BILLINGS — Eduardo Aparecido finally got the Metra monkey off of his back.
The 33-year-old Brazilian cowboy, who said he is a veteran of 13 Professional Bull Riders seasons and 16 years total as a professional bull rider, finished as the event champion of the three-day Wrangler PBR Billings Presented By Cooper Tires at First Interstate Arena at MetraPark.
For the victory, Aparecido netted a payday of $58,033.14 and moved up to No. 2 in the standings, 525.33 points behind World No. 1 and dazzling rookie Cassio Dias of Brazil.
Aparecido — a captain of the Arizona Ridge Riders in the PBR Team Series — had an aggregate score of 263, riding three of four bulls over the weekend, to earn 171 points. In the championship round, Aparecido scored an 89.25-point ride aboard Flyin Wired to net the win in front of 3,491 fans.
People are also reading…
After his win on Sunday, Aparecido explained that he had been injured in two previous PBR events at the Metra through translator Paulo Crimber. In both 2014 and again in 2016, Aparecido hurt his back during the PBR tour stop at the Metra. Aparecido said that he had only competed at one more PBR Unleash The Beast event at the Metra since 2016.
“I’m very happy to be here,” Aparecido said through Crimber. “This event has left a bad taste in my mouth. I’ll enjoy it. It is nice to break the ice.”
Aparecido got off to a fast start at the Metra, winning round one with an 88.5-point ride while matched with Wild Card. He was one of only seven cowboys out of a field of 37 to notch a score on Friday night.
On Saturday night with a crowd of 5,722 on hand at Metra, Aparecido was fifth with a score of 85.25 aboard Benjamin Franklin, as the bovine athlete made its UTB debut. That left Aparecido on top of the standings heading into Sunday.
Aparecido came into Billings ranked fourth in the world. It was the 29th consecutive year that the PBR elite series has stopped at the Metra, the longest current streak for the circuit.
“I didn’t want to come here and feel like it was bad luck,” he said of his mindset before competing at the Metra.
Last weekend in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Aparecido didn’t score a qualified ride. However, on March 24 he won his first event of the season in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Competing at the Ty Murray Invitational in Albuquerque, Aparecido was 4 for 4 to claim his first premier series win of the season at the final of three majors on the 2024 calendar. Including the Billings victory, Aparecido now has 10 career premier series wins.
As to what was key for him to get rid of his Metra jinx, Aperecido said it wasn’t just what he did to prepare for the Billings stop but what he’s done all year.
“It’s not just what you do in this event, but working hard all season,” he said.
Finishing second was Wyatt Rogers with an aggregate score of 253.75 as he rode three of four bulls. Rogers netted 105 points. The 27-year-old Oklahoma cowboy, now tied for 26th in the standings, was fishing for his first career premier series win.
Rogers was a perfect 3 for 3 entering the championship round. Matched with Dark Thoughts, Rogers was thrown at 5.67 seconds and the victory was Aparecido's.
Paulo Eduardo Rosseto was third with an aggregate of 176.25 on two rides. Alex Cerqueira was fourth with an aggregate of 173.25 and Leonardo Ferreira was fifth with an aggregate of 168.75.
Dias finished 11th with an aggregate score 88.25 points. Fellow rookie John Crimber didn’t post a score in Billings. Crimber was second in the standings entering Billings and is now third. In round two, Crimber didn't post a score and his ankle was stepped on during the buck off and he didn't compete on Sunday the PBR reported.
Only three more events remain on the Unleash The Beast schedule before the start of the World Finals, which begin with eliminations May 9-12 in Fort Worth, Texas.
After achieving a “milestone” win and breaking the ice at the Metra, Aparecido said he was going to “take it event by event and try to do the best I can,” as the World Finals approach.
Photos: PBR Unleash The Beast Tour in Billings on Sunday
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR Unleash The Beast Tour at MetraPark
PBR 2 Boudreaux Campbell
PBR 2 Boudreaux Campbell
PBR 2 Alex Cerqueira
PBR 2 Andrew Alvidrez
PBR 2 final mustache
PBR 2 Andrew Alvidrez on Jersey Mike
PBR 2 Bob Mitchell
PBR 2 Calllum MIller
PBR 2 Court McFadden Mojo Bone
PBR 2 rope trick
PBR 2 Eduardo Aparecido
PBR 2 Eduardo Aparecido
PBR 2 Eduardo Aparecido
PBR 2 Eduardo Aparecido
PBR 2 final draw
PBR 2 Sage Steele Kimzey
PBR Bob Mitchell
PBR CBS TV-4242.jpg
PBR Mauricio Gulla Moreira on Wild Card -4252.jpg
PBR Silvano Alves on Levy-4353.jpg
Email Gazette Sports Editor John Letasky at john.letasky@406mtsports.com or follow him on X/Twitter at @GazSportsJohnL