6 minute read
JOAO RICARDO VIEIRA FEATURE
Photo: Andy Watson / bullstockmedia.com
~ -JOAO RICARDO VIEIRA
AFTER A DECADE WITH THE PBR, THE BRAZILIAN BULL RIDER IS READY TO TAKE HOME THE WORLD CHAMPION TITLE HE DESERVES.
It’s hard to believe it’s been a decade since João Ricardo Vieira emigrated from his home Pilar Do Sul, São Paulo, Brazil, to join the PBR in the US. While he seemingly burst on the scene out of nowhere to become PBR Rookie of the Year in 2013, he was already an established bull rider in his country when he had the opportunity to try his luck in the States.
It was a long time coming. Before arriving in the US at 28 years old, Vieria already had several years of professional rodeo experience under his belt. The Brazillian rodeo community heralded him as one of the nation’s best bull riders.
In Brazil, he claimed the national champion title at the university level his first year on the circuit. He went on to win some of Brazil’s biggest rodeos and had ridden in Barretos, the country’s biggest rodeo. He also rode in a major championship series called the Top Team Cup.
But, it was his stint with PBR Brazil that sealed his fate. In 2012, he was named PBR Brazil’s Rookie of the Year.
“PBR Brazil was just a ticket to come to the US,” he says.
Vieria’s family stayed behind in his home country, and he arrived in America knowing no English and unfamiliar with the culture. His loved ones wouldn’t be able to join him until a year later, which he describes as one of the biggest personal challenges of his career.
Perhaps those difficult times were what pushed him to do so well during that first year. Competing alongside world-class riders such as J.B. Mauney and Silvano Alves, Vieira placed third in the world rankings that year while also claiming PBR’s Rookie of the Year title.
That season was only a preview of what was to come. Since then, he’s racked up more than $3 million in career earnings, more than 50 90-point rides, and 36 event wins.
“I believe evolution is fundamental for you to be successful here in the US,” he says. “I believe I have evolved a lot since these two buckles from Rookie Of The Year.”
Photo: Andy Watson / bullstockmedia.com
THE BATTLE FOR THE WORLD CHAMPION BUCKLE
His feats place him among the most consistent bull riders ever to tour with the PBR. The mere fact that his career spans 18 years is an accomplishment in and of itself, as the ever-present risk of injury often puts talented riders down and out after just a few years.
This year may be special for Vieira. Though he’s been a top five bull rider for eight of the last ten seasons, he’s always fallen short of the world champion title. If he claims it this year, he’ll be the oldest bull rider in the PBR to do so.
The past few years represent some of the most competitive bull riding in PBR history. In 2017, José Vitor Leme took the rodeo world by storm when he went six-for-six in the PBR World Finals. Leme soon proved he’s a force to reckon with, earning back-to-back world champion titles in 2020 and 2021.
This season, Leme has struggled to compete at the level he has in previous years. In the meantime, Vierira’s steady and consistent placements have put him at the top of the rankings. As the 2022 PBR World Finals approach, Leme is fourth in the world rankings, nearly 230 points behind Vieira. It may be the perfect storm of circumstances for Vieira to claim the title.
Still, when it comes to rodeo, there are no guarantees. That’s something Vieria knows all too well. Days before the 2020 PBR World Finals, while holding second in the standings and eyeing a real shot at the world champion title, Vieria tested positive for COVID-19 and had to bow out of the competition. While it’s impossible to know how he might have fared, it was a tough break for him in that he didn’t even have a fair chance to try to claim the gold buckle.
As he prepares for this year’s PBR World Finals, which will take place May 13-22 at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, he plans to stay the course by tapping into the discipline driving his successful season.
“The preparation, the mind, has to work the same way as any other event,” he says.
And, of course, training is key to success, just as it’s always been. This combination of physical and mental fortitude is why Vieria is a top contender year after year. He outlines a few practices that help account for his consistent placements.
“Work every week, every bull, and keep training discipline. Learn from mistakes,” he says. “Always try to be better.”
Photo: Andy Watson / bullstockmedia.com
Photo: Andy Watson / bullstockmedia.com
~ -JOAO RICARDO VIEIRA
Photo: Andy Watson / bullstockmedia.com
NO SIGNS OF STOPPING
Regardless of what happens at the PBR World Finals, Vieira is optimistic about the future. This year’s shortened PBR season format is working out well for him, and he’s managed to stay in good health the entire time.
“You have to be healthy,” he says. “It’s a short season. If you get hurt, you’re not going to do well. The upside is that if you’re healthy and can beat the bulls, you have a good chance.”
Once the World Finals conclude, he’s likely to be a top draft pick for the inaugural PBR Team Series. The Team Series is a new tour format that pits teams of five riders against one another in a tournament-style format throughout 11 events. The series begins with a draft on May 23 and culminates in a finale event to be held from Nov. 4-6 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“The PBR has always tried to improve or evolve the sport of bull riding,” he says of the team-based event series. “I believe it will be a success. I’m looking forward to it.”
And while he may be one of the PBR’s older riders, he’s not slowing down. Retirement doesn’t seem to be in the cards. But, like anything in rodeo, that could change in an instant.
“I don’t know when I’m going to do it. Everyone has a feeling,” he says. “I feel good, and it keeps me on top of the bulls.”
Still, he recognizes getting older has its challenges.
“When you are older, your body is more fragile, so you need to dedicate yourself more, be disciplined,” he says. “A bull rider can’t be lazy. He needs to go to the gym and ride bulls. This week I rode new bulls to adjust my moves.”
This unfettered willingness to adapt to anything life throws at him guides his success, whether in the arena or in his personal life.
“That’s the secret,” he says. “To be dignified and courageous. You can’t be afraid.”
Photo: Andy Watson / bullstockmedia.com
