News

Reigning World Finals Event Champion Takes Round Three in Las Vegas

Brazilian superstar Robson Palermo rides one of the 2009 World Champion Bull contenders, Black Pearl, for 92.25 points, to take the round win.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (November 1, 2009) - The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) invaded the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus for the third round of the 2009 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals.  On the last night of competition in the 1st weekend of the event, 2008 PBR World Finals Event Champion Robson Palermo (Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil) rode the bull, Black Pearl, owned by Ravenscroft/Boyd-Floyd Bull Company, for 92.25 points and the round victory.  The Brazilian superstar rode his third consecutive bull and currently sits second in the event average with 266.75 points.  Palermo is one of only four riders to conquer all three of his bulls over the first three days.

“I’ve seen that bull a couple times at PBR events over the year,” Palermo stated at the post-event press conference.  “Chad Berger (stock contractor) told me to pick him and I’d win the round.  He was really rank and strong and quick.  I was so excited to ride him.”

Current world no. 1 bull rider Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.) took on the bull, Copp Hou, owned by Lightning C Cattle Company, for 91 points and a second place finish.  Third place went to Brazilian rookie Thiago Paguioto (Itajobi, SP, Brazil) who rode Julio Moreno/Richard Oliveira’s bull, Bushwacker, for 89.75 points.  Finishing in fourth place was Edimundo Gomes (Brazil) who made the eight second whistle on the bull, Moon, of Homestead Genetics for 89.25 points while Valdiron de Oliviera (Aparecida de Goiania, GO, Brazil) rounded out the top five with an 88.75 point ride on the bull, Deja Blu, owned by Teague Bucking Bulls, LLC.

The 2009 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals are now halfway over with the first three rounds complete.  Four of forty-four riders have ridden all three bulls and the top 3 riders in the world are all within less than a thousand points of each other.  Next weekend’s competition begins on Thursday, November 5, as the world’s best bull riders take on the toughest bulls PBR has to offer as they compete for the ultimate title in the sport of bull riding—the 2009 World Championship!

The PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals airs LIVE on VERSUS on Oct. 30-Nov. 1 and Nov. 5-7 and LIVE on NBC on Nov. 8.  Visit www.pbrnow.com to view the current broadcast schedule and consult local listings to verify all show times.

INJURY REPORT:
Zack Brown (Santa Fe, Texas) strained his left groin.  He is competing.

Skeeter Kingsolver (Mclouth, Kan.) has a right groin strain.  He is competing.

Ednei Caminhas (P. Alves, SP, Brazil) has a bruised right arm.  He is competing.

BEHIND THE CHUTES
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Ride with the Best Bonus
As the winner of round two at the 2009 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas, Nev., Pete Farley (Kempsey, AUS) was eligible to compete for the $5,000 Enterprise Rent-A-Car “Ride with the Best” bonus during round three.  Farley did not make the eight second whistle on the bull, Top Notch; therefore, the stock contractor, Martinez Bucking Bull, LLC, took the $5,000 bonus.  As the round three winner, reigning World Finals Event Champion Robson Palermo (Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil) will compete for the bonus in round four.

PBR BUILT FORD TOUGH WORLD FINALS
ROUND THREE:  1) Robson Palermo (Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil) 92.25 points on Black Pearl (Ravenscroft/Boyd-Floyd Bull Company), $25,000; 2) Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.) 91 points on Copp Hou (Lightning C Cattle Company), $18,000; 3) Thiago Paguioto (Itajobi, SP, Brazil) 89.75 points on Bushwacker (Julio Moreno/Richard Oliveira), $12,000; 4) Edimundo Gomes (Brazil) 89.25 points on Moon (Homestead Genetics), $10,000; 5) Valdiron de Oliveira (Aparecida de Goiania, GO, Brazil) 88.75 points on Deja Blu (Teague Bucking Bulls, LLC), $5,000.

AVERAGE EVENT STANDINGS (after Round Three):  1) J.B. Mauney (Mooresville, N.C.)260 points; 2) Robson Palermo (Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil) 266.75 points; 3) Valdiron de Oliveira (Aparecida de Goiania, GO, Brazil) 265.25 points; 4) Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.) 263.25 points; 5) Ryan McConnel (Colgate, Okla.) 179.25 points; 6) Edimundo Gomes (Brazil) 176.75 points; 7) Shane Proctor (Mooresville, N.C.) 176 points; 8/9) Elliott Jacoby (Fredericksburg, Texas) 174.75 points; 8/9) Aaron Roy (Asquith, SK, Canada) 174.75 points; 10) Ross Coleman (Molalla, Ore.) 174.5 points.

1) Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.) 12,629.25 points; 2) J.B. Mauney (Mooresville, N.C.) 12,200 points; 3) Guilherme Marchi (Leme, SP, Brazil) 11,646.25 points, $258,528; 4) Valdiron de Oliveira (Aparecida deBUILT FORD TOUGH SERIES POINT STANDINGS (after Round Three):  Goiania, GO, Brazil) 8,725.75 points; 5) Ryan McConnel (Colgate, Okla.) 8,437.75 points; 6) Robson Palermo (Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil) 8,386.25 points; 7) Zack Brown (Santa Fe, Texas) 8,383.25 points; 8) Renato Nunes (Buritama, SP, Brazil) 7,412.5 points; 9) Wiley Petersen (Fort Hall, Idaho) 7,254.25 points; 10) Sean Willingham (Summerville, Ga.) 6,890.5 points.

All roads have led to Las Vegas and the top 40 bull riders have invaded Sin City.  Don’t miss out on any of the action at the 2009 Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas, Nev.  The world-class event is taking place on Oct. 30-Nov 1 and Nov. 5-8 at the Thomas & Mack Center---get your tickets NOW at or unlvtickets.com!

Log on to www.pbr.tv, the official online network of the Professional Bull Riders. Get a total re-cap of the weekend’s event with the newly launched 20 minute highlight show “pbr.tv Extra” , browse video clips of the best rides and wrecks from each event, listen to behind the scenes interviews, watch the latest PBR news on the “pbr.tv Show”, plus much more. Pbr.tv is your one source for PBR video online!