Arizona Ridge Riders Remain Red-Hot and Defeat Oklahoma Freedom

By Andrew C. Hatfield

RIDGEDALE, M.O. – On the second day of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series’ return to Thunder Ridge Nature Arena, the hometown Missouri Thunder upset the Texas Rattlers courtesy of a career night from Missouri rookie Kade Madsen.

Texas (then 9-8) came into the game with the most qualified rides (34) and was heavily favored over Missouri (4-13), which had the fewest (14). But the Thunder rode three bulls in scoring the most points in any of their games all season, pulling off the year’s biggest upset on home turf.

After Missouri got two strong performances from Joao Lucas Campos and Qynn Andersen, the Texas Rattlers attempted to mount a comeback. Texas’ Braidy Randolph brought the team within striking distance at 174.5–89 with three outs remaining, but Madsen closed the door on the Rattlers with a game-sealing, career-high, 90-point ride. After the dust had settled on the last two outs, the Thunder came out on top, 264.5–89.

“Kade (Madsen) is a little superstar in the making, you know?” Co-Head Coach Luke Snyder said. “He’s got all of the tools to just be a great World Champion, and he’s just 18 years old. We have to keep reminding ourselves that he’s just a young buck, but he made a big boy ride tonight.”

Madsen’s heroics weren’t the only ones on display Saturday, as after Carolina’s Cooper Davis was forced to forfeit his try after getting injured in the chutes, the Cowboys’ Boudreaux Campbell stepped in, wrapped his hand and put together a game-winning ride, sealing a 171.25–89 victory over the Kansas City Outlaws.

In the second matchup of the evening, Austin’s Jose Vitor Leme and Dalton Kasel extended their lead in the MVP race to topple the Oklahoma Freedom 176.75–157.75. The Gamblers’ pocket aces are a combined 4-for-4 in Ridgedale and have put up a combined 352 points so far this weekend.

The sizzling-hot Arizona Ridge Riders extended their winning streak to six games, beating the Nashville Stampede 269.25–165 in the night’s highest-scoring contest. Arizona’s Nick Tetz got the team off to a hot start and the Ridge Riders’ Eduardo Aparecido extended the team’s lead with his fourth-consecutive ride before Arizona’s Chase Dougherty closed the show with a monstrous, event-high 91.75-point ride.

Thunder Days concludes on Sunday, September 17 at 1:45 p.m. CDT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com and PBR.com, at the Thunder Ridge Nature Arena box office, or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.

PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer replays of all the PBR Teams Camping World Series action from Ridgedale, Missouri. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule.

SCORE BULLETINS

Boudreaux Campbell Subs in at Last Second to Seal Victory for Carolina

Kansas City Outlaws: 89

Carolina Cowboys: 171.25

In the first game of the second day of PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Thunder Days, the Carolina Cowboys (8–10) defeated the Kansas City Outlaws (10–8) in front of a raucous Thunder Ridge Nature Arena crowd.

Carolina’s leadoff rider Sandro Batista (Predra Preta, Brazil) set the tone early, covering Josey’s Outlaw (New Frontier Rodeo) for 85 points. The Outlaws’ Kyler Oliver (Roy, Utah), who had walked-off the Missouri Thunder the night before, looked to even the score but was bucked off by Renegade (IB Rockin Cattle/Hilton Bull Co) in 1.77 seconds. After four more buckoffs, Carolina’s Cooper Davis(Jasper, Texas) was slated to face Shameless (Silent 7/Hilton Bull Co).

However, after Davis was injured in the chutes, the Cowboys were forced to turn to Boudreaux Campbell (Crockett, Texas) to try and secure a victory. Carolina’s Campbell quickly steadied himself and rocketed out of the chutes atop his power animal athlete opponent, and stayed centered even as he changed direction, making the horn for a game-sealing 86.25 points.

While Kansas City’s young phenom Cassio Dias (Sao F. de Sales, Brazil) topped Mr. Right Now (Silent 7/Hilton Bull Co) for a game-high 89 points, the Cowboys were already out of reach. Carolina, starting the season 5-2, had dropped 8 of the last 10 games before tonight’s win. The Cowboys will shoot for a second consecutive win on Sunday against the league-leading Austin Gamblers (14–4) while Kansas City searches for their second PBR Thunder Days win against the Nashville Stampede (5–13).

The Austin Gamblers’ “Pocket Aces” Trump the Oklahoma Freedom

Austin Gamblers: 176.75

Oklahoma Freedom: 157.75

In an exciting matchup of two of the league’s top teams at PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Thunder Days, the Austin Gamblers (14–4) once again climbed aboard the backs of their franchise stars to best the Oklahoma Freedom (10–8) in the second game of the evening.

The Gamblers’ Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas) rocketed his team into the lead with a monstrous 90.25-point ride on Tulsa Time (Kelly & Cami Heath/McCoy Rodeo) for the 28th 90-point ride of his career. Oklahoma then punched right back when Allison de Souza (Taubate, Brazil) hung on to Henry (Pro Vantage/Hilton Bull Co) for 69.75 points, a score the Freedom kept when offered a re-ride opportunity.

After five consecutive buckoffs, the score held at 90.25–69.75 as the Freedom turned to young cowboy Caden Bunch (Tahlequah, Oklahoma). Oklahoma’s Bunch, who had the game-winning ride in the team’s victory over the Carolina Cowboys yesterday, delivered again in complete control, covering Whip (Obernagel/Sho-Me Rodeo) for 88 points, including a rider score three points over the bull, to give the Freedom a 157.75–90.25 lead.

With the game on the line, the Gamblers called on their second “ace,” closer Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil). The 2023 MVP frontrunner was immediately pulled over the front of Stranger Danger (Lucas Manning Bucking Bulls), but somehow recovered, regained position, and hung on to the rope for the requisite 8 for 86.5 points, his 14th ride in 19 outs this season.

Now with Austin in the lead and the game on the line, Oklahoma’s Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina) readied himself in the chutes to try and walk it off for the Freedom. Rocketing out of the chutes atop Mike’s Motive (Blake Sharp/High Voltage/Wetzel/Knott), the Freedom’s Vastbinder was unseated after a thrilling 7.41 seconds, giving Austin their 14th win of the season. The Gamblers look to keep it rolling against the Carolina Cowboys (8–10) while Oklahoma tries to bounce back against the Missouri Thunder (5–13). 

Arizona Ridge Riders Stay Red Hot and Defeat Nashville Stampede

Arizona Ridge Riders: 269.25

Nashville Stampede: 165

In the second to last game in front of a roaring Thunder Ridge Nature Arena crowd for the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series’ return to Ridgedale, the Arizona Ridge Riders (9-9) continued their dominance, toppling the Nashville Stampede (5-13) Saturday night for their sixth straight win to go 2-0 in the Ozarks.

Arizona’s Nick Tetz (Calgary, Canada) immediately put the Ridge Riders on top, posting an 88.75-point ride on Riser (Jenkins Cattle Co.). Looking to even the score, Nashville’s Joao Henrique Lucas (Bastos, Brazil) catapulted out of the gate atop Ebenezer (BMC Bucking Bulls/Jenkins Cattle Co.) for his first qualified ride of the season but was only marked 76 points. Offered a re-ride, Nashville Coach Justin McBride decided to keep the score.

The Ridge Riders didn’t let up, as Arizona’s red-hot Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil) matched his teammate Tetz by battling hard for an 88.75-point outing aboard House Fire (Flinn Cattle Co), his fourth qualified ride in a row. The ever-resilient Stampede once again responded as Nashville’s Mason Moody (Letcher, South Dakota) covered Too Tall (Flinn Cattle Co) for an impressive 89 points, bringing them within 15 points of the Ridge Riders at 177.75–165.

Arizona, now seemingly unstoppable, extended the lead in the next out, as Chase Dougherty (Decatur, Texas) shot out of the gate and scored a monstrous event-high 91.75 points on Ivy League (Jane Clark/Gene Owen) to make the score 269.25–165. Nashville tried to mount one more comeback, but both Dener Barbosa (Paulo de Faria, Brazil) and Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sul, Brazil) were shut out.

Arizona, the hottest team in the league, will try to win their second consecutive event and seventh straight game against the Texas Rattlers (9–9) on Sunday, while Nashville tries to find their rhythm against the Kansas City Outlaws (10–8).

Kade Madsen’s 90-point Ride Propels Missouri Thunder to Win Over Texas Rattlers

Texas Rattlers: 89

Missouri Thunder: 264.50

The second day of PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Thunder Days came to a thrilling conclusion Saturday night, as the hometown Missouri Thunder (5–13) bested the Texas Rattlers (9–9).

After the Rattlers’ Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) was thwarted in his attempt at his 400th career ride by Midnight Train (Blake Sharp/Henry Wilson) in 5.19 seconds, Missouri’s Joao Lucas Campos (Porto Feliz, Brazil) put the home team on the board with an 87.5-point ride on Wilson 2.0 (Hookin’ W Ranch).

After three consecutive buckoffs, the Thunder’s Qynn Andersen (Koumala, Australia) extended the lead to 174.5 points with an 87-point affair on Battered & Bruised (Ty Rinaldo TZ Bucking Bulls). Now facing a loss in the fourth frame should one more rider not make the 8, Texas’ Braidy Randolph (Stephenville, Texas) busted out of the chutes backwards on Shazam (Dorman/Weaver/Hilton Bull Co) and kept the Rattlers in the game with an 89-point ride.

With the raucous Missouri faithful now bringing the outdoor arena to a fever pitch, the Thunder’s rookie Kade Madsen (Honeyville, Utah) stormed out of the gate aboard Lapua (Blake Sharp/Floyd/Wilson/High Voltage) for a clutch, game-sealing, 90-point ride, Madsen’s first 90-point ride on PBR Teams.

The home team Missouri Thunder will attempt to put together their second consecutive winning weekend against the Oklahoma Freedom (10–8) on Sunday, while the Texas Rattlers (1-1 on the weekend) try to stop the surging Arizona Ridge Riders (9–9).

Ridgedale Team Standings:

Here are the current Team standings for the Ridgedale PBR Camping World Team Series event after the second day of competition for PBR Thunder Days:

1 Arizona Ridge Riders 2-0-0 – 531.25

2 Austin Gamblers 1-1-0 – 352.00

3 Missouri Thunder 1-1-0 – 351.50

4 Texas Rattlers 1-1-0 – 337.25

5 Kansas City Outlaws 1-1-0 – 261.50

6 Carolina Cowboys 1-1-0 – 253.75

7 Oklahoma Freedom 1-1-0 – 245.50

8 Nashville Stampede 0-2-0 – 336.25

PBR Teams Season Standings:

Here are the current Team standings for the regular season after the second day of competition for PBR Thunder Days in Ridgedale, Missouri:

1 Austin Gamblers 14-4-0 – 3,056.50

2 Kansas City Outlaws 10-8-0 – 2,951.50

3 Oklahoma Freedom 10-8-0 – 1,883.00

4 Texas Rattlers 9-9-0 – 3,030.00

5 Arizona Ridge Riders 9-9-0 – 2,258.75

6 Carolina Cowboys 8-10-0 – 2,504.50

7 Nashville Stampede 5-13-0 – 1,804.75

8 Missouri Thunder 5-13-0 – 1,473.25

September 17 Game Schedule:

Here are the game matchups for the third day of action for PBR Thunder Days in Ridgedale, Missouri on Sunday, Sept. 17:

Carolina Cowboys @ Austin Gamblers

Nashville Stampede @ Kansas City Outlaws

Texas Rattlers @ Arizona Ridge Riders

Oklahoma Freedom @ Missouri Thunder

About the PBR Camping World Team Series:

The PBR Camping World Team Series is an elite league featuring 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 October 20-22. During the 2023 season, the league’s second, each of the eight teams – Austin Gamblers of Austin, TX; Arizona Ridge Riders of Glendale, AZ; Carolina Cowboys of Greensboro, NC; Kanas City Outlaws of Kansas City, MO; Nashville Stampede of Nashville, TN; Oklahoma Freedom of Oklahoma City, OK; Missouri Thunder of Ridgedale, MO; and Texas Rattlers of Fort Worth, TX – will host a three-day homestand. There are also neutral-site games in Cheyenne, WY and Anaheim, CA.  The Nashville Stampede are the current 2022 defending champions.

The league format, which launched in July 2022, builds on the existing structure of professional bull riding with the same basic rules for judging and scoring qualified 8-second bull rides. In events staged in a tournament-style format, all teams compete in head-to-head matchups against a different opponent each day. Each game features five riders per team squaring off against another team. Full team rosters are comprised of seven riders on the Protected Roster and five Reserve riders. The team with the highest aggregate score of qualified rides among its riders is declared the winner of each game. The event winner is the team with the most game wins across an events. All PBR Team Series events are carried on either the CBS Television Network, streaming live on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, or RidePass on Pluto TV.