LAS VEGAS – 2018 World Champion Kaique Pacheco had already flipped the page toward the 2021 PBR World Finals before he had even walked out of the South Point Arena & Equestrian Center on Sunday night.
Apper’s Mind Freak bucked Pacheco off in 2.95 seconds in the championship round of the 2021 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals to cost the No. 2-ranked bull rider in the world the opportunity to not only win the Velocity Tour Finals but more importantly gain further ground in the world title race.
“That bull was really good,” Pacheco said. “He was strong, and he moved forward. Today is the best out for him in a long time. He bucked really good. I am happy that I am riding good. I am feeling good. This was just a warmup.”
Apper’s Mind Freak was marked a career-best 45.5 points for the impressive out.
Pacheco entered the championship round in second place in the event after beginning the Velocity Tour Finals with qualified rides aboard Blue Duck (85 points) and Rubber-Band Man (82 points).
However, his buckoff resulted in him finishing fifth in the event average, and he only earned 17 points toward the world standings this weekend. Pacheco has also bucked off his championship-round bull in three straight events at all levels.
Pacheco will now head into the 2021 PBR World Finals Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena 590 points behind world No. 1 Jose Vitor Leme as he attempts to become the seventh rider in PBR history to win multiple world titles.
Leme, the reigning PBR World Champion, will be returning to action for the first time in more than six weeks because of a core muscle injury. He too is trying to re-write the record books and become not only the seventh multi-champion but the second back-to-back World Champion.
Round 1 airs exclusively on CBS Sports Network beginning at 10 p.m. ET.
Pacheco earned 276 world points during Leme’s absence.
There are four riders mathematically still in contention for the 2021 PBR World Championship and its $1 million bonus – Leme, No. 2 Pacheco (-590 points), No. 3 Cooper Davis (-749) and No. 4 Joao Ricardo Vieira (-1,044).
One rider can earn a maximum of 1,094 world points at the World Finals. Winning the event average is worth 560 world points, and round wins are worth 80 points.
Vieira did not compete Sunday at the Velocity Tour Finals because of a minor groin injury but said he will be ready for the World Finals.
Professional Bull Riders – PENDLETON WHISKY VELOCITY TOUR FINALS
Las Vegas, NV, 2021 – Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Boudreaux Campbell, 90-0-89-179.00-83 Points.
2. Adriano Salgado, 88.5-0-90-178.50-60 Points.
3. Daylon Swearingen, 89.5-86.5-0-176.00-42 Points.
4. Ezekiel Mitchell, 86-0-88-174.00-30 Points.
5. Kaique Pacheco, 85-82-0-167.00-17 Points.
6. Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 84-81-0-165.00-11 Points.
7. Eduardo Aparecido, 0-89.5-0-89.50-20 Points.
8. Andrew Alvidrez, 0-87.5-0-87.50-8 Points.
9. Lane Nobles, 86-0-0-86.00-3 Points.
(tie). Ednei Caminhas, 86-0-0-86.00-3 Points.
11. Fernando Henrique Novais, 85.5-0-0-85.50-1 Points.
(tie). Carlos Garcia, 0-85.5-0-85.50-3.5 Points.
(tie). Thor Hoefer II, 0-85.5-0-85.50-3.5 Points.
14. Austin Richardson, 85-0-0-85.00
15. Junior Patrik Souza, 0-84.5-0-84.50-2 Points.
16. Keyshawn Whitehorse, 83-0-0-83.00
(tie). Eli Vastbinder, 83-0-0-83.00
18. Cody Jesus, 82.5-0-0-82.50
(tie). Hunter Ball, 82.5-0-0-82.50
20. Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 82-0-0-82.00
21. Dalton Rudman, 81-0-0-81.00
22. Manoelito de Souza Junior, 0-80-0-80.00
23. Ramon de Lima, 51-0-0-51.00
João Ricardo Vieira, 0-0-0-0.00
Silvano Alves, 0-0-0-0.00
Conner Halverson, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Nance, 0-0-0-0.00
Thiago Salgado, 0-0-0-0.00
Lucas Divino, 0-0-0-0.00
J.T. Moore, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Casper, 0-0-0-0.00
Grayson Cole, 0-0-0-0.00
Marcos Gloria, 0-0-0-0.00
Alvaro Aguilar Alvarez, 0-0-0-0.00
Leonardo Lima, 0-0-0-0.00
Cole Skender, 0-0-0-0.00
Kyle Jones, 0-0-0-0.00
Davi Henrique de Lima, 0-0-0-0.00
Lucas Fideles Souza, 0-0-0-0.00
Alex Cardozo, 0-0-0-0.00
Bob Mitchell, 0-0-0-0.00
Quentin Vaught, 0-0-0-0.00
Venn Johns, 0-0-0-0.00
Gage Gay, 0-0-0-0.00
Jory Markiss, 0-0-0-0.00
Austin Beaty, 0-0-0-0.00
Josh Frost, 0-0-0-0.00
Article courtesy of PBR
Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/Bull Stock Media
