League No. 1 Austin Gamblers prevent series sweep by Arizona, defeating the Ridge Riders in their third showdown of the season by 4 points

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The host Carolina Cowboys faltered Saturday night in front of a hometown crowd, falling to the Oklahoma Freedom by two ride scores as PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series action continued in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The Oklahoma Freedom jumped to an early lead as Alex Cerqueira topped The Undertaker for 87 points. With Carolina failing to convert through their first three outs, the Freedom grew their lead to 174 points in the top of the fourth when Elizmar Jeremias rode Left Eye Lopez for a matching 87 points. Caden Bunch the clinched the win for his team early, when he topped Cooter Brown for 88 points in the top of the fifth. Carolina closerCooper Davis prevented a shutout, riding Flashbang for 87.25 points, but it was not enough to prevent a loss.

The final scoreboard read a 262-87.25 Oklahoma victory. Both teams are now 1-1 at PBR Cowboy Days, while Oklahoma is 11-10 this season and Carolina is 10-11.

Carolina will attempt to conclude their homestand with a win when they play the 2022 PBR Teams Champion Nashville Stampede, while Oklahoma will look to continue their momentum when they take on the league No. 1 Austin Gamblers.

The Austin Gamblers finally cracked the code against the Arizona Ridge Riders on an electric Saturday night inside Greensboro Coliseum. Having been defeated by the Ridge Riders in their three prior meetings, the Gamblers concluded the 2023 series with a win, 90-86.

While Vitor Losnake gave Arizona an early 86-point lead that remained for nearly the entire game, Jose Vitor Leme delivered a mammoth 90-point ride in the bottom of the fifth. The 90-point score was the 76^th of Leme’s career, now positioning him second all-time for most 90-point rides logged by one competitor in premier PBR competition.

Austin is now a perfect 2-0 at PBR Cowboy Days and 16-5 this season ahead of their Championship Sunday game against the Oklahoma Freedom. Arizona remains winless in Greensboro, now 9-12 in 2023 game play, and will look to conclude the event with a win when they next play the Kansas City Outlaws.

Kansas City also improved to a perfect 2-0 in game play in North Carolina when they defeated the Texas Rattlers by two ride scores, 252.75-87.

After a back-and-forth first frame, with Wingson Henrique da Silva delivering for the Outlaws and Joao Ricardo Vieira riding for Texas, Kansas City trailed by 3.75 points entering the second. Koltin Hevalow gave his team back the lead by 75.25 points in the top of the second, and the Outlaws never looked back.

With Texas shut out in the bottom of the second and neither team converting in the third or fourth, the game came down to the final round of outs. In the top of the frame, the Outlaws clinched the win early when closer Cassio Dias delivered a mammoth 90.5-point ride, his league-best fourth 90-point ride of the season, putting the Outlaws two bulls ahead with Texas having just one out left. Texas bucked off in the final out of the game, unable to prevent a two-ride score loss.

The loss was Texas’s second of PBR Cowboy Days. They will look to prevent a shutout on Championship Sunday when they play the Missouri Thunder.

The league’s reigning Champion Nashville Stampede rebounded Saturday night, going 3-for-5 to defeat the Missouri Thunder by one ride score and improve to 1-1 at PBR Cowboy Days.

The Stampede jumped to an early lead in the second frame when Dener Barbosa reached the 8 for 87.25 points. While Felipe Furlan pulled Missouri within 3 points of the lead in the bottom of the second, Bruno Carvalho grew the Stampede’s lead to 91.5 points in the top of the fourth when he rode Homeboy for 88.5 points.

Three-time PBR World Champion Silvano Alves then clinched the win for Nashville in the top of the fifth when he topped Thunderstruck for 88.5 points. In addition to delivering the win for Nashville, the ride was the 498^th of Alves’s career as he attempts to become just the fourth rider in history to log 500 qualified rides in premier-level PBR competition.

While Missouri Thunder closer Andrew Alvidrez concluded his team’s performance with a score, it was not enough to prevent a loss. When the dust settled, Nashville won by 92.75 points, 264.25-171.5. Via the loss, Missouri remains winless in North Carolina, now 0-2 at PBR Cowboy Days.

PBR Cowboy Days concludes Sunday, Sept. 24 at 1:45 p.m. EDT. Tickets are still available online at Ticketmaster.com and PBR.com, at the Greensboro Coliseum Box Office, or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.

Sunday’s event will celebrate Championship Sunday. The first 4,000 fans in attendance at Greensboro Coliseum will receive a Carolina Cowboys bandana.

Prior to the event, the Cowboy Days Festival at Greensboro Coliseum will open at 11:00 a.m. EDT. On Sunday at the festival, the Carolina Cowboys, in partnership with WSJS and Truth Radio, will host Cowboy Church beginning at 11:45 a.m.

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

SCORE BULLETINS

Nashville Stampede Rebound on Second Night of PBR Camping World Team Series Action in North Carolina with a One-Ride Score Defeat of the Missouri Thunder 

Nashville Stampede: 264.25

Missouri Thunder: 171.5

The Nashville Stampede rebounded in triumphant form on the second night of PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series competition in Greensboro, North Carolina, going 3-for-5 to defeat the Missouri Thunder by one ride score. Following a scoreless first, with Chase Outlaw (Hamburg, Arkansas) bucked off for Nashville and Joao Lucas Campos (Porto Feliz, Brazil) upended for Missouri, the intensity of the game ratchetted up in the second. In the top of the second, Dener Barbosa (Paulo de Faria, Brazil) was first to strike, giving the Stampede an 87.25-point lead when he conquered Bomb Diggity (Davis Rodeo Ranch).

Missouri, however, wouldn’t remain shut out for long. In the bottom of the second, they pulled within 3 points of the lead when Felipe Furlan (Sales Oliveira, Brazil) rode Arnold Palmer (Dustin Denning) for 84.25 points. After the scoreboard went unchanged through the third, Nashville looked to Bruno Carvalho (Alvares Florence, Brazil) in the top of the fourth to deliver the league’s reigning Champion their second score of the game. Delivering for his team, Carvalho rode Homeboy (K-C Bucking Bulls/Joe & Nina Webb) for 88.5 points to increase his team’s lead to 91.5 points. Missouri was unable to keep pace with Nashville in the bottom of the frame, asBriggs Madsen (Tremonton, Utah) was unseated in 4.64 seconds by Black Squirrel (Dave Martin/Mike Miller Bucking Bulls).

As the final round of outs began, three-time PBR World Champion Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sul, Brazil) had the chance to clinch the game win early for his team. Paired withThunderstruck (Risen Cattle Co./Blue Ridge), Alves erupted from the chutes, remaining in perfect time with his animal athlete counterpart en route to the requisite 8.

Awarded 88.5 points, Alves clinched the win for Nashville against Missouri. The ride also marked the 498^th of Alves’s career in premier-level PBR competition as he attempts to become just the fourth rider in history to log 500 or more 8-second efforts. Despite having already been defeated, the Thunder’s closer Andrew Alvidrez (Seminole, Texas) concluded the game for his team in successful fashion.

He rode La Grande (Davis Rodeo Ranch) for 87.25 points to make the final scoreboard a 92.75-point Nashville win, 264.25-171.5.

Via the win, the Nashville Stampede improved to 1-1 at PBR Cowboy Days and 7-14 this season ahead of their game against the host Carolina Cowboys on Championship Sunday inside Greensboro Coliseum. The Missouri Thunder remain shut out in the Tar Heel State, now 0-2 at Cowboy Days and 6-15 this season. They will look to close out the eighth event of the regular season when they play the Texas Rattlers.

Austin Gamblers Make Late-Game Surge to Defeat the Arizona Ridge Riders For the First Time in Four Showdowns During the 2023 PBR Camping World Team Series

Arizona Ridge Riders: 90

Austin Gamblers: 86

Courtesy of a monstrous 90-point ride from closer Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil), the league No. 1 Austin Gamblers defeated the Arizona Ridge Riders for the first time during the 2023 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series season, beating them by 4 points on the second night of action in Greensboro, North Carolina.

In the first, Arizona put reigning PBR Canada Champion Nick Tetz (Calgary, Alberta) in the lead-off role for the Ridge Riders. Tetz, however, proved no match for Buckeye Nation (K-C Bucking Bulls/TCB Ranch), bucked off in 3.13 seconds. Austin then looked to jump to an early lead in the bottom of the first as Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas) readied for his out with Yellowstone (K-C Bucking Bulls/TCB Ranch). While Kasel was called for a buckoff, Gamblers Head Coach Michael Gaffney threw his challenge flag, believing the bull had fouled himself.

Upon review by PBR’s officials, they did not see a foul, with the 4.61-second buckoff remaining in place and the Gamblers losing their opportunity to challenge the remainder of the game. The tempo of the showdown then changed in the top of the second. Vitor Losnake (Bauru, Brazil) gave Arizona an early 86-point lead when he made the 8 aboard Little Hornet (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls). In the bottom of the second, Austin was awarded a re-ride when Dirty Sancho (Blake Sharp/Koe Wetzel/High Voltage Cattle) stumbled in his out withRafael dos Santos (Quitman, Georgia), causing the subsequent buckoff. The scoreboard went unchanged through the third, with Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil) failing to convert for Arizona and Ramon de Lima (Rio Branco, Brazil) unsuccessful for Austin.

Arizona then turned to 2018 Rookie of the Year Keyshawn Whitehorse (McCracken Spring, Utah) to regain the team’s early momentum in the top of the fourth. Whitehorse nodded with confidence but was ultimately bucked off by Play Time (Blue Ridge/Risen Cattle Co.) in 2.82 seconds.

Following the out, Austin was awarded their second re-ride of the game in the penultimate round of outs when Oreo (Dustin Denning) fouled himself during his trip with Austin Richardson (Dallas, Texas). Before the fifth got underway, the Gamblers attempted their first re-ride awarded in the game’s second frame. Keeping Santos in the game, he took on Whiplash (Blake Sharp/Robbie Ray/Doug Wilson). While Santos initially appeared centered, he was sent airborne in 4.18 seconds, resulting in no score.

Arizona then readied for their final out as they looked to complete the perfect sweep against Austin during the 2023 regular season. Luciano de Castro (Guzolandia, Brazil) burst into the arena atop Apper’s Mind Freak (Jo-Z Bucking Bulls/K- C Bucking Bulls/Spark-Lin-Acres) but was hurtled to the ground in 5.45 seconds, giving Austin control of the fate of the game.

Still on the hunt for their first score, two-time World Champion Leme settled in aboard Roc Wit It (K-C Bucking Bulls/Jo-Z Bucking Bulls). Remaining in perfect time with the powerful animal athlete, Leme reached the whistle as the electric crowd inside Greensboro Coliseum erupted in cheer. Marked a mammoth 90 points, the score clinched the win for the Gamblers.

The 90-point ride was the 76^th of Leme’s career, giving him sole possession of the second-most 90-point rides logged by any rider in PBR history, now one ahead of third-place J.B. Mauney (Statesville, North Carolina). Leme is now 18 scores behind category leader Chris Shivers (Jonesville, Louisiana). The game concluded with Austin’s second re-ride.

While Richardson came down in 3.4 seconds in his outing with Buffalo Chip (Blake Sharp/Robbie Ray/Doug Wilson), the Gamblers already had the win in hand. Austin’s first win of the season against Arizona was earned by 4 points, with the final scoreboard reading 90-86. Via the win, the league No. 1 Austin Gamblers improved to 2-0 at PBR Cowboy Days and 16-5 this season as they ready to play the Oklahoma Freedom on Championship Sunday. The Arizona Ridge Riders are now 0-2 in North Carolina and 9-12 this season, next set to play the Kansas City Outlaws.

Kansas City Outlaws Knock Off the Texas Rattlers by Two Ride Scores During Second Night of PBR Camping World Team Series Action in Greensboro, North Carolina 

Kansas City Outlaws: 252.75

Texas Rattlers: 87

The Kansas City Outlaws continued their red-hot momentum Saturday evening for PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series action in North Carolina, going 3-for-5 to knock off the Texas Rattlers by two ride scores, 252.75-87. The game began in electric form. Kansas City opener Wingson Henrique da Silva (Navirai, Brazil) gave his team an early 83.25-point lead when he made the requisite 8 atop Rip Tide (Davis Rodeo Ranch). Texas wouldn’t trail for long, pulling 3.75 points ahead of their rivals when veteran Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) rode Mule Train (Martinez/Porter Cattle Co.) for 87 points. The Outlaws’ momentum continued in the second as Koltin Hevalow (Smithville, Missouri) clung to the side of Train Station (Cornwell Bucking Bulls), marked 79 points.

The qualified ride gave Kansas City back the game lead by 75.25 points. In the bottom of the second, Texas was unable to keep pace with Kansas City as Brady Fielder (Clermont, Queensland, Australia) was brought down in 2.71 seconds by Smooth Kat (Cornwell Bucking Bulls). Both the Outlaws and Rattlers were shut out in both the third and fourth, setting up a crucial fifth frame. In the top of the final round of outs, Kansas City closer Cassio Dias (São F. de Sales, Brazil) had the chance to clinch the win early for his team. Erupting from the chutes, Dias remained centered aboard Walks Far (Tex Brothers Ranch/5S Bucking Bulls), making the whistle and cementing the win for his team.

As the crowd celebrated Dias’s score, he was awarded a game-best 90.5 points, Dias’s fourth 90-point ride of the 2023 PBR Teams season. Dias and the Gamblers’ Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) lead the league in most 90-point rides for one competitor. The final out of the game was Rattlers closer Daniel Keeping (Montague, Texas) paired with First Class (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls).

While the out was reviewed for a potential foul, the 2.42-second buckoff call stood, with the Rattlers unable to decrease their margin of defeat. The final scoreboard read a 165.75-point Kansas City win, 252.75-87. The Kansas City Outlaws improved to a perfect 2-0 at PBR Cowboy Days and 12-9 this season.

They will conclude league competition in North Carolina with a showdown against the Arizona Ridge Riders. The Texas Rattlers slipped to 1-1 inside Greensboro Coliseum and 11-10 this season. They will look to finish gameplay at PBR Cowboy Days with a win when they take on the Missouri Thunder.

Carolina Cowboys Stumble on Second Night of PBR Camping World Team Series Homestand, Losing by Two Ride Scores to the Oklahoma Freedom

Oklahoma Freedom: 262

Carolina Cowboys: 87.25

The host Carolina Cowboys stumbled on the second night of their PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Camping World Team Series homestand, falling by two ride scores to the Oklahoma Freedom. Oklahoma began their game against the hometown team in electric form.

While the call was reviewed, Alex Cerqueira (Iguatemi, Brazil) was deemed to have covered The Undertaker (Cornwell/Riley/PCP Bucking Bulls), giving the Freedom an early 87-point lead. Carolina stumbled in their opening out, as Trey Kimzey (Strong City, Oklahoma) was upended in a heartbreaking 6.99 seconds by Problem Child (K-C Bucking Bulls/TCB Ranch). The scoreboard then went unchanged through the second and third as neither the Freedom nor host Cowboys made the whistle. The Freedom then looked to Elizmar Jeremias (Anapu, Brazil) in the top of the fourth to regain the team’s early momentum.

Converting for his team, Jeremias turned in 87 points atop Left Eye Lopez (Tex Brothers Ranch/5S Bucking Bulls), increasing the Freedom’s lead to 174 points. The score also put Carolina in a must-ride position in the bottom of the fourth. In the crucial position was seven-time PRCA champion Sage Steel Kimzey (Strong City, Oklahoma) atop Fat Randy (Jerry Tuttle/Davis Rodeo Ranch). Kimzey nodded with confidence, and while he appeared centered, Fat Randy fell during the out, causing the Carolina Cowboy to buck off and earn a re-ride opportunity.

While Carolina had their hopes of victory renewed, Oklahoma had the chance to clinch the game in the top of the fifth as their closer Caden Bunch (Tahlequah, Oklahoma) settled in atop Cooter Brown (Lucas Manning/Waller Brothers Cattle Co.). Bunch answered the call for his team, topping his bovine athlete counterpart for 88 points to seal the win against the home team.

The game concluded with back-to-back outs for Carolina. Carolina closer and 2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis (Jasper, Texas) delivered the team’s lone score when he rode Flashbang (GN Livestock & Bucking Bulls/Lucas Manning Bucking Bulls) for 87.25 points, while Trevor Kastner (Ardmore, Oklahoma) was bucked off the team’s re-ride draw Black As Coal (K-C Bucking Bulls/Bull Creek Bucking Bulls) in a hard-fought 7.44 seconds.

Both teams are now 1-1 at PBR Cowboy Days. The host Carolina Cowboys, now 10-11 in 2023, will look to conclude their home event with a win when they play the league’s reigning Champion Nashville Stampede on Championship Sunday. Oklahoma, who now hold an 11-10 record this season, ready to next play the league No. 1 Austin Gamblers.

Greensboro Team Standings:

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

1. Austin Gamblers, 2-0-0

Kansas City Outlaws, 2-0-0

1. Texas Rattlers, 1-1-0
2. Oklahoma Freedom, 1-1-0
3. Nashville Stampede, 1-1-0
4. Carolina Cowboys, 1-1-0
5. Missouri Thunder, 0-2-0
6. Arizona Ridge Riders, 0-2-0

PBR Teams Season Standings:

Here are the current Team standings for the regular season after the second day of competition for PBR Cowboy Days in Greensboro, North Carolina:

1. Austin Gamblers, 16-5-0-3,404.25
2. Kansas City Outlaws, 12-9-0-3,552.5
3. Texas Rattlers, 11-10-0-3,634.75
4. Oklahoma Freedom, 11-10-0-2,478.75
5. Carolina Cowboys, 10-11-0-2,855
6. Arizona Ridge Riders, 9-12-0-2,518.5
7. Nashville Stampede, 7-14-0-2,242.25
8. Missouri Thunder, 6-15-0-1,909.25

September 24 Game Schedule:

Here are the game matchups for the final day of action for PBR Cowboy Days in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Sunday, Sept. 24:

Austin Gamblers @ Oklahoma Freedom

Kansas City Outlaws @ Arizona Ridge Riders

Texas Rattlers @ Missouri Thunder

Nashville Stampede @ Carolina Cowboys

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.

PBR is a subsidiary of IMG, a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media. For more information, visit PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, Twitter at Twitter.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.