Another year, another series of Professional Bull-Riding events are currently underway in Indianapolis amid great mirth and gaiety. Round 1 saw a 30-year-old Brazilian continue to clench the champion freshly off a three-year PBR gap in his resume. The bull rider found an unexpected ally in Nashville Stampede head coach Justin McBride, who helped him emerge as the 2023 PBR Challenger Series Champion, going 5-for-15 for Stampede.

The rest of 2023 was marked by advantageous event results, making him aim for the World Championship title this season. With a first win, it looks like the veteran is set to leave the rookies behind as the season advances.

PBR sensation makes a bold statement with a recent win

Entering the 2023 PBR premier series for the first time since 2020 January, Alan de Souza said, “I always dreamed to have a whole season on the Unleash The Beast, to be able to have a race for the title and compete for a World Championship.” Fast forward to now, straight after the first round, @pbr announced Souza’s win with the caption, “The race to World Finals is on as Alan De Souza secured the Indianapolis Round One win to inch closer to the gold buckle.”

Fourteen events from the PBR Unleash The Beast series are lined up; The first one is underway in Indianapolis where Souza dominated with a strong ride, scoring 87.25 points. Taking an early lead in the event, he added 28 points to his UTB ranking, which currently puts him in eighth place. Souza also posted a screenshot of the scoreboard on his Instagram story, showing rookie Clay Guiton in second position with 86.75.

Dalton Kasel and Daylon Swearingen tied for third after both players scored 86.25 in the first round. In addition, Keyshawn Whitehorse took the fourth spot with 86.00, followed by Koltin Hevalow, who earned 85.75. The mix of bull riders making up the podium will show an intense competition and an exciting battle to the World Finals. While looking back, the ascend of Alan de Souza last year alone makes him a top contender despite a hiatus.

2023 PBR Championship record of Souza – starry as it is, marred by problems

After a break of over three years, Souza made his PBR comeback in late April 2023. Because of his father’s health concerns, Souza missed a few weeks of competition, but he became a star in the Challenger Series, winning five and placing in the top five in nine more. In his first premier series action, he went 3-for-3 and finished second overall in St. Louis, and continues with a positive fortitude.

Reflecting on his professional career, Souza said, “I had a really, really good summer with winning the King of the North, and then I got to the Challenger doing good. I’ve just been blessed to be riding good.”

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Fans are now awaiting Round 2 and the championship round on Sunday, March 3, to see if Alan de Souza can extend his winning streak and leave his mark as he moves closer to the World Finals.

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