World No. 1 Cassio Dias collects sixth win of 2024 Unleash The Beast Season in Sioux Falls extends lead in standings with only four events remaining before PBR World Finals
Coming off a rare disappointing performance at the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) event in Nampa, Idaho, last weekend, Cassio Dias (Sao de Sales, Brazil) recorded his eighth 90-point ride of the season Sunday afternoon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, by dominating Ricky Vaughn in the Championship Round to win the First Premier Bank PBR Sioux Falls.
Going 3-for-4 to win the sixth event of his rookie UTB season, Dias, who competes for the Kansas City Outlaws in the separate PBR Team Series, earned 165 Unleash The Beast points to increase his lead in the standings. The 22-year-old phenom is now sitting 580.5 points ahead of fellow rookie No. 2 John Crimber (Decatur, Texas) and 589.33 points ahead of world No. 3 Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas).
Dias is now a sizzling 10-for-14 in Championship rounds this season as he tries to set the record for elite series wins in a season, a mark held by Justin McBride and Jose Vitor Leme with eight.
Both Crimber and Kasel had unfortunate results across the weekend in South Dakota. Kasel was shut out in Round 1 and 2 by his bovine opponents before sitting out on Sunday to heal his battered body while Crimber hit the ground early in all three rounds.
“I work really hard every weekend to stay in shape and battle,” said Dias through translator Paulo Crimber. “God is the one who gives me strength and blesses me to stay strong and go all the way. Everyone is trying their best right now. There is still a lot of ground to gain before the Finals. Thank you, fans, thank you PBR and God bless everyone.”
The youthful standout started the weekend off a bit rocky as Miller Time (A&E Bucking Bulls/ BS Cattle Co) bucked him off in 6.26 seconds in Round 1. When the second round began on Saturday, Dias had his eyes set on Medicine Red (Win Rock/ D&H Cattle/ OK Corralis/Gordon) who he flawlessly rode for 84.5 points to finish the round in fifth place.
In Sunday’s Round 3 preceding the Championship shortgo,theworld leader conquered Blown Away (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/ Diggers/ Kinser/ McCall), scoring 87 points as fans inside the Denny Sanford Premier Center erupted.
Sitting second on the event leaderboard heading into the Championship round, Dias selected rank bovine Ricky Vaughn (WinRock/ D&H Cattle/ Buck Cattle) as his final matchup.
Ricky Vaughn brought the heat, and Dias hit it out of the park, earning 90.5 points – the highest score of the weekend, leapfrogging over Alan de Souza (Taubate, Brazil) and into the number one spot.
Dias’ fate then rested on the final out of the weekend, Marco Rizzo’s (Quitman, Georgia) matchup with Hunter (Dozier Cattle Co/ Martinez Bucking Bulls). However, Rizzo was bucked off at 2.37 seconds – securing the win for Dias who left Sioux Falls with a check for $50,683.67.
The three-day event at the Denny Sanford Premier Center marked the ninth time the elite tour has visited Sioux Falls and the nineteenth Unleash The Beast event of the 24-event 2024 season. The 2024 PBR World Finals begin inside Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 9.
