Nashville Stampede Win First Ever PBR Team Series Championship

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The Nashville Stampede celebrating their championship win. Photo: Courtesy of PBR

The Nashville Stampede pulled off the ultimate upset this weekend, winning the first ever PBR Team Series Championship after finishing the regular season in last place.

“It’s crazy,” said Nashville Stampede Head Coach Justin McBride. “I got to win two individual titles as a bull rider in this sport, and it’s nothing compared to this. The buckle is awesome, but for me, it’s about these guys who never gave up and finished on top.”

The Stampede entered the tournament in Las Vegas as the No. 8 seed and beat the No. 3 Oklahoma Freedom in the first round on Friday (Nov. 4). The team rode three bulls to stun the Freedom, defeating the powerhouse team by one ride score–264.75-176–to advance in the team tournament.

The Stampede’s performance was headlined by scores from Ryan Dirteater, who came out of retirement to seek his first championship, Cladson Rodolfo, and 2018 World Champion and Stampede No. 1 draft pick Kaique Pacheco.

In Round 2, the Stampede were with the No. 1 Austin Gamblers. Continuing their impressive run through the tournament, the Stampede bested the Gamblers by one ride score–265-175.25–to earn the first direct berth to the semifinals.

On Championship Sunday, the Stampede went head-to-head with the No. 2 Texas Rattlers in the first semifinal showdown. Due to an early score from Joao Henrique Lucas and a 90-point, fifth-frame ride from Pacheco, the Stampede punched their ticket to the title game with a 178.5-90.25 win.

In the final, qualified rides from Dirteater, Pacheco and three-time World Champion Silvano Alves, the Stampede defeated No. 5 seeded Arizona Ridge Riders 264-182.75, completing their come-from-behind surge to be crowned the inaugural PBR Team Series Champions.

After winning the championship with the Stampede, Dirteater announced he will be retiring from bull riding.

“I had my eyes on it and this was my goal,” Dirteater noted. “This is an amazing feeling. This was the goal from the beginning, to win a title with a team. Now I can walk away on top and enjoy retirement.”

With the championship win, the Stampede walk away with $1.5 million in winnings.

Steven Boero
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