cowboy grit and resilience, Moreira mounted the team’s rally in their very next out, conquering Hot Spots (Shuler Bucking Bulls) for 86.75 points. Moreira’s qualified ride was his second of the team tournament aboard Hot Spots, first covering the bovine athlete on Challenge Day 1. In the game’s second half, Team Can-Am’s depth was on full display with Santos activated to fill-in for an injured Mitchell, who is probable for Saturday. Rising to the occasion, Santos reached the 8 aboard Jungle Can Do (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Diamond Willow) for 86.5 points. Courtesy of the win, Team Can-Am solidified their No. 3 ranking in the division, while Team Union Home Mortgage slipped to fifth, outside of the trio that will advance to compete for the PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge Championship in Sioux Falls, South Dakota July 10-12. On Saturday for Challenge Day 5, Team Can-Am will next compete against Team Las Vegas, while Team Union Home Mortgage will look to snap its three-game losing skid against Team YETI.

“This is nice,” Team Can-Am Captain Fabiano Vieira said. “My two young guys, Mauricio and Rafael, ride very good, and helped the team win tonight. Ezekiel is hurt (on his) first bull, I buck off my two bulls again. This is the game, they help us win.”

“I’m a little sored up right now,” said Team Can-Am’s Ezekiel Mitchell, who was sidelined following his first bull. “I took advantage that we have such a great alternate with Rafael. I wasn’t going to be selfish and put my team in a compromising position. I’ll get iced up, get healed up, and be back tomorrow. If I can’t I will let Rafael take it. It’s all about the team.”

Resurgent Team Wrangler Delivers Most Exciting Game of New PBR Team Tournament with Come-From-Behind Walk-Off Victory to Surge to No. 4 in Division

Team Wrangler: 259.5 points

Team YETI: 254.25 points

LAS VEGAS – In what was arguably the most exciting game witnessed thus far in the PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by U.S. Border Patrol, the second game of Challenge Day 4 was a ride-for-ride battle decided by the final out. Team Wrangler and Team YETI were hungry for a victory, both entering the contest outside of the Top 3 in seeking a bid to the championship in Sioux Falls, South Dakota July 10-12. After Team YETI, backed by a flawless 2-for-2 performance from Captain Derek Kolbaba (Walla Wall, Washington), surged to a one-bull, 79.75-point lead, all eyes were affixed to Team Wrangler Captain Colten Jesse (Konawa, Oklahoma) as he attempted the final bull of the game — Monkey (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls). Despite the ornery bovine athlete attempting to jump out of the chutes, and Jesse being put on the clock, the determined Oklahoman kept his rope, centered himself, nodded his head, and exploded from the chutes, leading to an out that won’t soon be forgotten by viewers around the globe. Reaching the 8-second whistle, the steadfast Oklahoma cowboy was marked a critical 85 points, propelling his team to its first victory. Earlier in the night, Jesse also posted an 86.75-point ride aboard The Tickler (Dakota Rodeo-Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Ken Barnhard), while Roscoe Jarboe (New Plymouth, Idaho) contributed a score, marked 87.75 points after covering South Texas Gangster (Dakota Rodeo/Julie Rosen/Clay Struve/Chad Berger). Foreshadowing what may be a Cinderella run up the rankings, Team Wrangler surged from No. 6 to No. 4 in the Division A standings. Narrowly on the outside of the cutline to advance to the championships, Team Wrangler, who has two games remaining, trails No. 3 Team Can-Am (2-2) by just one victory. When the team’s next compete Saturday evening, Team Wrangler will face the division’s dominant No. 1 Cooper Tires, while Team YETI will go head-to-head against No. 5 Team Union Home Mortgage. Apart from the team race, the Team Wrangler vs. Team YETI game also greatly shaped the Built Ford Tough MVP standings. Kolbaba’s 2-for-2 showing propelled him from No. 13 to No. 2 in the race, now trailing the No. 1-ranked rider Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) by 347.75 points. Jesse and Jarboe also gained significant ground, surging from No. 14 to No. 4, and from No. 8 to No. 3, respectively.

“I wasn’t really worried about riding,” Team Wrangler Captain Colten Jesse said of his trip aboard Monkey. “When I saw that chute clock going down, and the bull stood up, I was getting nervous. But we got out of there and made it work.

“Come here tomorrow, ride bulls, and let the rest take care of itself. Get those three wins,” Jesse concluded of Team Wrangler’s plan for Challenge Day 5 and 6. 

“We just wanted to make sure he had the best shot possible,” Team Wrangler’s Brennon Eldred said of the Jesse’s final out. “We knew Colten was going to eat him up, and everything else was going to take care of itself.”

“Got a little wild and a little harry, but I kept my hand shut, got the 8 seconds and put a score on the board,” Team Wrangler’s Roscoe Jarboe said of his crucial score.

“This is what this team format was supposed to do,” five-time PBR World Finals qualifier turned commentator Colby Yates said of the electric game on RidePass, PBR’s western sports digital network. “This is one of the best games we have seen this entire season thus far.”

“This bull is almost crawling out of the bucking chutes, but he just hung tight with that hand,” Yates added of Jesse’s trip on Monkey. “He didn’t have time to re-pull. But look at the control with this free arm. Everything is picture perfect. Good job Colten Jesse.”

“It gives them a chance,” Yates concluded of the win’s impact on Team Wrangler’s hope to advance to the championships. “They have a whole lot of tough teams ahead of them, but this gives them a hope.”

Team Cooper Tires Remains Undefeated with Dominant Win Against Team Las Vegas to Clinch Spot in PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge Championship

Team Cooper Tires: 259.25 points

Team Las Vegas: 84.5 points

LAS VEGAS – Challenge Day 4 of the PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by U.S. Border Patrol, concluded with the match-up viewers around the globe had been eagerly awaiting – No. 1 Team Cooper Tires vs. No. 2 Team Las Vegas. After both teams amassed a perfect 3-0 record through the opening weekend of play, one was slated to walk away from the all-star slug-match with a berth to the team challenge’s championship in Sioux Falls, South Dakota July 10-12, while the other would taste bitter defeat for the first time in Las Vegas. Undeterred by the pressure, Team Cooper Tires continued to dominate, in command of the game’s scoreboard for the duration of the showdown and all but shutting out Team Las Vegas en route to a 259.25-84.5-point victory. Six-time, and reigning, PRCA Bull Riding Champion Sage Kimzey (Strong City, Oklahoma), the stacked contingent’s first rider, was quick to strike, covering Short Pop (Hart Cattle Co./Hale) for 85.25 points. Next to put points on the board was Captain Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil). After being awarded a re-ride on Cliff Jumper (Hart Cattle/McBride/Barker) for unruly chute behavior, Leme easily handled Blue Stone (Dakota Rodeo-Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Ken Barnhard) just minutes later, marked 88 points. While neither Kimzey nor fellow teammate Stetson Lawrence (Williston, North Dakota), were able to convert aboard their second bulls, Leme punctuated the team’s fourth victory of the tournament with an 86-point ride on Anthrax (EVP Bucking Bulls), his seventh successful ride in eight attempts in the tournament. Team Cooper Tires is now a perfect 4-0 and is the first team that will advance out of Division A to compete in South Dakota for the Monster Energy Team Challenge Championship and their share of the $400,000 purse. Leme’s perfect effort Friday evening also allowed him to remain in commanding lead of the Built Ford Tough MVP race, currently 347.75 points in front of No. 2 Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington). On Challenge Day 5, Team Cooper Tires will look to remain undefeated against a rising No. 4 Team Wrangler, while Team Las Vegas, who remained No. 2, will square off against No. 3 Team Can-Am.

“I just very grateful about God put good bulls in my way,” Jose Vitor Leme said. “And I am very happy about these guys help me behind my chutes. To ride my bulls, I am very grateful.”

“Everybody wants that position, so I think it’s a position we need to carry with pride,” Sage Kimzey said of Team Cooper Tires’ No. 1 rank. “We know everyone looks at us as the team to beat, and if we keep raising the bar for ourselves, we’ll be good.”

SCORE RECAPS – CHALLENGE DAYS 1-3

CHALLENGE DAY 1: New PBR Team Tournament Launches with a Blowout, Shutout and Dramatic Seesaw Battle at South Point Arena in Las Vegas

Team Cooper Tires (1-0) Defeats Team Can-Am (0-1) │ 336.25-87

Team Las Vegas (1-0) Defeats Team YETI (0-1) │ 88.25-0

Team Union Home Mortgage (1-0) Defeats Team Wrangler (0-1) │ 337-257.25

CHALLENGE DAY 2: Powerhouse Shutouts, Gritty Rides and High Adrenaline Action Headline Challenge Day 2

Team Can-Am (1-1) Defeats Team Wrangler (0-2) │ 347.25-0

Team Las Vegas (2-0) Defeats Team Union Home Mortgage (1-1) │ 257-85.25

Team Cooper Tires (2-0) Defeats Team YETI (0-2) │ 332-0

CHALLENGE DAY 3: Team Cooper Tires Builds Sizeable Lead with Third Consecutive Win to Conclude First Weekend of New PBR Team Challenge

Team Las Vegas (3-0) Defeats Team Wrangler (0-3) │ 175.75-0

Team YETI (1-2) Defeats Team Can-Am (1-2) │ 173-86.5

Team Cooper Tires (3-0) Defeats Team Union Home Mortgage (1-2) │ 175.75-88.5

INJURY UPDATES

OUT: Team Can-Am’s Ezekiel Mitchell did not attempt his second bull against Team Union Home Mortgage after getting hung-up while attempting Haboob and being stepped on. He is probable for Saturday.

COMPETING: Team Wrangler’s Roscoe Jarboe is competing with a bruised right shoulder initially sustained on Challenge Day 1 when he was stepped on by War Wagon.

COMPETING: Team Union Home Mortgage’s Luciano de Castro is competing with an aggravated chronic right hip injury. He re-aggravated the injury while attempting Paint The Town on Challenge Day 2.

COMPETING: Team Union Home Mortgage’s Mason Taylor is riding with a chronic right wrist sprain. Taylor initially irritated the existing ailment while attempting Short Pop on Challenge Day 2.

COMPETING: Team Wrangler’s Brennon Eldred is competing with sore ribs.

COMPETING: Team YETI’s Cole Melancon is competing with a right knee sprain.

YETI “BUILT FOR THE WILD” BULL OF THE WEEKEND STANDINGS

Here are the Top 5 bull scores recorded on Challenge Day 4 of the 2020 PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by U.S. Border Patrol:

1. Drago (M Rafter E Bucking Bulls) – 44.75 points (Challenge Day 4 – Mason Taylor, 3.25 seconds)

Bubba G (M Rafter E/High View Cattle) – 44.75 points (Challenge Day 4 – Stetson Lawrence, 2.2 1 seconds)

3. Big Black Cat (Dakota Rodeo/Berger/Struve/Heald Pro Bulls) – 44 points (Challenge Day 4 – Fabiano Vieira, 3.24 seconds)
4. Milk Man (TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.) – 43.75 points (Challenge Day 4 – Stetson Wright, 2.94 seconds)
5. Keno (Chad Berger Bucking Bulls) – 43.25 points (Challenge Day 4 – Luciano de Castro, 4.43 seconds)

South Texas Gangster (Dakota Rodeo/Rosen/Struve/Berger) – 43.25 points (Challenge Day 4 – Roscoe Jarboe, 87.75 points)

Chicken and Biscuits (Ogden Ranch/Hart Cattle Co.) – 43.25 points (Challenge Day 4 – Stetson Lawrence, 2.42 seconds)

DIVISION A STANDINGS

Here are the current standings for Division A after Challenge Days 1-4 of the 2020 PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by U.S. Border Patrol:

1. Team Cooper Tires, 4-0-0-1,103.25 points
2. Team Las Vegas, 3-1-0-604.5 points
3. Team Can-Am, 2-2-0-694 points
4. Team Wrangler, 1-3-0-516.75 points (+2)
5. Team Union Home Mortgage, 1-3-0-510.75 points (-1)
6. Team YETI, 1-3-0-427.25 points (-1)

BUILT FORD TOUGH MVP STANDINGS

Here are the current standings for the Built Ford Tough MVP race for the 2020 PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by U.S. Border Patrol after Challenge Day 4:

1. Jose Vitor Leme, 7-for-8, 605 points
2. Derek Kolbaba, 3-for-8, 259.25 points (+11)
3. Roscoe Jarboe, 3-for-8, 258.75 points (+5)
4. Colten Jesse, 3-for-8, 258 points (+10)

Luciano de Castro, 3-for-7, 258 points (-2)

6. Mauricio Moreira, 3-for-8, 257.75 points (+2)
7. Garrett Smith, 3-for-8, 255 points (+3)
8. Sage Kimzey, 3-for-7, 254.5 points (+3)
9. Stetson Wright, 2-for-8, 175.75 points (-6)
10. Ezekiel Mitchell, 2-for-7, 175.25 points (-6)
11. Fabiano Vieira, 2-for-8, 174.5 points (-6)
12. Stetson Lawrence, 2-for-7, 173.75 points (-6)

Chase Dougherty, 2-for-6, 173.75 points (-6)

14. Silvano Alves, 2-for-8, 167 points (-2)
15. Rafael dos Santos, 1-for-1, 86.5 points (NEW)
16. Mason Taylor, 1-for-6, 85.75 points (-1)

Eli Vastbinder, 1-for-5, 85.75 points (-1)

18. Cole Melancon, 1-for-5, 82.25 points (NEW)
19. Keyshawn Whitehorse, 1-for-2, 70 points (-2)

CHALLENGE DAY 5 MATCHUPS

Here are the game matchups for Challenge Day 5 on Saturday, June 13, for Division A of the 2020 PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by U.S. Border Patrol:

Team Can-Am                   vs.          Team Las Vegas

Team Cooper Tires           vs.          Team Wrangler

Team YETI                          vs.          Team Union Home Mortgage

Challenge Day 5 for the 2020 PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by U.S. Border Patrol, gets underway on Saturday, June 13 with the next three games of Division A. CBS Sports Network and RidePass will bring viewers LIVE coverage of all the action beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET.

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