So far the action that we have seen here at the 2017 Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series World Finals have been all about the young guns proving they deserve to be here with the veterans of the sport! Coming into tonight’s round three performance the buzz around town and throughout the sports books in all of the casinos is that of the top ten in the world standings and how they will perform throughout five days of bull riding action. There have already been some major moments, world leaderboard changes, dramatic buck-outs and injuries sustained to both cowboys and bucking bulls. That being said, this is only through two rounds of action as we look ahead to tonight’s third round which will bring us to the halfway point of the event hoping that we begin to find some clarity to the unanswered questions that are driving all of our blood pressures through the roof.
In the first two rounds, the top five cowboys in the world standings have gone toe to toe as they all try to stay within striking distance of the world championship title that will be given away Sunday afternoon following the conclusion of the championship round. There have been several virtual newcomers that have qualified their way to compete at this year’s World Finals that have made the best of the opportunities that have been placed in front of them here this week in Las Vegas while making unbelievable rides and continue to keep pace with many of their idols. Coming into tonight’s third round of action, there will start to be some that begin to show the wear and tear that 5 straight nights of action can do to a bull rider’s body while others seem to be doing absolutely everything the right way and have had the luck of the Irish on their side thus far.
Jess Lockwood Makes History In Las Vegas
Photo Credit: Rokin’ K Photos / Jeana Wilson-Kilcrease
As 19-year old Jess Lockwood made his way to the T-Mobile Arena Friday night he was walking the Blue Carpet full of confidence and not looking back after the first two rounds of Built Ford Tough Series action. Lockwood who came into this weekend’s event trailing his best friend and traveling partner Derek Kolbaba in the world standings he knew he would have to have a tremendous finals to have any chance at staying up in the standings, much less leave in a world number one position. After two dominating rounds, he would do just that after winning 600 of 600 points possible up to this point with two straight round wins. He would come into tonight’s third round, after a bull draft last night where he would continue in his idol’s, Justin McBride’s footsteps with letting the Director of PBR Livestock Cody Lambert pick his bull for him!
That decision would prove to be just what the doctor ordered as he would have to wait and watch 15 other of his competitors make qualified rides here in round three to finally get a chance to take on the bull that Lambert had hand-picked for him earlier tonight. Tonight, the bull riders continued to impress while Jess Lockwood would be the last bull rider of the night, for the first time this weekend, as the number one man in the world after his second consecutive round win. Tonight he would do just that again while earning another round win with a huge 90.25 point bull ride aboard Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/Staci Wilks/N Bar Ranch’s More Big Bucks! While extending his world lead he would also claim 900 of the 900 points possible so far to any bull rider taking home $105,000 so far for 24 seconds worth of work over three days of bull riding action!
Complete List Of Round Three Qualified Rides Listed Below:
Jess Lockwood (90.25) Jose Vitor Leme (90.00)
Cooper Davis (90.00) Brennon Eldred (89.25)
Luciano De Castro (88.25) Claudio Montana Jr. (87.75)
Rubens Barbosa (87.50) Ryan Dirteater (87.50)
Dener Barbosa (87.00) Mike Lee (87.00)
Ramon de Lima (85.50) Fabiano Vieira (85.00)
Alex Marcilio (85.00) Taylor Toves (84.50)
Guilherme Marchi (83.00) Joao Ricardo Vieira (81.25)
Jose Vitor Leme Stays Perfect In Round Three
Photo Credit: Rokin’ K Photos / Jeana Wilson-Kilcrease
While the world title race was one of the main focus points when the 2017 Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series World Finals began three two nights ago, there is one man that continues to raise eyebrows and bring attention to his performance thus far. We all know that Brazilians are some fantastic bull riders but this weekend we are honored to witness one of them come into his first Built Ford Tough Series event after earning a spot from the Velocity Tour finals less than a week ago. At every event throughout the year, it is very hard to be absolutely perfect but that is exactly what this cowboy has done so far here at this level. We all expect to see those that earn a spot through the development tour have jitters and have a hard time settling down underneath national lights but Jose Vitor Leme is not in that category.
The 21-year-old Brazilian has come into the World Finals and has slayed everything that has been placed under him, earning three straight qualified rides being one of only two men to be able to do that after round three. So far this weekend he has been able to cover Opus for 86 points, Slinger Jr. for 86.5 points and earlier tonight Mudshark for a huge 90 point ride giving him second place. After three solid rides, he currently sits in the number two position for the event just behind the current world number one Jess Lockwood who has not let anybody other than himself take home a Montana Silversmith belt buckle so far this weekend. Tomorrow night he will face another bovine athlete by the name of Big Dutch that we saw over at the South Point during the Velocity Tour World Finals last week.
After three rounds of action, we have already witnessed history with Chad Berger earning his 7th Stock Contractor of the Year award and watching Jess Lockwood be the first bull rider to ever win the first three consecutive rounds at a World Finals event!! Remember to visit our friends at the Fans Of The PBR – Behind The Chutes to get signed up to play the free World Finals Fantasy League to earn some great prizes and bragging rights. Along with that, tune into the Rodeo Round Up each day at 10 A.M. CST for our Rodeo Round Up LIVE daily pre-show that will feature special guests, fantasy league updates, round recaps and previews and chances to win some fun prizes just by tuning in each day during the 2017 PBR World Finals!
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