(Editor's note: PBR media release)
GREENSBORO, N.C. – In front of an electric Tar Heel State crowd, 2016 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Champion Cooper Davis (Jasper, Texas) captured his ninth round win of the 2019 season, victorious in Round 1 of the Unleash The Beast’s Wrangler Long Live Cowboys Classic.
Seizing his re-ride opportunity, the Texan recorded the night’s top marks when he made the 8 aboard Newsom (D&H Cattle Co./444 Bucking Bulls) for a massive 88 points.
Davis concluded the opening night of the Greensboro, North Carolina, event $3,580 richer, in addition to collecting 100 world points.
Remaining No. 5 in the world standings, the 25-year-old is now 3,079.16 points behind No. 1 Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas Do Rio Pardo, Brazil), who bucked off in Round 1, as he seeks his second gold buckle.
Continuing to cut into No. 1 Leme’s lead, 2017 PBR World Champion Jess Lockwood (Volborg, Montana) finished second, netting $2,750 and 60 world points.
The Montana man brought the raucous crowd to its feet when he covered Red Solo Cup (Johnson Bucking Bulls) for 87 points.
After beginning the event 671.66 points behind the world No. 1 ranking, he is now within 611.66 points of standings leader Leme.
Third was Cody Teel (Kountze, Texas), who rode Heartless (Hart Cattle Co./Hale) for 85.25 points.
The ride propelled him to a $2,000 payday and 50 world points.
Maintaining his world No. 6 ranking, Teel is now 3,583.33 points behind No. 1 Leme as the season marches ever closer to the season-culminating PBR World Finals in Las Vegas on Nov. 6-10.
Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil) was fourth. He earned $1,300 and 40 world points for his 85-point ride on High Noon (D&H Cattle Company).
Rounding out the Top 5 was Rookie of the Year contender Ezekiel Mitchell (Rockdale, Texas).
The 22-year-old covered Whiskey River (Bronco’s Bucking Bulls) for 84.75 points to earn $850 and 30 world points.
Despite remaining No. 2 in the Rookie of the Year race, he inched closer to standings leader Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas), who bucked off in Round 1. Entering the event 121.25 points behind Kasel, Mitchell is now a mere 91.25 points behind.
In the bull pen, Heartbreak Kid (D&H Cattle/Buck Cattle/Erwin Cattle) moved closer to etching his name in the PBR record books, recording his 38th consecutive premier series buckoff when he dispatched Shay Marks (Sunnybrook, Alberta) in a swift 2.22 seconds to earn a 45.75-point bull score. Bushwacker holds the all-time record of consecutive elite series buckoffs with 42.
Fans can relive all the action from Round 1 of the Wrangler Long Live Cowboys Classic Sunday, October 13 at 8:00 a.m. EDT at RidePass.com or via the RidePass mobile app.
Action inside the Greensboro Coliseum will continue with Round 2 and the championship round on Sunday, starting at 1:45 p.m. EDT.
CBS Sports Network will broadcast all the action from Championship Sunday, including Round 2 and the championship round, on Sunday, October 13 at 4:00 p.m. MDT. Fans will also be able to tune in LIVE via RidePass. The listen LIVE stream will begin at 1:45 p.m. EDT.
PBR Unleash The Beast
Wrangler Long Live Cowboys Classic
Greensboro Coliseum – Greensboro, North Carolina
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Cooper Davis, 88-0-0-88.00-100 Points.
2. Jess Lockwood, 87-0-0-87.00-60 Points.
3. Cody Teel, 85.25-0-0-85.25-50 Points.
4. Eduardo Aparecido, 85-0-0-85.00-40 Points.
5. Ezekiel Mitchell, 84.75-0-0-84.75-30 Points.
6. Ramon de Lima, 83.5-0-0-83.50-15 Points.
7. Alan de Souza, 83-0-0-83.00-5 Points.
8. Kurt Shephard, 82.5-0-0-82.50
9. Mason Taylor, 81-0-0-81.00
10. Rubens Barbosa, 80.75-0-0-80.75
Jose Vitor Leme, 0-0-0-0.00
Chase Outlaw, 0-0-0-0.00
João Ricardo Vieira, 0-0-0-0.00
Derek Kolbaba, 0-0-0-0.00
Marco Eguchi, 0-0-0-0.00
Luciano De Castro, 0-0-0-0.00
Dalton Kasel, 0-0-0-0.00
Alisson De Souza, 0-0-0-0.00
Daylon Swearingen, 0-0-0-0.00
Lucas Divino, 0-0-0-0.00
Claudio Montanha Jr., 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Jesus, 0-0-0-0.00
Stetson Lawrence, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Nance, 0-0-0-0.00
Brennon Eldred, 0-0-0-0.00
J.B. Mauney, 0-0-0-0.00
Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-0-0-0.00
Michael Lane, 0-0-0-0.00
Taylor Toves, 0-0-0-0.00
Dylan Smith, 0-0-0-0.00
Scottie Knapp, 0-0-0-0.00
Junio Quaresima, 0-0-0-0.00
Shay Marks, 0-0-0-0.00
Brady Sims, 0-0-0-0.00
Gage Gay, 0-0-0-0.00
Gustavo Pedrero, 0-0-0-0.00
