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Changing of the Guard
The PBR World FInals promises to be a tour de force
By Kendra Santos
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Adriano Moraes shows off his third world championship buckle |
The 2008 Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough World Finals,
which will take over the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas Oct. 31-
Nov. 2 and Nov. 6-9, will feature a classic changing of the guard.
The storyline will be set to a Brazilian beat, as the only three-time
world champion in PBR history, Adriano Moraes, makes his last stand,
and odds-on favorite Guilherme Marchi tries his heart out to take the
torch and run with it.
Moraes, who won the first-ever PBR crown in the organization’s inaugural 1994 season, struck again in 2001 and 2006. At
press time, he was closing in on $3.5 million in PBR
career earnings, and was seated among the top 15
riders in the world. Moraes, 38, announced his 2008
retirement earlier this season in New York City. His
rides at the World Finals will be his last.
“His three world titles and I say he’s the best that’s
ever come along in the PBR, which makes every
event extra exciting for the fans,” says cowboy icon
Ty Murray. “Every time Adriano shows up, it’s the
last time. That’d be like knowing you’re going to get
to watch Joe Montana’s last game or Babe Ruth’s last
at-bat.”
It has been an exciting season for spectators. And
while Moraes knows he’s making the right call on his
career, it’s not easy to walk away from something
that’s as natural to him as drawing a breath. “Bull
riding is my life and my passion,” he says. “What I
want more than anything right now is to give my fans my best. I want that so much, and it
frustrates me when I buck off. I’m a
fighter.”
He brought shock and awe to the bull
riding world when he won his third title
in 2006. Marchi, who has been the
reserve world champ three years running,
led the pack into the Finals that
year and was favored to finish on top.
But Moraes, with his bull-besting biceps
and iron will, powered his way into the
history books.
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Guilherme Marchi rides The Game for 91 points during the championship round of the 2008 Kansas City Built Ford Tough Series |
“The good Lord has blessed me with a
little more than I asked for,” beamed
Moraes, who at that time was already the
oldest bull rider on tour. “This means so
much to me. The passion to conquer
bulls drives me. The money will go away,
but not the memories.”
Moraes’ career stats reflect the
PBR’s unparalleled growth chart. He
won nearly $165,000 for that first
championship in 1994. When he
became the first repeat champ in 2001,
his $458,798 season was the talk of the
cowboy world. By 2006, his $1,361,573
year made Moraes the winningest bull
rider of all time.
Justin McBride, who sat out the first
half of the 2008 season following shoulder
surgery, now owns that claim to
fame. At 28, the 2005 and 2007 champ of
the world is closing in on the $5 million
mark.
McBride paid his dues in the bridesmaid’s
position before grabbing the gold.
While Marchi has been a gracious
reservist, most think his time has come,
including the defending champ.
“Guilherme is the epitome of this sport,”
McBride says. “He’s been so close and he
keeps coming back. He knows he can do
it, and I think he will do it.”
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Last year’s champion
Justin McBride rides Jefe
during the second round
of the 2008 Dallas Built
Ford Tough Series. |
Marchi was packing a 76 percent riding
success rate at press time this summer.
That loosely translates to a .760
batting average in baseball’s Big
Leagues. It’s nothing short of amazing,
and every living legend in the sport is
taking notice. “Guilherme’s been one of
the best bull riders, no doubt, for the last
five years,” says Cody Lambert, who
with Murray was one of the PBR’s founding
fathers 15 years ago. “But he’s had
trouble convincing himself that he’s the
best. I see a confidence in him this year
that we haven’t seen before.”
“Being the bridesmaid does one of
two things to you,” Murray observes. “It
either fuels your fire and builds your
confidence, or it turns into a mental
block where you can’t win it. Guilherme
just keeps chopping at the wood.
There’s no streakiness about him, and
there’s no emotional roller coaster. He
just keeps showing up, and it doesn’t
matter what a bull does—he can ride
anything.
“We’ve seen Guilherme kick butt the
last three years. There was just one guy
who kicked butt a little more. But take
those three years combined, and
Guilherme’s your best bull rider. All he
has to do is keep focusing on his game
and his bulls, and riding for first.”
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Robson Palermo rides the infamous Chicken on a Chain. |
The Leme, Sao Paulo, Brazil cowboy is
still just 26 years old. But the lessons
learned these last few seasons have
made a mature veteran of him. “The bull
riders in the PBR are the best in the
world,” he says. “So second is very good.
I have my dreams to be champion one
day. My focus is on the big buckle. But
there’s no pressure. I’m not thinking
about being the world champion. I’m
thinking about one bull every day. That’s better for me right now.”
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