WORLD NO. 1 CASSIO DIAS COLLECTS SIXTH WIN OF 2024 UNLEASH THE BEAST SEASON IN SIOUX FALLS, EXTENDS LEAD IN STANDINGS WITH ONLY FOUR EVENTS REMAINING BEFORE PBR WORLD FINALS

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Coming off a rare disappointing performance at the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) event in Nampa, Idaho, last weekend, Cassio Dias (Sao de Sales, Brazil) recorded his eighth 90-point ride of the season Sunday afternoon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, by dominating Ricky Vaughn in the Championship Round to win the First Premier Bank PBR Sioux Falls.

Going 3-for-4 to win the sixth event of his rookie UTB season, Dias, who competes for the Kansas City Outlaws in the separate PBR Team Series, earned 165 Unleash The Beast points to increase his lead in the standings. The 22-year-old phenom is now sitting 580.5 points ahead of fellow rookie No. 2 John Crimber (Decatur, Texas) and 589.33 points ahead of world No. 3 Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas).

“God is the one who gives me strength and blesses me to stay strong and go all the way. Everyone is trying their best right now. There is still a lot of ground to gain before the Finals. Thank you, fans, thank you PBR and God bless everyone.”

Cassio dias

Dias is now a sizzling 10-for-14 in Championship rounds this season as he tries to set the record for elite series wins in a season, a mark held by Justin McBride and Jose Vitor Leme with eight.

Both Crimber and Kasel had unfortunate results across the weekend in South Dakota. Kasel was shut out in Round 1 and 2 by his bovine opponents before sitting out on Sunday to heal his battered body while Crimber hit the ground early in all three rounds.  

“I work really hard every weekend to stay in shape and battle,” said Dias through translator Paulo Crimber. “God is the one who gives me strength and blesses me to stay strong and go all the way. Everyone is trying their best right now. There is still a lot of ground to gain before the Finals. Thank you, fans, thank you PBR and God bless everyone.”

The youthful standout started the weekend off a bit rocky as Miller Time (A&E Bucking Bulls/ BS Cattle Co) bucked him off in 6.26 seconds in Round 1. When the second round began on Saturday, Dias had his eyes set on Medicine Red (Win Rock/ D&H Cattle/ OK Corralis/Gordon) who he flawlessly rode for 84.5 points to finish the round in fifth place.

In Sunday’s Round 3 preceding the Championship short go, the world leader conquered Blown Away (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/ Diggers/ Kinser/ McCall), scoring 87 points as fans inside the Denny Sanford Premier Center erupted.

VIDEO COURTESY OF PBR FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA

Sitting second on the event leaderboard heading into the Championship round, Dias selected rank bovine Ricky Vaughn (WinRock/ D&H Cattle/ Buck Cattle) as his final matchup.

Ricky Vaughn brought the heat, and Dias hit it out of the park, earning 90.5 points – the highest score of the weekend, leapfrogging over Alan de Souza (Taubate, Brazil) and into the number one spot.

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Dias’ fate then rested on the final out of the weekend, Marco Rizzo’s (Quitman, Georgia) matchup with Hunter (Dozier Cattle Co/ Martinez Bucking Bulls). However, Rizzo was bucked off at 2.37 seconds – securing the win for Dias who left Sioux Falls with a check for $50,683.67. 

The three-day event at the Denny Sanford Premier Center marked the ninth time the elite tour has visited Sioux Falls and the nineteenth Unleash The Beast event of the 24-event 2024 season. The 2024 PBR World Finals begin inside Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 9.

In second place for the weekend was Nashville Stampede rider Alan de Souza (Taubate, Brazil), who also went 3-for-4 over the weekend.

Unlike Dias, Souza sailed through Round 1 conquering Red Scorpion (Lari Crane/ Gene Owen) for 82.75 points to finish in sixth place.

To the dismay of the excited fans at Denny Sanford Premier Center on Saturday night, Souza was dispatched from God Bless America (Sterk Bucking Bulls) in the second round of the weekend, after only 3.22 seconds.

Drawing Badlands (Doss Cattle)as his Round 3 partner, he advanced to the Championship Round after riding the talented bovine for 81.5 points, and a fifth-place finish in the round.

For his Championship round matchup, the 30-year-old cowboy then selected Flyin Wired (Tommy Julian/ BS Cattle Co).  

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Flyin Wired shot from the chutes with high-kicking bucks while Souza stayed in perfect time to record a picture-perfect 88.75-point ride. As the No. 3 man in the Championship round, Souza left Sioux Falls in second place, collecting 109 Unleash The Beast points.

Having arrived in South Dakota at No. 7 in the standings, Souza moved to No. 5.

After a less-than-ideal weekend in Nampa, Idaho, going 1-for-4 to finish tenth, 24-year-old Brady Fielder (Clermont, Queensland, Australia) started the weekend having no luck in the first two opening rounds.

Fielder caught fire in Round 3 matched with Gaucho (Lucas Manning Bucking Bulls), earning a solid 84-point score for a fourth-place round finish.

With the tenth pick in the Championship draft, he chose Big Bank (Universal Pro Rodeo/ Rachel & Dustin Powell/ Delmas/Williams). The Texas Rattlers rider was first in the final round to secure a score for a solid 84 points. 

VIDEO COURTESY OF PBR FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA

Going 2-for-4 on the weekend, he earned 79 Unleash The Beast points to move from No. 12 to No. 10.

Rookie Rizzo, who arrived in Sioux Falls limping into the locker room with a bruised and swollen leg, ended his weekend as the No. 33 man in the standings, after going 2-for-4 for a fourth-place finish. 

The Georgia cowboy hit the ground running with a qualified ride Friday aboard Lost Pearl (Martinez Bucking Bulls) for 85.5 points. The 19-year-old then lost momentum when Badger (Phenom Genetics/ Sankey/ Ready Team) launched him to the ground after 4.67 seconds in Saturday’s Round 2.

In the third round he came back to record an 87-point ride aboard American You (Universal Pro Rodeo/ Rachel & Dustin Powell/ Delmas/ Williams) to punch his ticket into the Championship round.

Selecting Hunter (Dozier Cattle Co/ Martinez Bucking Bulls) as his final partner of the weekend, he was no match for the robust animal, hitting the ground after 2.37 seconds.

With the fourth-place finish, Rizzo earned 64 Unleash The Beast points jumping from No. 42 to No. 33 in the standings at a pivotal time.

After a career-first round win on Saturday night in Round 2, Wyatt Rogers (Hulbert, Oklahoma) rounded out the Top 5 of the First Premier Bank PBR Sioux Falls, presented by Cooper Tires.

After hitting the ground in 2.03 seconds in Round 1, the 27-year-old cowboy fired from the chutes in Round 2 with a vengeance aboard Watch Out (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/ Diggers/ 4 Diamonds) for a resounding 88.25-point score, the highest over the first two nights.

Going into Sunday’s Round 3, Rogers was paired with Miller Time (A&E Bucking Bulls/ BS Cattle Co).

Blasting into the air, the muscular animal bested the cowboy at 1.85 seconds.

Despite his Round 1 and 3 buck offs, the Oklahoma cowboy made the Championship Round cut, and selected his bovine partner to be Doze You Down (Dozier Cattle Co/ Martinez Bucking Bulls).

The intense bucking bull exploded from the chutes, as Rogers tried to hang on, but was dispatched after 3.96 seconds.

Earning 51 Unleash The Beast points, Rogers moved from No. 44 in the standings to No. 37 as the race for the 2024 PBR World Championship heats up.

In the bull pen, Red Demon (Universal Pro Rodeo/ Rachel & Dustin Powell/ Delmas/ Williams) earned the YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the Event honors with a 45-point bull score by bucking off seven-time PRCA World Champion Sage Kimzey (Strong City, Oklahoma) after 3.07 seconds in Sunday’s Championship round.

The PBR Unleash The Beast next travels to First Interstate Arena at MetraPark in Billings, Montana, for the Wrangler PBR Billings, presented by Cooper Tires the 20^th event of the 2024 season, on Friday, April 12, at 7:45 p.m. MDT, Saturday, April 13 at 6:45 p.m. MDT and Sunday, April 14, at 1:45 p.m. MDT.

Elsewhere in the PBR, after a 2-for-3 weekend at Save Mart Center, Elijah Monnett (Glendale, Utah) won the Walmart Health & Wellness PBR Fresno Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT) event.

Monnett took his first step toward the top of the leaderboard in Friday’s Round 1, splitting a third-place tie with Andy Bohl (St. Cloud, Florida) after making the 8 aboard Candy Cane (Clay Struve/ Dakota Rodeo/ Chad Berger) for 83 points.

The Beehive State cowboy then continued the momentum into Round 2 on Saturday as he bested his bovine opponent Blood Money (Cooper/ Scruggs Bucking Bulls) to record a 73-point ride and a fourth-place finish.

In the championship round, he was paired with Country Boy (Dakota Rodeo/ Chad Berger) but was unsuccessful, bucked to the dirt in just 4.74 seconds.  Going 2-for-3, he was able to clinch the event win.

Monnett netted 104.5 Velocity Global points for his weekend in Fresno and sits at No. 37 in the Velocity standings.

Velocity Global points contribute to the Velocity Global Standings and determine which new riders are added to the elite Unleash The Beast throughout the season. The Top 3 Velocity Global riders who have not already qualified are also invited to the PBR World Finals in May.

PBR Unleash The Beast– PBR Sioux Falls

Denny Sanford Premier Center –Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)

1. Cassio Dias, 0-84.5-87-90.5-262.00-165 Points.

2. Alan de Souza, 82.75-0-81.5-88.75-253.00-109 Points.

3. Brady Fielder, 0-0-84-89-173.00-79 Points.

4. Marco Rizzo, 85.5-0-87-0-172.50-64 Points.

5. Wyatt Rogers, 0-88.25-0-0-88.25-51 Points.

6. Kaique Pacheco, 0-88-0-0-88.00-36 Points.

7. Sage Steele Kimzey, 0-87.75-0-0-87.75-29 Points.

8. JaCauy Hale, 87.5-0-0-0-87.50-36 Points.

9. Thiago Salgado, 0-0-87-0-87.00-26 Points.

10. Conner Halverson, 86.5-0-0-0-86.50-21 Points.

11. Vitor Losnake, 86.25-0-0-0-86.25-19 Points.

12. Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 0-85.75-0-0-85.75-16 Points.

13. Brady Oleson, 85-0-0-0-85.00-15 Points.

14. Cort McFadden, 0-83.5-0-0-83.50-14 Points.

15. Bob Mitchell, 80.25-0-0-0-80.25-13 Points.

John Crimber, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Dalton Kasel, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Eduardo Aparecido, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Koltin Hevalow, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Julio Cesar Marques, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Cody Jesus, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Keyshawn Whitehorse, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Leonardo Castro, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Daylon Swearingen, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Felipe Furlan, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Alex Cerqueira, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Ednelio Almeida, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Jesse Petri, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Paulo Eduardo Rossetto, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Luciano De Castro, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Ezekiel Mitchell, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Callum Miller, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Eli Vastbinder, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Andrew Alvidrez, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Kyler Oliver, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Flavio Zivieri, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Daniel Keeping, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Alvaro Ariel, 0-0-0-0-0.00

Josà de Castro, 0-0-0-0-0.00

2024 Professional Bull Riders Unleash The Beast Standings             

(Place, Rider, Events, Wins, Top 5’s, Points)

1. Cassio Dias, 19, 6, 8, 1,365.33

2. John Crimber, 17, 1, 7, 784.83

3. Dalton Kasel, 17, 1, 7, 776.00

4. Eduardo Aparecido, 17, 1, 4, 699.00

5. Alan de Souza, 17, 0, 5, 613.50

6. Koltin Hevalow, 20, 1, 6, 541.50

7. Austin Richardson, 8, 2, 3, 533.50

8. João Ricardo Vieira, 16, 1, 4, 491.00

9. Caden Bunch, 17, 2, 3, 430.83

10. Brady Fielder, 19, 2, 5, 425.66

11. Kaique Pacheco, 13, 0, 3, 389.33

12. Julio Cesar Marques, 19, 0, 3, 358.32

13. Cody Jesus, 12, 0, 3, 327.00

14. Thiago Salgado, 10, 1, 2, 326.00

15. Keyshawn Whitehorse, 13, 0, 3, 296.66

16. Kaiden Loud, 17, 0, 2, 278.50

17. Leonardo Castro, 8, 1, 1, 277.50

18. Cort McFadden, 12, 0, 2, 276.00

19. Wingson Henrique da Silva, 15, 1, 3, 272.83

20. Daylon Swearingen, 18, 0, 1, 265.50

21. Felipe Furlan, 16, 0, 2, 256.00

22. Vitor Losnake, 16, 0, 2, 252.50

23. Alex Cerqueira, 18, 0, 2, 245.00

24. Clay Guiton, 10, 0, 3, 238.66

25. Boudreaux Campbell, 17, 0, 1, 217.00

26. Mauricio Gulla Moreira, 16, 0, 0, 206.00

27. Jose Vitor Leme, 6, 0, 1, 200.00

28. Bob Mitchell, 19, 0, 1, 196.00

29. Ednélio Almeida, 18, 0, 2, 177.00

30. Conner Halverson, 18, 0, 1, 165.50

31. Sage Steele Kimzey, 8, 0, 1, 161.00

32. Jesse Petri, 17, 0, 0, 153.50

33. Marco Rizzo, 6, 0, 2, 147.83

34. Paulo Eduardo Rossetto, 19, 0, 1, 144.50

35. Luciano De Castro, 13, 0, 0, 137.33

36. Ezekiel Mitchell, 12, 0, 1, 125.50

37. Wyatt Rogers, 12, 0, 1, 120.50

38. Callum Miller, 9, 0, 1, 115.00

39. Silvano Alves, 14, 0, 0, 112.50

40. Eli Vastbinder, 14, 0, 0, 105.83

41. Mason Taylor, 9, 0, 0, 100.00

42. Andrew Alvidrez, 9, 0, 1, 96.33

43. Braidy Randolph, 5, 0, 0, 92.50

44. JaCauy Hale, 2, 0, 0, 81.00

45. Kyler Oliver, 7, 0, 1, 72.33

PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour – PBR Fresno

Save Mart Center – Fresno, California

Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points

1. Elijah Monnett, 83-73-0-156.00-104.5 Points.

2. Jaxton Mortensen, 87-0-0-87.00-78 Points.

3. Kyle Eaton [1], 0-86.5-0-86.50-64 Points.

4. Briggs Madsen, 0-85.5-0-85.50-39 Points.

5. Dalton Rudman, 0-0-84.5-84.50-45 Points.

6. Aaron Williams, 83.5-0-0-83.50-30 Points.

7. Andy Bohl, 83-0-0-83.00-22.5 Points.

8. Grayson Cole, 81-0-0-81.00-19.5 Points.

(tie). Wyatt Nez, 0-81-0-81.00-21.5 Points.

Dawson Branton, 0-0-0-0.00

Ramon de Lima, 0-0-0-0.00

Claudio Montanha Jr., 0-0-0-0.00

Dustin Martinez, 0-0-0-0.00

Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 0-0-0-0.00

Kyle Eaton [2], 0-0-0-0.00

Quincey McDonald, 0-0-0-0.00

Thor Hoefer II, 0-0-0-0.00

Justin Ethridge, 0-0-0-0.00

Zane Cook, 0-0-0-0.00

Edgardo Figueroa, 0-0-0-0.00

Dakota Louis, 0-0-0-0.00

Ruger Piva, 0-0-0-0.00

Andy Valdez, 0-0-0-0.00

Eli Necochea, 0-0-0-0.00

William Wright, 0-0-0-0.00

Luis Tinoco, 0-0-0-0.00

Quinten Panarra, 0-0-0-0.00

Marco Lopez, 0-0-0-0.00

Mateus Fabricio, 0-0-0-0.00

Gender Sical Ramos, 0-0-0-0.00

Dakota Johnson, 0-0-0-0.00

Pokey Houghton, 0-0-0-0.00

Francisco Villalpando, 0-0-0-0.00

2024 Professional Bull Riders Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Standings      

(Place, Rider, Events, Wins, Top 5’s, Points)

1. Ederson Santos, 10, 2, 5, 528.50

2. Grayson Cole, 15, 1, 6, 423.50

3. Dawson Branton, 7, 2, 5, 405.16

4. Marco Rizzo, 8, 1, 4, 369.00

5. Michael Lane, 8, 1, 3, 342.00

6. Andrew Alvidrez, 11, 2, 3, 333.00

7. Ramon de Lima, 12, 0, 4, 324.50

8. Hunter Ball, 12, 1, 3, 314.50

9. Dener Barbosa, 5, 2, 2, 305.50

10. Kyler Oliver, 8, 1, 3, 284.00

11. Qynn Andersen, 12, 0, 4, 265.50

12. Daniel Keeping, 5, 1, 2, 244.00

13. João Paulo Fernandes, 9, 1, 2, 231.83

14. Marco Eguchi, 7, 0, 2, 228.50

15. Andy Bohl, 14, 0, 2, 219.00,

16. Dustin Herman, 15, 1, 1, 217.00

17. Cody McCandless, 9, 1, 2, 212.00

18. Tyler Manor, 10, 0, 2, 210.50

19. Thiago Salgado, 4, 1, 2, 207.83

20. Lucas Divino, 4, 1, 2, 199.50

21. Claudio Montanha Jr., 12, 0, 2, 198.33

22. Kyle Eaton, 14, 0, 3, 190.00

22. Callum Miller, 4, 1, 2, 190.00

24. Alvaro Ariel, 6, 1, 2, 184.00

25. Ezekiel Mitchell, 5, 1, 1, 180.00

25. Trace Redd, 7, 1, 2, 180.00

27. Jean Fernandes Pereira, 11, 0, 2, 173.50

28. Leonardo Castro, 3, 0, 2, 172.00

29. Brandon Chambers, 13, 0, 2, 171.50

30. Mason Taylor, 3, 0, 3, 167.50

31. Jesse Petri, 2, 0, 1, 142.50

32. Dustin Martinez, 10, 0, 2, 142.00

33. Clay Guiton, 2, 1, 1, 140.50

34. Jaxton Mortensen, 3, 0, 2, 138.50

35. Leandro Machado, 6, 0, 2, 133.00

36. Eric Novoa, 4, 0, 2, 131.00

37. Elijah Monnett, 2, 1, 2, 130.16

38. Marcelo Procopio Pereira, 12, 0, 1, 129.00

39. Wyatt Rogers, 9, 0, 1, 127.66

40. Keyshawn Whitehorse, 1, 1, 1, 125.00

41. Quincey McDonald, 10, 0, 2, 124.33

42. Ednei Caminhas, 6, 0, 2, 123.00

43. Paulo Eduardo Rossetto, 2, 0, 1, 120.00

44. Cort McFadden, 1, 1, 1, 119.00

45. Chad Hartman, 7, 0, 2, 118.50

About PBR (Professional Bull Riders): 

PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. More than 800 bull riders compete in more than 200 events annually across the televised PBR Unleash The Beast tour (UTB), which features the top bull riders in the world; the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT); the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD); and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico. In 2022, the organization launched PBR Teams—eight teams of the world’s best bull riders competing for a new championship—as well as the PBR Challenger Series with more than 60 annual events nationwide. The organization’s digital assets include PBR RidePass on Pluto TV, which is home to Western sports. PBR is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company. For more information, visit PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, Twitter at Twitter.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.

PROVIDED COURTESY OF PBR TO TENN TEXAS MEDIA