Brazil’s Leme wins 2nd PBR title in record-setting fashion

Jose Vitor Leme was a shot subordinate successful his autochthonal Brazil earlier switching sports and becoming to bull riding what his countryman Pele was to “The Beautiful Game.”

It isn’t often that “beautiful” is utilized to picture the convulsive satellite of pro bull riding. But that’s precisely the benignant of play Leme had en way to winning his 2nd consecutive Professional Bull Riders satellite title Sunday astatine T-Mobile Arena.

Leme, 25, was truthful ascendant during the regular play and archetypal 5 rounds of the finals that helium joined chap Brazilian Silvano Alves arsenic the lone back-to-back champions successful PBR past earlier Sunday’s last round.

But past helium enactment an exclamation constituent connected 1 of the top seasons successful the tour’s 28-year past by riding Woopaa (Barker Bulls/Hookin’ W Ranch), the PBR bucking bull of the year, to an all-time grounds people of 98.75 points.

“I came present to enactment my sanction connected past but I didn’t deliberation astir the satellite rubric erstwhile I was successful the chute waiting to thrust Woopaa,” Leme said aft finishing a whopping 884 points up of countryman Kaique Pacheco successful the conflict for the title buckle. “I did my best, helium did his best, and present we are portion of history.”

Getting his kicks

Leme said helium was a shot midfielder until helium was 18. But aft dismounting from Woopaa, helium celebrated the thrust and title play by kicking his helmet successful the mode of a shot goalie.

His was a play similar nary other, with 24 rides of 90 points oregon better, 21 circular wins, an mean thrust people of 89.82 and a apical thrust people of 97.75 — each PBR records. His 8 lawsuit wins tied the grounds held by erstwhile UNLV standout and chap two-time satellite champion Justin McBride.

“I expected to beryllium bully this play due to the fact that I worked truthful hard for this,” said the diminutive Leme, the lone rider to screen each six of his bulls successful Las Vegas. “But these numbers, it’s conscionable incredible. It’s hard to enactment into words.”

Leme started the time 2.25 points down successful the World Finals mean but vaulted to the apical spot aft his archetypal of 2 rides Sunday by scoring 91.25 aboard Top Shelf (D&H Cattle Co.) He pocketed $300,000 for winning the finals on with a $1 cardinal title bonus that upped his play net to much than $1.8 million.

“I privation to triumph 3 oregon 4 (world championships) oregon nevertheless galore God volition springiness to me,” Leme said with a bashful smile, already looking guardant to 2022 and beyond.

Contact Ron Kantowski astatine rkantowski@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski connected Twitter.