Baltimore, Md. – Sunday afternoon at the 1st Mariner Arena proved that Baltimore loves the PBR, and the Brazilian contingency of the PBR loves Baltimore.
A rowdy crowd turned out for championship Sunday and was treated to high scoring rides, wild buck-offs and a big change in the points standing.
When the dust settled inside the arena, Brazilian Robson Palermo took round two and the short-go, and with them, the overall event title. Palermo turned in a pair of stellar rides, putting up the only 90-plus ride in round two. He posted a 90.25 on Great White (Anchor Bull Co.) in round two and followed it up with a 91.5 pointer on Booger Butt (Robinson/Tedesco/Larry the Cable Guy). Matched with his qualified ride on Saturday night, he took the Baltimore Invitational title with a total of 267.5 on three.
The victory meant a big payday, as Palermo pocketed a total of $52,025 in the two day event. That includes $24,500 for the win and $20,000 in the Ford Moment of Truth bonus. Palermo won the bonus by winning the event after entering the championship round in the number one position. It was his first win of the season and the third of his career.
This 10th event of the year was the third week in a row that a Brazilian took the Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) title. Last week, it was Renato Nunes who took the title in St. Louis, and the week prior was the dancing Paulo Crimber winning Anaheim, Calif. In event number two, in early January, another Brazilian, Valdiron de Oliveira took the event title in New York City.
In addition to the big payday, the win moved Palermo up in the overall points standings, jumping up to the number two spot. Moving to the lead in the season’s point standings on the BFTS is yet another Brazilian, perennial number two-man Guilherme Marchi. Marchi entered the weekend in the familiar second place, behind Travis Briscoe, but slid past Briscoe – as did Palermo – by covering all three bulls while Briscoe had an off week, riding only one. Briscoe is now third in the points race.
Marchi and Palermo were two of 14 riders who entered Sunday’s championship round with two qualified rides in place. Six of those 14 ended the weekend with three qualified rides. The other four were Brazilians Ednei Caminhas and Valderon de Oliveira, Nebraska’s Dustin Elliott and Oregon’s Ned Cross. Elliott rode Crossroads (Silverado Rodeo Co) for 90.5 points, and Cross scored 88.25 on Too Sharp (Radke Bucking Bulls). They split second and third place in the average, at 258.5 points. The points and dollars were important for both, as they dodged being cut from the BFTS roster.
Making it to the short-go, but failing to cover their final bulls were: LJ Jenkins on Political Weapon (Silverado); Cole Taylor on Cowboy (Silverado); Bryan Richardson on The Sun (Jeff Robinson) and then his re-ride, Mo Betta (Silverado); JB Mauney on Malibu (Silverado); Jason Bennett on Chicken on a Chain (Robinson Tedesco Larry the Cable Guy); Colby Yates on Buckeye (Silverado); Mike White on Black Gold (Silverado) and Pistol Robinson (Silverado). Australian Jared Farley was the one rider to make the championship on one bull, by way of his 89.75 ride in round two on High Test (Sonny Williams), but couldn’t hang on to King Solomon (Hale Hicks McCracken) in the short-go.
As the PBR heads into Kansas City, Missouri next weekend, the season’s point standings are as follows:
1. Guilherme Marchi, 4,054.25 points
2. Robson Palermo, 3,866.75 points
3. Travis Briscoe, 3,780.5 points
4. Kody Lostroh, 3,448 points;
5. Paulo Crimber, 3,266.5 points;
6. Valdiron de Oliveria, 2,939.75 points;
7. J.B. Mauney, 2.902.75 points;
8. Mike Lee, 2,839.5 points;
9. L J Jenkins, 2,798.25 points;
10. Mike White, 2706 points.
In the Enterprise Ride With the Best, Jason Bennett picked up a $5,000 bonus in round two, riding Partner for 85 points. Bennett tied Pistol Robinson for the round one win, but by way of a higher back-judge score, Bennett was eligible for the bonus.
