After missing nine events due to a hand fracture, two-time World Champion José Vitor Leme officially made his return to competition Friday night during the opening round of the 20th Unleash The Beast event in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (USA).
The Brazilian rider delivered an impressive performance, scoring 88.50 points aboard Washita Red, leading the round for most of the night until Daylon Swearingen edged him out with the final ride of the evening.
Although Leme didn’t capture the round win, his strong showing proved he’s back in top form and ready to fight for major standings as the season nears its end. Including this weekend, only four regular-season events remain before the PBR World Finals.
Leme earned 18 world points for his effort, moving into 30th place in the standings. A strong finish this weekend could push him back into the Top 20.
The highest score of the night came from Daylon Swearingen, who posted a 90.50-point ride on Lari’s Speck. His performance also secured a win for the Carolina Cowboys over the Nashville Stampede during the final matchup of the Monster Energy Team Challenge.
It was a tough night for the riders overall, with bulls dominating the action — only nine qualified rides were recorded out of 44 attempts.
World No. 1 Dalton Kasel extended his lead in the standings with an 88.25-point ride, the third-highest of the night. Rounding out the Top 5 were Lucas Divino with 87.75 points, and Clay Guiton and Daniel Keeping, who both posted 87.00 points to tie for fifth.
