Albertan Brock Radford Ties for Fifth in Round 1 of the 2020 PBR World Finals

ARLINGTON, Texas – As action for the first-ever, Texas-hosted PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Finals got underway Thursday night inside a socially-distanced AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Canadian Brock Radford (De Winton, Alberta) delivered a career-best performance to tie for fifth in Round 1 of the 2020 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast.

Competing at the season-culminating event as an alternate, Radford seized his moment to ride in the opening round of the historic 2020 PBR World Finals, going the distance aboard Stretch (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Heald Pro Bulls) for a massive 89 points.

Not only did the qualified ride mark his career-first at the PBR World Finals, having previously ridden at the sport’s most prestigious event in 2018, but it is also now the high-marked ride of Radford’s career on the elite tour.

Collecting 32.5 world points and a check for $5,500, Radford climbed eight spots from No. 45 to No. 37.

In Round 2, Radford will aim to remain perfect at the 2020 PBR World Finals when he climbs aboard Lil 2 Train (Jane Clark/Gene Owen).

While Radford is the only Canadian rider at the event, he is joined by numerous bovine athletes with ties to the nation.

Originally hailing from Ponoka, Alberta’s Vold Rodeo, Oz (TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.), CopperPoint Swagger (Hart Cattle Co./Hale) and Canadian Mist (TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.), all bucked in Round 1.

CooperPoint Swagger led the contingent, marked 44.5 points for his 3.57-second buckoff of Brennon Eldred (Sulphur, Oklahaoma). For Oz, he was covered by Luciano de Castro (Guzolandia, Brazil) for an 83.75-point score, marked 41.5 points, while Canadian Mist earned a 42.75-point score for his 2.34 seconds worth of work against Ramon de Lima (Rio Branco, Brazil).

Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) furthered his stronghold atop the world rankings with a qualified ride in Round 1, while a shuffle was seen in the 2020 YETI PBR World Champion Bull race with Smooth Operator (Dakota Rodeo/Julie Rosen/Clay Stuve/Chad Berger) overtaking the No. 1 spot compliments of a monstrous 46-point out.

Leme, who began the 2020 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast mired in a three-out buckoff streak, began his fourth consecutive appearance at the season-culminating event with an 87.5-point ride on Total Feeds Bushwacked (Ohl/Herb/McDowell/Comozzi), tying for the eighth-best score of the round.

The qualified ride also snapped the bovine athlete’s 13-out buckoff streak across all levels of competition. Dakota Buttar (Kindersley, Saskatchewan) was the last rider to cover Total Feeds Bushwacked, marked 88 points during Round 2 of the season-launch Major in New York City.

Leme has now covered 42 of his 61 bulls of the premier series, converting for an impressive 68.85% riding average.

By knocking down a Round 1 ride, Leme earned 17.5 world points and $2,500, and further distanced himself from the field to inch closer to his first-ever PBR World Championship, which will be decided Sunday.

The former semi-professional soccer player, who finished No. 2 in the world the past two seasons, is now 442.09 points ahead of No. 2 Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil).

Vieira will not compete at the 2020 PBR World Finals after failing to clear the league’s COVID-19 (coronavirus) screening protocols.

In Round 2, Leme will look to remain perfect at the World Finals when he attempts Louisville Slugger (Hart Cattle/Ogden/Generations).

While the top of the leaderboard in the race for the 2020 PBR World Championship remained largely unchanged, in the bullpen, shakeups were seen in the battle amongst the league’s rankest bovine athletes for the title of 2020 YETI PBR World Champion Bull and accompanying $100,000 bonus.

Entering the event No. 2, 0.03 points removed from the lead, reigning World Champion Bull Smooth Operator parlayed a dominant 3.57-second buck off of Dener Barbosa (Paulo de Faria, Brazil) into a 46-point bull score to overtake the No. 1 ranking. Smooth Operator now holds a 46.11-point world average, 0.05 points ahead of his top challenger.

Chiseled (Flinn/D&H Cattle Co.), who concluded the regular-season as the No. 1 bull in the PBR, slipped to No. 2 after he was marked 45.25 points for his 2.81-second buckoff of Andre da Cruz de Souza (Decatur, Texas).

Continuing his hot streak, Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington) won Round 1 of the 2020 PBR World Finals inside the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys after he and Boogie Bomb (Bland Bucking Bulls/Cooper/Scruggs) seemingly kicked into another gear for a dominant 92.75 points.

The 90-point score is the fourth of the Washington cowboy’s at the PBR World Finals, and his third of the 2020 season.

In addition to earning a $35,000 paycheck, Kolbaba also collected a critical 100 world points, elevating him from No. 10 to No. 9 in the world. He now trails No. 1 Leme by 893 points.

Kolbaba will next attempt Big Black (K-C Bucking Bulls/Joe & Nina Webb) in Round 2.

Utilizing his top pick in the bull draft to architect a rematch, the out at the PBR World Finals will mark the fourth time in his career Kolbaba has climbed aboard the Ohio-raised bull. While their initial two meetings ended in a buckoff, the two most recently danced in Fort Worth in August for an 86.25-point score.

Second in Round 1 was veteran Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil), earning $20,000 and 50 world points.

Marking his ninth-consecutive qualification to the PBR World Finals, Aparecido delivered a commanding 91.5-point ride on 2018 PBR Co-Bull of the World Finals Hocus Pocus (D&H Cattle/Almand/Lone Star/Outlaw) as the crowd erupted in raucous cheer.

The poised Brazilian is now just the fifth rider in 34 attempts across all levels of competition to cover the bovine athlete.

Aparecido’s second 90-point ride of the season, and fourth ever at the PBR World Finals, elevated him from No. 14 to No. 11 in the world, propelling him within 998 points of the No. 1 ranking. He drafted Monkey (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls) as his Round 2 opponent.

In his PBR World Finals debut, Tye Chandler (Celina, Texas) concluded Round 1 third.

Chandler covered Tested & Bruised (D&H Cattle CO./Buck Cattle Co.) for 89.5 points in front of his home state crowd to net $15,000 and 45 world points, climbing four spots in the world rankings from No. 35 to No. 31.

Ahead of Round 2, Chandler drafted Space Force (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Heald Pro Bulls) as the second bull he’ll attempt inside AT&T Stadium.

Newly minted 2020 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Champion Mason Taylor (Maypearl, Texas) was fourth.

Taylor, who also won the finals event for the league’s expansion series, made the 8 aboard Strange Cargo (Jane Clark/Gene Owen) for 89.25 points to earn an ever-important 40 world points and $10,000.

The qualified ride avenged a bitter buckoff of Taylor’s from earlier in the season. First squaring off against Strange Cargo in Salt Lake City, Utah in August, the bovine athlete bested the cowboy in their initial meeting, sending him to the dirt in a 5.65 seconds.

Texas’ own Taylor is ranked No. 10 in the world ahead of Round 2, when he’ll attempt M.A.G.A. (TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.) 896.25 points behind No. 1 Leme.

Rising star Dakota Louis (Browning, Montana) tied for fifth alongside Radford, earning his matching 89-point score aboard Harold’s Genuine Risk (M Rafter E Bucking Bulls).  

Louis surged five positions in the world rankings, from No. 41 to No. 36, and will look to cover Foghorn Leghorn (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/WSM Auctioneers) in Round 2 of the PBR World Finals.

The 2020 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast continues with Round 2 on Friday, November 13 at 8:30 p.m. CST.

Fans can relive all the action from Round 1 of the 2020 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast on demand on RidePass at 8:00 a.m. ET on Friday, November 13. RidePass is available at RidePass.com or via the RidePass app available on iOS, Android and Roku.

2020 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast
AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Round 4-Round 5-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Derek Kolbaba, 92.75-0-0-0-0-92.75-100 Points.
2. Eduardo Aparecido, 91.5-0-0-0-0-91.50-50 Points.
3. Tye Chandler, 89.5-0-0-0-0-89.50-45 Points.
4. Mason Taylor, 89.25-0-0-0-0-89.25-40 Points.
5. Dakota Louis, 89-0-0-0-0-89.00-32.5 Points.
(tie). Brock Radford, 89-0-0-0-0-89.00-32.5 Points.
7. Boudreaux Campbell, 88-0-0-0-0-88.00-25 Points.
8. Jose Vitor Leme, 87.5-0-0-0-0-87.50-17.5 Points.
(tie). Cody Teel, 87.5-0-0-0-0-87.50-17.5 Points.
10. Kaique Pacheco, 87-0-0-0-0-87.00-10 Points.
11. Silvano Alves, 85.25-0-0-0-0-85.25-6 Points.
12. Luciano De Castro, 83.75-0-0-0-0-83.75-5 Points.
13. Cooper Davis, 82.75-0-0-0-0-82.75-4 Points.
Daylon Swearingen, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Jess Lockwood, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Lucas Divino, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Colten Jesse, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Ezekiel Mitchell, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Dener Barbosa, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Cole Melancon, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Alex Cerqueira, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Brennon Eldred, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Marco Eguchi, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Ramon de Lima, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Stetson Lawrence, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
J.B. Mauney, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Joao Henrique Lucas, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Taylor Toves, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Ryan Dirteater, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Kyler Oliver, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Amadeu Campos Silva, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Marcus Mast, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Alex Cardozo, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Wallace Vieira de Oliveira, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Cody Casper, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Bradley Brittain, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Cody Campbell, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00
Andre da Cruz de Souza, 0-0-0-0-0-0.00

2020 PBR World Standings
(Place, Rider, Events, Wins, Top 5's, Points, Total Winnings)
1. Jose Vitor Leme, 43, 17, 25, 1,359.00, $521,431.57
2. João Ricardo Vieira, 31, 4, 13, 916.91, $272,240.85
3. Kaique Pacheco, 31, 1, 10, 663.50, $147,303.77
4. Daylon Swearingen, 45, 4, 13, 603.16, $240,945.37
5. Jess Lockwood, 21, 1, 10, 596.00, $219,947.63
6. Lucas Divino, 33, 2, 11, 571.50, $150,498.53
7. Cooper Davis, 27, 4, 17, 566.00, $140,215.14
8. Colten Jesse, 43, 4, 12, 472.00, $124,971.29
9. Derek Kolbaba, 42, 4, 11, 466.00, $78,744.93
10. Mason Taylor, 38, 3, 9, 462.75, $129,399.94
11. Eduardo Aparecido, 24, 0, 4, 361.00, $74,272.67
12. Ezekiel Mitchell, 38, 1, 6, 334.00, $76,722.55
13. Dener Barbosa, 18, 2, 7, 327.41, $83,937.49
14. Cole Melancon, 36, 2, 6, 314.50, $219,179.96
15. Cody Teel, 27, 0, 4, 273.75, $112,677.88
16. Alex Cerqueira, 29, 1, 6, 259.50, $56,822.26
17. Fabiano Vieira, 23, 3, 6, 258.50, $48,203.97
18. Brennon Eldred, 30, 1, 4, 257.50, $73,191.38
19. Marco Eguchi, 26, 3, 11, 254.75, $78,533.76
20. Ramon de Lima, 20, 1, 2, 248.16, $86,362.79
21. Matt Triplett, 30, 3, 8, 241.50, $122,496.48
22. Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 38, 4, 11, 221.83, $59,420.90
23. Andrew Alvidrez, 32, 2, 7, 217.66, $58,934.11
24. Aaron Kleier, 31, 4, 13, 214.83, $45,361.58
25. Stetson Lawrence, 34, 1, 8, 203.00, $71,445.93
25. Silvano Alves, 38, 1, 5, 203.00, $55,671.95
27. Keyshawn Whitehorse, 27, 3, 9, 200.00, $79,717.38
28. Claudio Montanha Jr., 23, 0, 3, 185.00, $48,922.84
29. J.B. Mauney, 10, 0, 4, 184.00, $35,208.02
30. Dakota Buttar, 20, 6, 11, 170.00, $55,309.65
31. Tye Chandler, 12, 1, 3, 168.33, $29,556.67
32. Lachlan Richardson, 19, 4, 9, 166.00, $52,577.61
33. Boudreaux Campbell, 20, 1, 6, 165.66, $103,171.36
34. Joao Henrique Lucas, 33, 1, 4, 151.91, $32,689.26
35. Taylor Toves, 28, 1, 3, 140.00, $49,030.35
36. Dakota Louis, 40, 1, 7, 135.50, $46,937.23
37. Brock Radford, 28, 2, 9, 124.66, $29,906.25
38. Ryan Dirteater, 16, 0, 6, 120.00, $57,061.41
39. Kyler Oliver, 13, 2, 5, 116.00, $27,489.25
40. Rafael Henrique dos Santos, 25, 1, 6, 106.00, $31,043.02
41. Amadeu Campos Silva, 34, 0, 4, 104.66, $31,425.29
42. Junior Patrik Souza, 32, 0, 5, 104.50, $26,817.17
43. Marcus Mast, 40, 0, 7, 99.16, $34,598.99
44. Alex Cardozo, 18, 0, 4, 96.33, $18,584.63
45. Paulo Ferreira Lima, 30, 1, 6, 93.00, $28,914.15