By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – 2020 World Champion Jose Vitor Leme may have opted not to get on any practice bulls this week at home in Decatur, Texas, but he believes he is ready to return to competition from two broken ribs this weekend at the PBR Caterpillar Classic in Kansas City.
“I am feeling good and am able to run normally,” Leme told Jorge Cardoso of PBR Brazil.” I still don’t know what it will be like on top of the bull. I haven’t trained yet. I’m not going to do any (practice bulls); I’m going back now. I can’t wait to work soon.”
Kansas City will be just Leme’s third Unleash The Beast event of 2021. He broke his right ankle on his first bull of the year in Ocala, Florida, before returning to competition a month and 10 days later in Fort Worth, Texas.
Leme looked like his dominant, gold buckle-winning self in Fort Worth as he went 2-for-3 to earn the victory on Feb. 27. However, Leme, who won that event with a sensational 94.75 points on Woopaa, later learned he had broken two ribs during his Round 2 buckoff vs. Rooty Tooty (5.78 seconds).
“I only (attempted) four bulls this year. This is not normal for me,” he said with a laugh.
Leme rode for 86.25 points during The American Semi-Finals on March 4, but he knew something was wrong, immediately grabbing at his right side and limping off the dirt. He underwent X-rays the next day to determine the extent of his injuries.
The 24-year-old is still ranked 14th in the world standings despite only competing at one full event in 2021. Leme trails world leader Cooper Davis by 223.5 points.
Coincidentally, Kansas City was the site last season where Leme broke three ribs when The Right Stuff slammed him against the bucking chutes. He missed two premier series events because of that injury.
Leme has drawn Knee Deep (2-0, UTB) for Round 1 on Saturday night in Kansas City. All the action from T-Mobile Center airs on RidePass at 7:45 p.m. ET that evening and Sunday on CBS Sports Network at 2 p.m. ET.
“I am confident, and I want to do my best at this stage and return without any more injuries,” Leme concluded.
WHO IS IN/OUT FOR SATURDAY/SUNDAY EVENT
Riders from last year’s Top 25 that are not competing
No. 5 Jess Lockwood (right hand)
No. 9 Daylon Swearingen (right shoulder surgery)
No. 10 Cole Melancon (right elbow injury)
No. 14 Colten Jesse (hip surgery)
No. 16 Cody Teel (left thigh)
No. 20 Brennon Eldred (broken ribs/partially collapsed lung)
No. 22 Fabiano Vieira (head injury)
Additional riders in 2021 Top 30 that are not competing
No. 21 Dalton Kasel (right elbow)
No. 24 Jesse Petri (lacerated liver)
Alternates this weekend (Bold riders only guaranteed to compete in Round 1)
Joao Henrique Lucas
J.T. Moore
Claudio Montanha Jr.
Eli Vastbinder
Rodrigo Melgar
Marcelo Propereia
Thiago Salgado
Chase Dougherty
Dakota Louis
Wallace de Oliveira
Luciano de Castro
Cody Casper
Leonardo Lima
Hunter Ball
Ball was a last-minute addition to Kansas City after Melancon had to doctor out because of an injury to his riding elbow. Therefore, Ball, 22, will make his premier series career debut Saturday night against Butterfly Kisses (2-0, UTB).
The Carsonville, Michigan, native is 4-for-12 this season at all levels of competition. Ball’s back-to-back Top-10 finishes on the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour propelled him up the alternate rankings.
OUTLAW, ALVIDREZ AMONG 5 RIDERS COMPETING VIA EXEMPTION
Chase Outlaw (4 injury exemptions remaining after K.C.)
Andrew Alvidrez (4 event exemptions remaining)
Matt Triplett (6 event exemptions remaining
Ramon de Lima (5 event exemptions remaining)
Boudreaux Campbell (5 event exemptions remaining)
Riders who finished in the Top 25 of the 2020 world standings are guaranteed eight UTB events before being subject to the cutline. (No. 26-30 were guaranteed five).
Alvidrez is making his season debut after a broken neck last year in Tulsa, Oklahoma, ended his rookie season. The 24-year-old has drawn Charmer (0-0, UTB).
Outlaw, meanwhile, is making his first appearance on the premier series since the 2019 World Finals. Outlaw takes on Bread Basket (2-1, UTB) in Round 1.
5 REMATCHES SET FOR ROUND 1
Dener Barbosa vs. Hurts So Good (84.75 points in Del Rio, Texas)
Kyler Oliver vs. Chuck (3.28 seconds last year in Casper, Wyoming)
Luciano de Castro vs. Big Mac (2-for-2; 87.5 points in Abilene, Texas)
Marcelo Procopio Pereira vs. Skull Crusher (6.34 seconds in Fort Worth, Texas)
Mason Taylor vs. Mr. Right Now (89.25 points in Del Rio, Texas)
TOP 2 YETI WORLD CHAMPION BULL CONTENDERS BUCKING SUNDAY
No. 1 YETI World Champion Bull contenders Chiseled (46.75 on two outs) and No. 2 Woopaa (45.88 points on two outs) are slated to buck in the championship round on Sunday.
Championship Sunday airs at 8 pm. ET on CBS Sports Network and 2:45 p.m. ET on RidePass.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
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