Albany, NY–The 2022 PBR’s “Unleash The Beast Series” was an intensely commemorative event this Thursday night at the MVP Arena. It was the first time in over fourteen years since the competition’s last event at the venue and bull riding fans from all over the tristate were anticipating the thrill of excitement.
Out of thirty brave riders who competed only eighteen made the cut scoring in the opening round but the man of the hour was Brazil’s own Rafael Jose de Brito surviving the full eight for a dominating 88.25 points winning the go round and solidifying his rank within the top five for a chance at the 2023 PBR World Championship.
Brito was matched up with the mighty J&M Yukon from Hookin’ W Ranch out of Tupelo, Oklahoma. Matching the animal’s grit, the tenacious rider was one of the final competitors to leave chute and claim victory in round one with 28 Unleash The Beast points remaining at number four in the standings and climbing 82.5 within the top position.
Jasper Texas’s own Cooper Davis added to his Current No. 1 and 2016 PBR World Champion record finishing at eleventh place in round one overpowering Shuler Bucking Bill’s Cousin Eddy for 86.25 points in addition to gaining nine towards his chase for his second gold buckle.
Davis will start Friday’s Championship contest with a 30.5 point lead over Montague, Texas’s Daniel Keeping after being bucked off by Pneu Dart’s Black Label of Mike Miller Bucking Bulls.
The next champ of the night was Andrew Alvidrez winning his second consecutive Unleash The Beast victory clinching the number one rank for a shot at the 2023 PBR World Championship. Fresh from his first career win in New Hampshire, this Seminole Texan definitely has been hit with a stroke of beginners luck.
Alvidrez also made the eight atop of Red Scorpion later accepting a re-ride after being marked at 71 points. He then went in battling Skull Crusher setting off a bull riding frenzy throughout the crowd proofing his strength and covering the ferocious bull for 87.5 points.
The other top fearless contenders of the evening were Kansas’s Tate Pollmeier riding Choc Tease for 87.25 points, Colorado’s Colten Fritzlan atop Crossover and Brazil’s Manoelito de Souza Junior riding Smooth Over It both tying in fourth place.
The PBR Albany Invitational will wrap up with Round 2 and the championship competition on Friday, Dec. 30th beginning at 7:45 p.m. EST.
You can also catch the excitement on Pluto TV’s PBR RidePass with on-demand replays of every PBR Unleash The Beast event. PBR RidePass is available on all digital and mobile devices by visiting www.pluto.tv.
