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The Carolina Cowboys (14-9) went 2-1 at Cowboy Days with wins on Friday and Sunday to remain ranked No. 3 in the PBR Teams standings, two games back from the Missouri Thunder and Nashville Stampede, who remained tied atop the league standings with matching 16-7 records.
On Friday, Carolina rode three bulls, defeating the Oklahoma Wildcatters (9-14) on home dirt to begin the team’s three-day homestand in the winner’s circle.
The Cowboys and Wildcatters were nearly even on the scoreboard after the opening frame. Oklahoma’s Eduardo Matos (Emilianópolis, Brazil) recorded an 87.6-pointer to begin the game but was briefly one-upped by .05 points, as Thiago Salgado (Naviraí, Brazil) was scored 87.65 for his 8-second effort atop Hoka Hey to round out the first.
Making his PBR Teams debut, rookie Ethan Skogquist (Elk River, Minnesota) turned in an 86.4-point conversion for the Cowboys in the bottom of the fourth to cushion Carolina’s lead by a ride score. Adriano Salgado (Batatais, Brazil) added the cherry on top during the fifth (87.25) to solidify the 261.3-87.6 victory.
The Nashville Stampede (16-7) rode three bulls to defeat the Cowboys 260.75-88.75 during the second day of Carolina’s homestand.
Alan de Souza (Tremembé, Brazil) immediately went the distance for Nashville during the opening out, scoring 87.9 points atop Ima Thug. Carolina’s Guilherme Valleiras (Pirassununga, Brazil) evened the count at one ride score per side via an electric 88.75 points on Rocket Man to capture the lead moments later. Gustavo Luiz da Silva (Inocência, Brazil) quickly put Nashville into the lead once more with 85.9 points as the back-and-forth exchange continued. Rogério Venâncio (Paranaita, Brazil) recorded a clutch conversion on Hay Train for Nashville’s third score, clinching the Stampede’s fifth-straight victory.
The Cowboys concluded their homestand with a dramatic, walk-off victory, as Adriano Salgado delivered a clutch ride during the final out of the weekend to defeat the Arizona Ridge Riders 88.7-88.35 on Sunday.
The fifth and final game of the day featured several re-ride attempts and challenges, but no out mattered more than Salgado’s door-slamming 88.7 finale atop UB Smooth, edging Arizona by .35-point.
“It’s one of those things when you’re down to your last chance multiple times and you don’t see a way out, but the good Lord prevailed and gave us a shot,” Carolina Cowboys General Manager Austin Dillon said postgame.
“Adriano, he’s been so good for us. He’s got a lion’s heart. I knew when he got that opportunity for the re-ride after the first one warmed him up that he was going to have a good shot. That’s the best I’ve seen him ride all year. He really attacked that ride.”
The Cowboys and the PBR Teams league will take a weeklong break before the team returns to action at Rattler Days at Dickies Arena Oct. 2-4 in Fort Worth, Texas, where they will face the Austin Gamblers (13-10, Oct. 2), Kansas City Outlaws (8-15, Oct. 3) and Florida Freedom (9-14, Oct. 4).
