Three-time PBR World Finals Qualifier earns 41 world points to surge 16 positions in the world standings
For b-roll from the event courtesy PBR, click here. For photos from the event courtesy Andre Silva, click here. When sharing photo/b-roll assets on social, please tag @PBR.
WICHITA, Kansas – After a dominant performance on the opening night of competition for the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Wichita Invitational, Michael Lane (Tazewell, Virginia) remained electric Saturday evening inside INTRUST Bank Arena. He went a near perfect 1-for-2 throughout the final rounds of competition to clinch the event win and gain critical ground in the world rankings.
Going a combined 2-for-3, Lane earned a critical 41 world points, catapulting him 16 positions in the world standings as he soared from No. 51 to No. 35.
Lane began the Sunflower State event on a high note, winning Round 1 courtesy of an 87.5-point ride aboard Jerry Lee (Shuler Bucking Bulls).
As action got underway on Championship Saturday, the Virginia native remained perfect in Round 2, covering Snoop Dog (Danley Bucking Bulls LLC) for 87.5 points, the second-best score of the round.
Despite his efforts, Lane was unable to conclude the PBR Wichita Invitational with a qualified ride, bucked off by Bezerk (BMC Bucking Bulls/Jenkins Cattle Co.) in a heart-breaking 5.31 seconds in the championship round.
The three-time PBR World Finals qualifier’s 2-for-3 finish, however, earned him his first PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event victory since 2019, when he topped the field in Des Moines, Iowa.
Lane now trails the Top 30 and a berth to the elite Unleash The Beast by a slim nine world points.
Paulo Ferreira Lima (Bezerros, Brazil) was second, netting 28 world points.
On Friday evening, the veteran Brazilian launched his efforts in Wichita with an 85-point ride aboard Red Baron (Her Lightning) in Round 1.
Improving on the second day of action, the 33-year-old brought the raucous, socially distanced crowd to its feet when he won Round 2 compliments of an 88.5-point score atop Louisville Slugger (Pick-It Hammers).
In the championship round, Lima saw his quest for his second Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event victory of 2021 come to an abrupt end when he was bucked off by Hey Bartender (JQH Bucking Bulls – Skip & Elaine Jones), sent to the dirt in a swift 1.85 seconds.
Lima is now ranked No. 34 in the world, up seven positions after beginning the event ranked No. 41. He now trails the Top 30 and a berth to the premier series by 6.17 points.
In third was Alecio Ferreira da Costa (Bom Conselho, Brazil).
The 21-year-old went 2-for-3, riding Fu Man Chu (Sho-Me Rodeo/Titan Cattle Co.) for 85.5 points in Round 1 and Slamma Jamma (H&H Bucking Bulls) for 87 points in Round 2 to collect 14.5 world points.
The surging young gun’s second Top-5 finish of the season catapulted him 23 positions in the world rankings. After beginning the PBR Wichita Invitational ranked No. 88 in the world, he now holds the No. 65 standing.
Tying for his career-best finish on the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour, Wyatt Rogers (Coweta, Oklahoma) was fourth.
Rogers was flawless through Round 1 and Round 2, riding Liberal Tears (Championship Pro Rodeo) for 86 points and Heartbreaker (Frenzel Bucking Bulls) for 84.5 points.
The Oklahoma cowboy, however, had his event conclude in less than ideal fashion when he was dispatched by M.A.G.A. (Pick-It Hammers) in a quick 3.3 seconds in the championship round.
Courtesy of his Top-5 finish, Rogers earned 10.5 world points, rising from No. 73 to No. 62 in the broader PBR world standings.
Rounding out the Top 5 in fifth was Eli Byler (Nashville, Ohio), also going 2-for-3 to net 8.5 world points.
The 27-year-old reached his position on the event leaderboard after riding Freddy Fender (XTB Cattle Co.) for 86 points in Round 1 and Turbo Blast (Tom Baker Bucking Bulls) for 84 points in Round 2.
Byler is now positioned No. 70 in the world standings after entering the expansion series event ranked No. 81.
In the bull pen, Hey Bartender and Prayer Warrior (Halpain Bucking Bulls) tied for the high-marked bull of the event honor, both posting matching 45-point scores.
Hey Bartender earned the marks in Round 1 when he dispatched Thor Hoefer II (Priest River, Idaho) in 3.29 seconds, while Prayer Warrior earned the event-leading score in the championship round when he bucked off Kyle Gardner (Kersey, Colorado) in a swift 1.54 seconds.
The PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Wichita Invitational was also a stop on the 2021 Million Dollar Bull Team Challenge.
Pick-It Hammers won the performance with 280.81 points courtesy of the trips notched by Uncle Gangster, Louisville Slugger and M.A.G.A.
Second place was Halpain Bucking Bulls with 275.7 points, while JQH Bucking Bulls #1 was third with 274.2 points. Halpain Bucking Bulls’ team included Sin City, Black Cadillac and Prayer Warrior, while the bronze effort from JQH Bucking Bulls #1 was earned courtesy of outs recorded by Blame It On The Whiskey, Speck and Hey Bartender.
Fans can relive all the action from the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Wichita Invitational, Sunday, April 25 at 8:00 a.m. EDT on RidePass, at RidePass.com or via the RidePass app available on iOS, Android and Roku.
The PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour next travels to Corpus Christi, Texas, and American Bank Center on April 30-May 1. Action gets underway for the Buc Days PBR Chute Out, presented by Coastal Bend Chevy Dealers, with Round 1 at 7:30 p.m. CDT on Friday, April 30, followed by Round 2 and the championship round on Saturday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. CDT.
PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour – Wichita Invitational
INTRUST Bank Arena – Wichita, Kansas
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Michael Lane, 87.5-87.5-0-175.00-41 Points.
2. Paulo Ferreira Lima, 85-88.5-0-173.50-28 Points.
3. Alecio Ferreira da Costa, 85.5-87-0-172.50-14.5 Points.
4. Wyatt Rogers, 86-84.5-0-170.50-10.5 Points.
5. Eli Byler, 86-84-0-170.00-8.5 Points.
6. Manoelito de Souza Junior, 0-80.5-88-168.50-10 Points.
7. Clayton Sellars, 0-86.5-0-86.50-2.5 Points.
(tie). Lucas Fideles Souza, 0-86.5-0-86.50-2.5 Points.
9. Cole Skender, 85.5-0-0-85.50-1.5 Points.
10. Logan Biever, 0-0-83-83.00-4 Points.
Marcus Mast, 0-0-0-0.00
Thiago Salgado, 0-0-0-0.00
Luis Blanco, 0-0-0-0.00
Leonardo Lima, 0-0-0-0.00
Wallace Vieira de Oliveira, 0-0-0-0.00
Hunter Ball, 0-0-0-0.00
Grayson Cole, 0-0-0-0.00
Thor Hoefer II, 0-0-0-0.00
Justin Houston, 0-0-0-0.00
Alex Cardozo, 0-0-0-0.00
Keith Hall, 0-0-0-0.00
Rubens Barbosa, 0-0-0-0.00
Jake Lockwood, 0-0-0-0.00
Laramie Craigen, 0-0-0-0.00
Dirlei Bonani, 0-0-0-0.00
Jake Gardner, 0-0-0-0.00
Conner Halverson, 0-0-0-0.00
Caic Cassio Carvalho, 0-0-0-0.00
Ednei Caminhas, 0-0-0-0.00
Devon Weaver, 0-0-0-0.00
Triston Dean, 0-0-0-0.00
Gage Gay, 0-0-0-0.00
Romildo Rodrigues, 0-0-0-0.00
Junio Quaresima, 0-0-0-0.00
Rosendo Ramirez, 0-0-0-0.00
Ricky Aguiar, 0-0-0-0.00
Dylan Madsen, 0-0-0-0.00
Riley Gagnon, 0-0-0-0.00
Fernando Henrique Novais, 0-0-0-0.00
Kyle Gardner, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Hazelton, 0-0-0-0.00
Matt Hennelly, 0-0-0-0.00
Devin Hutchinson, 0-0-0-0.00
Anthony Lyons, 0-0-0-0.00
Mason Ward, 0-0-0-0.00
Kacie Albert
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