RUIDOSO, N. M. – As the All-American Cowboy Fest PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Challenger Series event in Ruidoso, New Mexico concluded on Saturday night, the Arizona Ridge Riders’ Sandro Batista (Pedro Preta, Brazil) collected the win.
As the first PBR Challenger Series event to be held at Ruidoso Racetrack began, the Brazilian cowboy was paired with Shortcut (Richardson Land & Cattle Co) in Round 1. Launching from the chutes aboard the powerful animal athlete, the 23-year-old recorded an 85-point score to punch his ticket into the championship round.
As one of the last handful of riders left on the back of the chutes as the final round ticked down, Batista prepared for his matchup with Money Maker (Mason Bucking Bulls #2).
Erupting from the chutes, Batista was in full control to record an 84-point score in Saturday’s final round and clinch the victory as the only rider to go 2-for-2.
The young gun leaves New Mexico with 40 Challenger Series points and a check for $10,285.00.
Texas Rattlers’ rider Braidy Randolph (Jonestown, Pennsylvania) finished the night in second place.
In Saturday’s opening round, the young Pennsylvania native was matched with Red River (UTC/ Sellers Bucking Bulls) for a resounding 86.5 points.
With the exception of Batista, Randolph and the other riders putting it all on the line in Saturday’s championship round were no match for the extreme athleticism of the PBR bulls.
Despite being dispatched by Hummingbird (Owen Washburn) as the night concluded, Randolph collected 27 Challenger Series points.
Veteran rider and Rattlers’ draft pick Joao Ricardo Vieira (Itatinga, Brazil) sported a third-place finish in Ruidoso courtesy of his opening round 85.5-point ride aboard The Beast (Yount Bucking Bulls, LLC).
Vieira’s efforts netted him 14 Challenger Series points.
Wellington Ferreira (Brazil) and Dalton Rudman (Wellington, Utah) tied for fourth place with matching 84-point ride scores in Round 1.
The first in the duo to record a score on Saturday night, Rudman launched from the chutes clinging to Voodoo Box (Crooked Crown Bucking Bulls/ Braswell Bucking Bulls).
Shortly after, Ferreira attempted Big Truck (JQH Bucking Bulls – Skip & Elaine Jones) valiantly in control to make the 8.
Despite the falters as the night closed out and neither rider recording a qualified ride in the final round, they both collected 6.5 Challenger points.
The top bull riders of the PBR Challenger Series will next travel to the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum in Columbus, Ohio, for the Congress PBR on Friday, Oct. 7 followed by a visit to Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Oct. 8 for the Lincoln Invitational.
PBR Challenger Series – All-American Cowboy Fest
Ruidoso Racetrack – Ruidoso, New Mexico
Name, Round 1-Round 2-Event Aggregate-Event Points
1. Sandro Batista, 85-84-169.00-40 Points.
2. Braidy Randolph, 86.5-0-86.50-27 Points.
3. João Ricardo Vieira [2], 85.5-0-85.50-14 Points.
4. Wellington Ferreira, 84-0-84.00-6.5 Points.
(tie). Dalton Rudman, 84-0-84.00-6.5 Points.
6. Leandro Machado, 83.5-0-83.50-3.5 Points.
(tie). Briggs Madsen, 83.5-0-83.50-3.5 Points.
8. Mason Moody [1], 83-0-83.00
9. Jaxton Mortensen, 72-0-72.00
Rafael Jose de Brito, 0-0-0.00
Jesse Petri, 0-0-0.00
Thiago Salgado, 0-0-0.00
Vitor Losnake, 0-0-0.00
Ednei Caminhas, 0-0-0.00
Wyatt Rogers, 0-0-0.00
Lucas Fideles Souza, 0-0-0.00
João Henrique Lucas, 0-0-0.00
Ross Freeman, 0-0-0.00
Daniel Keeping, 0-0-0.00
Brady Fielder [1], 0-0-0.00
Brady Fielder [2], 0-0-0.00
Leonardo Lima, 0-0-0.00
Aaron Williams, 0-0-0.00
Carlos Gomes Junior, 0-0-0.00
Alecio Ferreira da Costa, 0-0-0.00
Travis Wimberley, 0-0-0.00
Mason Moody [2], 0-0-0.00
Lane Nobles, 0-0-0.00
Mason Ward, 0-0-0.00
João Ricardo Vieira [1], 0-0-0.00
Alvaro Alvarez Aguilar, 0-0-0.00
Dustin Martinez, 0-0-0.00
Cladson Rodolfo, 0-0-0.00
Justin Hendrix, 0-0-0.00
Hayden Harris, 0-0-0.00
Trent Nugent, 0-0-0.00
Luke Parkinson, 0-0-0.00
Andy Guzman, 0-0-0.00
Marco Juarez, 0-0-0.00
Brady Turgeon, 0-0-0.00
Article Courtesy of PBR
Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/Bull Stock Media