(PBR media release)
OKLAHOMA CITY – Juan Carlos Contreras (Huichapan, Mexico) the two-time PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Mexico champion, earned not only his first-ever qualified ride but the round win on Saturday night during the 25th PBR Unleash The Beast Express Employment Professionals Invitational at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.
Contreras rode Lethal Larry (Phenom Genetics/Hatfield/Fecho) for 88 points. For the Round 1 victory, Contreras earned 100 world points and $3,580.
Brazilians Dener Barbosa (Paulo de Faria, Brazil) and Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil) tied for second place on Saturday night. Each rider earned 55 PBR world points along with $2,375. Barbosa covered Monster (High Rock Bucking Bulls) while Aparecido conquered Lightning Before Thunder (L.J. Jenkins/Emerson Cattle).
Another pair of riders tied for third place as Fabiano Vieira (Perola, Brazil) and Oklahoma rider Ryan Dirteater (Hulbert) turned in matching 86.5-point scores on Last Chance (Halpain/Long) and Blue Crush (McCoy Ranches), respectively. The two riders netted 35 world points and $1,075.
Countrymen Kurt Shepherd (Atherton, Australia) and Nathan Burtenshaw (Coonamble, Australia) turned in matching 85.75-point rides to tie for sixth place. Shepherd reached 8 seconds aboard Get Smoked (Phenom Genetics/JCL Bucking Bulls/Waller Brothers Cattle Co.) while Burtenshaw covered Wileywood Blue (McCoy Ranches) for his fourth career ride on the premier series.
Each rider earned 10 world points and $525 for the effort.
Round 1 was also an ABBI (American Bucking Bull, Inc.) Classic event, a competition for 3- and 4-year old bucking bulls. Big Black from K-C Bucking Bulls/Joe & Nina Webb won the Classic with 90.60 points. War Cloud (Tom & Peggy) placed second with 89.20 points and The King (Jerry & Aaron Halpain) took third with 88.40 points.
The Punisher (Floyd Performance Stock) was fourth with 88.20 points, and Medicine Man (Hart Cattle Co./TNT Bucking Bulls) wrapped up the Top-5 with 87.00 points.
More than $35,000 was paid out to the stock contractors of the 3- and 4-year-old ABBI bulls.
The Top 35 bull riders in the world will return to Chesapeake Energy Arena for Championship Sunday. Each rider will face one more bull in Round 2 before the Top 15 move on to the championship round where a winner will be crowned.
The Championship Sunday action will begin at 12:45 p.m. MT. All the action on Sunday, will air on CBS Sports Network with coverage of Round 2 and the Championship Round airing at 6:00 p.m. MT.
Fans will also be able to watch the action in its entirety at PBR.com/ondemand. Action from Round 1 will be viewable starting at 6:00 a.m. MT on Sunday, January 21. Round 2 and the Championship Round can be seen starting at 6:00 a.m. MT on Monday, January 22.
25th PBR Unleash The Beast
Express Employment Professionals Invitational
Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Juan Carlos Contreras, 88-0-0-88.00-100 Points.
2. Dener Barbosa, 87-0-0-87.00-55 Points.
(tie). Eduardo Aparecido, 87-0-0-87.00-55 Points.
4. Ryan Dirteater, 86.5-0-0-86.50-35 Points.
(tie). Fabiano Vieira, 86.5-0-0-86.50-35 Points.
6. Kurt Shephard, 85.75-0-0-85.75-10 Points.
(tie). Nathan Burtenshaw, 85.75-0-0-85.75-10 Points.
8. Valdiron de Oliveira, 85.5-0-0-85.50
9. Dakota Buttar, 85.25-0-0-85.25
(tie). Jess Lockwood, 85.25-0-0-85.25
11. Jose Vitor Leme, 85-0-0-85.00
(tie). Ramon de Lima, 85-0-0-85.00\
13. Garret Lange, 82.5-0-0-82.50
Cooper Davis, 0-0-0-0.00
Claudio Montanha Jr., 0-0-0-0.00
Joao Ricardo Vieira, 0-0-0-0.00
Kaique Pacheco, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Campbell, 0-0-0-0.00
Brennon Eldred, 0-0-0-0.00
Luciano De Castro, 0-0-0-0.00
Guilherme Marchi, 0-0-0-0.00
Edgar Durazo, 0-0-0-0.00
Wallace Vieira de Oliveira, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Teel, 0-0-0-0.00
Derek Kolbaba, 0-0-0-0.00
Lachlan Richardson, 0-0-0-0.00
Stetson Lawrence, 0-0-0-0.00
Alex Marcilio, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Nance, 0-0-0-0.00
Brock Radford, 0-0-0-0.00
Troy Wilkinson, 0-0-0-0.00
Silvano Alves, 0-0-0-0.00
Emilio Resende, 0-0-0-0.00
Mason Lowe, 0-0-0-0.00
Skeeter Kingsolver, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Rodeo Tyler, 0-0-0-0.00
Stormy Wing, 0-0-0-0.00
