SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – While the top three riders in the world faltered as the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash The Beast (UTB) First Premier Bank PBR Sioux Falls, presented by Cooper Tires opened a three-day event on Friday night in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, JaCauy Hale (Ganado, Arizona) set the pace early, winning Round 1.
The 22-year-old, who is the 2023 INFR (Indian National Finals Rodeo) champion, made his debut on the premier series a few weeks prior in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
As an invitee to Sioux Falls, Hale was paired with Snap Chatter (Flying S Bucking Bulls/ Dozier) for Round 1.
Launching from the chutes aboard his bovine matchup, Hale was one of only seven men out of a field of 38 to record a qualified ride as the animal athletes had their extreme power on full display in the Great Plains.
VIDEO COURTESY OF PBR FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA
With a standout 87.5-point ride, he earned a career-first round win and 28 Unleash The Beast points.
Sitting atop the leaderboard heading into Saturday, Hale is now ranked No. 43 in the standings.
“I have no words right now, this is just such a big blessing,” said Hale. “I am just thankful to have this opportunity. Thank you for coming out, for being loud and being such a great crowd.”
“I have no words right now, this is just such a big blessing, I am just thankful to have this opportunity. Thank you for coming out, for being loud and being such a great crowd.”
Jacauy hale
The three-day event at the Denny Sanford Premier Center marks the ninth time the elite tour has visited Sioux Falls and the nineteenth Unleash The Beast event of the 2024 season. With just four events remaining before the 2024 PBR World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, beginning on May 9, the hunt for world points is more intense than ever.
As the top riders in the standings prepared for the South Dakota showdown, two-time PBR World Champion Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) announced earlier in the week that he was stepping out of the world title race after battling injury the past several months.
As the clock winds down on the 2024 season, the top three riders in the world had a rough go of it on the opening night in Sioux Falls.
First up in the trio was Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas), dispatched after a mere 3.22 seconds by Hunter (Dozier Cattle Co/ Martinez Bucking Bulls). His chase for No. 1 continues as he needs 424.33 points to catch the top man.
Now sitting 415.5 points behind world leader Cassio Dias (Sao F. de Sales, Brazil), John Crimber (Decatur, Texas) held tight to the No. 2 spot in the standings despite an equally frustrating buck-off in under four seconds.
Dias’s night ended abruptly when Miller Time (A&E Bucking Bulls/ BS Cattle Co) tossed him to the ground after 6.26 seconds, as fans gasped.
After going 0-for-3 last weekend in Nampa, Conner Halverson (Gordon, Nebraska) hit the gas in South Dakota, capturing second place in Round 1.
VIDEO COURTESY OF PBR FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA
Halverson, who rides for the Florida Freedom in PBR Teams, fired from the chutes aboard Baldy (Tommy Julian/ D&H Cattle) for 86.5 points.
For his runner-up finish, the 22-year-old earned 18 Unleash The Beast points to climb one spot in the standings from No. 31 to No. 30.
Fan-favorite Vitor Losnake (Bauru, Brazil) moved up two spots in the standings after a third-place finish.
The positive-minded 20-year-old who made a splash on the PBR Team Series in 2022 and 2023 for the Arizona Ride Riders stood on the back of the chutes with his signature grin.
Climbing aboard Strong Arm (Jane Clark/ Gene Owen), the young Brazilian athlete was ranked No. 24 in the world.
VIDEO COURTESY OF PBR FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA
After flying through the air aboard the bovine as fans cheered, his 86.25-point ride had him atop the leaderboard until overtaken by Halverson and then Hale.
Losnake earned 17 Unleash The Beast points and moved to No. 22 in the standings.
Marco Rizzo (Quitman, Georgia) ended his Friday night as the No. 4 man on the Sioux Falls leaderboard.
VIDEO COURTESY OF PBR FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA
Climbing aboard Lost Pearl (Martinez Bucking Bulls, LLC) as his opponent of the night, he clung to the muscular animal as the clock wound down to record a satisfying 85.5-point score. Visibly limping and in pain from aggravating an injury, he was all smiles pumping his fist in the air to celebrate the ride.
The 16 Unleash The Beast points Rizzo collected moved him from No. 42 to No. 40.
The Texas Rattlers’ Brady Oleson (Blackfoot, Idaho) rounded out the Top 5 on the opening night.
After not competing in Nampa last week, Oleson was matched with Gangster Time (Classic Jack/Viducic Bucking Bulls) for his first partner of the weekend.
VIDEO COURTESY OF PBR FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA
For his solid 85-point score, Oleson netted 15 Unleash The Beast points to climb from No. 48 to No. 45 in the Unleash The Beast World Championship standings.
The First Premier Bank PBR Sioux Falls, presented by Cooper Tires, continues with Round 2 on Saturday, April 6, at 6:45 p.m. CT. Round 3 and the championship round will take place on Sunday, April 7, at 2:45 p.m. CT.
PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer re-airs and on-demand replays of every PBR Unleash The Beast event. PBR RidePass is available on desktops, laptops and mobile devices via www.pluto.tv. Click here for on-demand PBR programming.
PBR Unleash The Beast– PBR Sioux Falls
Denny Sanford Premier Center –Sioux Falls, South Dakota
