Jeferson Silva Takes Lead in 2025 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals
The 2025 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals got underway on Friday night in Corpus Christi, Texas, with Jeferson Silva riding supreme to win Round 1 of the season-ending event. According to a report from PBR.com, Silva, from Pontese Lacerda, Brazil, was one of 17 riders to convert in the opening round, earning 88 points for his ride on Red Wing, a bull from 3B Cattle Co.
Silva’s impressive ride not only earned him 48 Velocity Global points but also propelled him from 52nd to 34th in the standings. As PBR.com reports, the Brazilian rider’s performance has boosted his chances of a strong finish in the tour.
The battle for the 2025 PBR Velocity Tour Championship is heating up, with No. 3 Marcus Mast from Middlebury, Indiana, finishing fourth in Round 1. Mast rode Vigilante, a bull from Halpain Bucking Bulls, for 86.25 points, collecting 24 Velocity Global points in the process. As noted by PBR.com, Mast’s performance has reduced the lead of No. 1 Afonso Quintino from Sao Luis dos Montes Beios, Brazil, to 101.5 points.
No. 2 Bob Mitchell from Steelville, Missouri, also registered a score in Round 1, riding Frank the Tank, a bull from LH Cattle Co./2T Cattle Co./Broke Spur Ranch, for 82.5 points. This earned him 8 Velocity Global points, according to PBR.com. Mitchell trails Quintino by 73.17 points ahead of the final day of the Velocity Tour season.
The 2024 PBR World Champion, Cassio Dias from São F. de Sales, Brazil, made a strong return to competition, finishing second in Round 1. Dias rode Red Bull, a bull from Harley Joe Cattle Co., for 87.75 points, earning 28 Velocity Global points. As PBR.com reports, this was Dias’s second PBR outing since breaking his femur at the season-launch Unleash The Beast event in Tucson, Arizona, in November.
Rounding out the top five in Round 1 was Guthrie Long from Pecos, Texas, who collected 22 Velocity Global points after making the whistle atop F-Bomb, a bull from Chicken Hill Bucking Bulls, for 85.5 points. The PBR.com reports that the 2025 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals will conclude on Saturday, May 3, with Round 2 and the championship round.
The event will crown the 2025 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Champion, who will earn a $50,000 bonus. Additionally, five riders will earn a berth to the PBR World Finals, which will get underway on May 8 at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas. Fans can catch re-airs and on-demand replays of every PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event on PBR RidePass on Pluto TV, available on desktops, laptops, and mobile devices via www.pluto.tv.
As reported by PBR.com, the standings after Round 1 are as follows:
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- Jeferson Silva – 88 points – 48 Velocity Global points
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- Cassio Dias – 87.75 points – 28 Velocity Global points
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- Eric Novoa – 86.5 points – 26 Velocity Global points
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- Marcus Mast – 86.25 points – 24 Velocity Global points
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- Guthrie Long – 85.5 points – 22 Velocity Global points
The final day of the 2025 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals promises to be an exciting conclusion to the season, with the top riders competing for the championship title and a spot at the PBR World Finals.
