In front of a raucous crowd Saturday evening inside Thompson-Boling Arena, no rider was more dominant than Tye Chandler (Celina, Texas) as the PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour bucked back to Knoxville, Tennessee. Going a perfect 2-for-2, Chandler won the PBR Knoxville Invitational, catapulting more than 50 positions in the race for the 2022 PBR World Championship.
In Round 1, Chandler was one of 11 riders to deliver a qualified ride. Covering Yellow Water (Fenzel Bucking Bulls) for 81.5 points, the Texan advanced to the championship round positioned ninth on the event leaderboard.
Chandler next went head-to-head with Hey Bartender (JQH Bucking Bulls-Skip & Elaine Jones). Matching the powerful animal athlete jump-for-jump, Chandler was a picture of perfection as he reached the requisite 8 for an event-best 88.5 points.
For his efforts, Chandler earned a crucial 37 world points. After traveling to the Volunteer State ranked No. 103 in the world, he gained 56 positions in the standings, rising to No. 47.
Second was Fernando Henrique Novais (Pereira Barreto, Brazil), collecting 23 world points.
Also delivering a flawless performance on the University of Tennessee campus, Novais first rode Mudslide (Sho-Me Rodeo) for 81 points in Round 1 before going the distance atop Vanilla Gorilla (L Cattle Co./Battles End Bucking Bulls) for 83 points in the championship round.
Novais is now ranked No. 64 in the world, up 53 positions after beginning the tour stop No. 117.
As the final rider to register two qualified rides, Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil) was third.
The 10-time PBR World Finals qualifier seized his opportunity to ride at the PBR Knoxville Invitational, finishing fourth in both rounds compliments of an 86-point score on Real Deal (Frenzel/King) and a 70-point score on Fuerza Regida (Victor Figueroa/Prophet Bucking Bulls).
Aparecido left Thompson-Boling Arena having garnered a much-needed 14 world points to surge from No. 57 to No. 45 in the rankings.
Fourth was Round 1 winner Michael Lane (Tazewell, Virginia).
Lane was unrivaled in the opening round of competition, dancing in step with Buckle Up (Mason Bucking Bulls) en route to an 87.5-point score.
The 31-year-old PBR veteran, however, was no match for Whip (Sho-Me Rodeo) in the final round, brought down in a quick 2.21 seconds and denied his second Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event win of the season.
Lane left Knoxville having earned 13 points. He rose seven positions in the world standings from No. 48 to No. 41.
Rounding out the Top 5 were Brandon Davis (Cabot, Arkansas) and Patterson Starcher (Tonganoxie, Kansas), who tied for fifth.
The duo registered matching 86.5-point rides in Round 1, covering Freakin Wicked (Davis Rodeo Ranch/Ed & Cindy Fogle) and Grey Goose (LH Cattle Co./Battles End Bucking Bulls), respectively.
Each rider netted seven world points for the finish.
The PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Knoxville Invitational was also a stop on the 2022 Million Dollar Bull Team Challenge.
JQH Bucking Bulls #2 won the performance with 275.81 points courtesy of the trips notched by Jingle and Go, Speck and Hey Bartender.
Second place was Red Laces Cattle with 273 points, while Mason Bucking Bulls was third with 272.39 points. Red Laces Cattle’s roster included Notorious, Life Flight and Oreo, while the bronze effort from Mason Bucking Bulls was earned courtesy of outs recorded by Buckle Up, Accelerator and Ink Spot.
The 2022 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour season continues February 26 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Action for the PBR Worcester Rumble at DCU Center begins at 7 p.m. EST.
PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour
PBR Knoxville Invitational
Thompson-Boling Arena – Knoxville, Tennessee
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2- Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Tye Chandler, 81.5-88.5-170.00-37 Points.
2. Fernando Henrique Novais, 81-83-164.00-23 Points.
3. Eduardo Aparecido, 86-70-156.00-14 Points.
4. Michael Lane, 87.5-0-87.50-13 Points.
5. Brandon Davis, 86.5-0-86.50-7 Points.
(tie). Patterson Starcher, 86.5-0-86.50-7 Points.
7. Adriano Salgado, 85.5-0-85.50-2 Points.
(tie). Paulo Ferreira Lima, 85.5-0-85.50-2 Points.
9. Cody Nance, 0-83.5-83.50-4 Points.
(tie). Thor Hoefer II, 83.5-0-83.50-1 Points.
11. Alex Marcilio, 82.5-0-82.50
12. River Stephenson, 80-0-80.00
Jesse Petri, 0-0-0.00
Casey Coulter, 0-0-0.00
Cladson Rodolfo, 0-0-0.00
Dalton Rudman, 0-0-0.00
Conner Halverson, 0-0-0.00
Dakota Eagleburger, 0-0-0.00
Leonardo Lima, 0-0-0.00
Blake Smith, 0-0-0.00
Griffin Smeltzer, 0-0-0.00
Kade Alberty, 0-0-0.00
Ky Hamilton, 0-0-0.00
Cole Ivey, 0-0-0.00
Lucas Divino, 0-0-0.00
Mason Moody, 0-0-0.00
Colt Robinson, 0-0-0.00
Dalton Krantz, 0-0-0.00
Ednei Caminhas, 0-0-0.00
Justin Houston, 0-0-0.00
Seth White, 0-0-0.00
Taylor Toves, 0-0-0.00
Cody Casper, 0-0-0.00
Tylor Cabe, 0-0-0.00
Cody Hudson, 0-0-0.00
Quentin Vaught, 0-0-0.00
Zach Miles, 0-0-0.00
Justin Ethridge, 0-0-0.00
Laramie Craigen, 0-0-0.00
Hunter Ball, 0-0-0.00
