Greenville, SC (1/23/21) – Brazilian newcomer Marcelo Procopio Pereira (Rinopolis, Brazil), riding in just his second career Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT) event, won the second event of the tour’s 2021 season tonight in Greenville, South Carolina.
Pereira entered championship Saturday in third place after covering Zacchaeus (GT Bucking Bulls/Davis Rodeo Ranch) for 85.5 points during Round 1 on Friday night.Matching up with Wine Time (JQH Bucking Bulls – Skip & Elaine Jones) in Round 2, the 25-year-old exploded out of the chutes on the way to an 88-point trip, enough to split the round win.
Tasked with Restraining Order (D4 Cattle/Tomaski), Pereira was tossed to the dirt in 4.98 seconds in the championship round.
Pereira’s 173.5 points over three outs earned him the first event win of his PBR (Professional Bull Riders) career and 40 world points, moving him to No. 2 in the PWVT ranking, just 0.5 points behind No. 1 J.T. Moore (Alvin, Moore).
The 2020 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo bull riding winner Colten Fritzlan (Rifle, Colorado) finished the two-day event in second. After hitting the ground early in Round 1 on Friday, the Coloradan turned in two qualified rides Saturday, starting when he conquered Hard & Often (Halpain Bucking Bulls) for 85.5 points in Round 2.
Rocko (J.C. Knapp Rodeo Co.) was the championship round mount for Fritzlan, as the two combined for 87.5-points. The second-place finish earned Fritzlan 28.5 world points.
Cody Casper (Newport, Washington), winner of Round 1 on Friday night, reached the 8-second whistle on Fu Man Chu (Sho-Me Rodeo) in Round 2 and was in second place heading into the championship round.
Facing off with Cimarron (Cunningham/Scoggins) in the 15-man championship round, Casper lost his seat at the 6.74-second mark, resulting in a third-place finish in the event. The finish earned Casper 18 world points, his first of the 2021 season.
Fourth-place was split by Seth White (Statesville, North Carolina) and Thor Hoefer II (Priest River, Idaho). White, sitting in second coming into the night, got his job done in Round 2 aboard Little Anthony (Cornwell Bucking Bulls) scoring 83.5 points, but was down early in the championship round, lasting 2.45 seconds on Doolin Dalton (Frenzel Bucking Bulls).
Hoefer sat in ninth place after Friday night’s Round 1, and made it into the championship round despite a buckoff aboard Last Chance (Sho-Me Rodeo) in Round 2. Meeting up with Money Maker (Mason/Smith Bucking Bulls) in the championship round, Hoefer split the round win with an 87.5-point ride. Hoefer took home 10.5 world points for the event, while White earned 9.5.
The 2021 Greenville Invitational was a stop on the Million Dollar Bull Team Challenge circuit, and after a second-place finish in Round 1, JQH Bucking Bulls #2 took home first on Saturday night with 277.97 points over three outs. Mason/Smith Bucking Bulls came in second with 272.72 points Saturday night and Halpain was third with 270.45 points.
Fans can relive every out from the 2021 PBR Greenville Invitational on Sunday, January 24 at 8 a.m. ET on RidePass.com or via the RidePass mobile app.
The Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour is scheduled to return to action on February’s 19-20 from Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
(Article provide by PBR)
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