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Fort Worth Business Press
As the historic 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast got underway with Eliminations at Fort Worth’s Cowtown Coliseum, regular season points leader Cassio Dias continued his dominance by tying for second place in Round 1.
The 8-second effort Thursday night earned Dias 46 Unleash The Beast points and tightened his grip on the No. 1 rank in the race for this season’s World Championship.
During Professional Bull Riders World Finals – Eliminations (May 9-12), each of the 45 competing bull riders attempt one bull nightly as they try to punch their ticket to the 2024 PBR World Finals – Championship (May 18-19) at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium where the 2024 World Champion and World Finals event winner will be crowned.
The 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Eliminations continues with Round 2 Friday (May 10) at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at PBR.com/WorldFinals, CowtownColiseum.com and AXS.com, or by phone at 1-800-732-1727.
Dias was the last man to leave the chutes in Round 1, erupting into action aboard Sava. While he appeared to have slapped the bull past the 6-second mark, the Brazilian phenom celebrated what he believed to be a qualified ride. After careful review, PBR’s officials did not discover a slap, awarding Dias an 86.75-point score.
Although the runner-up showing allowed Dias to remain in firm control of the No. 1 rank in the race for the 2024 PBR World Championship, his lead shrunk slightly as fellow Brazilian Eduardo Aparecido won Round 1.
Aparecido was a picture of near perfection atop Down Payment, conquering the powerful animal athlete for an unrivaled 87.75 points. The top score garnered Aparecido a check for $35,000 in addition to 88 Unleash The Beast points.
Chasing his first gold buckle, Aparecido rose from No. 4 to No. 2 in the standings. He is now within 552.33 points of No. 1 Dias. Dias began his career-first World Finals 560.5 points ahead of then-No. 2 John Crimber of Decatur, Texas.
Elsewhere in the Top 5, both Crimber and Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas) failed to convert as the 2024 PBR World Finals began. Crimber was tossed by Thriller in 6.77 seconds, while Kasel was unseated by Heavy Lifting in 3.81 seconds.
Crimber slipped from No. 2 to No. 3 in the standings as the 18-year-old sensation attempts to become the youngest PBR World Champion in history. He is now 606.5 points behind Dias.
Kasel also fell one position, from No. 3 to No. 4, now trailing top-ranked Dias by 617.33 points.
While he remained No. 5 in the World Championship race, Alan de Souza (Taubate, Brazil) delivered a sixth-place score in Round 1 of Eliminations. His 82.75-point ride aboard Rip garnered him 32 Unleash The Beast points. He now trails Dias by 651.33 points.
Returning to the top of the round leaderboard, Kaiden Loud (Kaufman, Texas) tied for second in Round 1 as he made his debut at bull riding’s crown jewel. Dominating Black Betty for 86.75 points, Loud garnered 46 Unleash The Beast points.
Loud rose five positions in the standings, climbing from No. 20 to No. 15, now inside the coveted threshold to advance directly to the final stage of World Finals.
Dawson Branton (Jefferson, Oregon) was the first rider to convert at the 2024 PBR World Finals, with his 84.25-point ride on Zeus the fourth-best of Round 1 of Eliminations.
The Oregonian earned 40 Unleash The Beast points, rising from No. 48 to No. 44 in the standings.
Rounding out the Top 5 in Round 1 of Eliminations was Leonardo Castro (Cassilandia, Brazil).
Castro made the requisite 8 atop Double 00 Buck for 84 points to collect 36 Unleash The Beast points. He rose one position in the standings, from No. 12 to No. 11.
Information for this article was provided by PBR.
