BILLINGS — Cassio Dias, the 2024 world champion, recorded the 22nd 90-point ride of his career atop Black Eyes to win Round 1of the PBR Billings event insid First Interstate Arena at Metra Park on Friday night.
Round 1 featured the second semifinals game of Monster Energy Team Challenge playoffs , with two of the league’s four postseason qualifiers battling for a chance to take on the No. 1 Missouri Thunder at the series’ Championship April 24 in Tacoma, Wash.
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While his team did not advance, Dias earned his third round win of the season and 29 UTB points for his epic 90.20- point ride, improving from No. 16 to No. 14.
The No. 2 (3-1) Austin Gamblers defeated the No. 3 (3-1) Kansas City Outlaws 347.70 — 261.45 courtesy of a dramatic final ride from Dalton Kasel after a re-ride. These two teams met in an METC game last month in Little Rock, which ended with the Outlaws shutting out the Gamblers 173.05 to 0.
With Kansas City leading the event after Dias’ monster 90.20 ride in the final frame, a repeat victory looked imminent as Kasel seemingly bucked off Noslaw ExtraSauce, but upon review was granted a re-ride. Kasel rode Tijuana Two-Step in the bottom of the 7th in this special 7-on-7 playoff game format to the tune of 88.60 points, officially clinching the semifinals win for Austin via his second walk-off win of the season.
The night-ending ride also clinched third place in the overall round for Kasel as well. He earned 17 UTB points and advanced from No. 7 to No. 6.
"Just stay persistent, with the Lord, you can do all things,” said Kasel on the dirt with CBS sideline reporter Kate Harrison. “I thank the Lord, I got to get on a great bull like that ... thank you Billings, it's a lot of fun here."
As an added bonus for Gamblers fans at First Interstate Arena’s MetraPark, Jonnie Jonckowski, known as the “Billie Jean King” of bull riding for her pioneering efforts in the 1980s — was the Honorary Assistant Coach for the Austin Gamblers. Jonckowski was the first woman to compete against men on a national level for a bull riding championship and shattered barriers long before women in extreme sports were celebrated.
The Austin Gamblers are now primed to face the No. 1 Missouri Thunder in Tacoma.
One week after going 0-for-2 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Paulo Eduardo Rossetto finished Round 1 in second place. The now No. 5-ranked Rossetto ended his buckoff streak by besting Dirty Honey for a season high-score of 89.15 points to earn 18 UTB points.
Claudio Montanha Jr. who finished second last week in Sioux Falls, made the push to crack into the Top 10 after finishing fourth in the round. Montanha remained in control aboard Truax’s Bear Cat, marked 88.55 points for his 8-second effort - his eighth qualified ride in the last nine attempts. He took home 16 UTB points and improved to No. 10.
Two-time PBR world champion and 2016 Billings event winner Jess Lockwood of Volborg went the distance aboard Gene’s Best for 88.45 points in front of his home state crowd.
Lockwood entered the weekend ranked No. 22 and gained 15 UTB points for his fifth-place finish in the opening round, jumping one spot to No. 21.
No. 1 John Crimber bucked off Rack ‘em Willie in 3.87 seconds Friday but remains 212.5 UTB points ahead of No. 2 Sage Steele Kimzey, who rode Slim Pickens for 87.10 points to aide Austin in their win.
Action for the PBR Billings will continue with Round 2 on Saturday, April 18 at 6:45 p.m. Mountain time, immediately followed by the Championship Round.
Event coverage from the second night in Billings is set to begin on Paramount+ at 7 p.m.
