Professional Bull Riders in Arizona competing in Glendale
GLENDALE, Ariz. - This weekend, Professional Bull Riders are in town competing in Glendale.
The sport has grown around the world, and today, dozens of Brazilians are competing at the highest level in the United States.
Jose Vitor Leme is one of the best. He can handle a 2,000-pound bull for eight seconds and make it look effortless.
Leme is from Brazil. In fact, many of the top bull riders in the world are Brazilian.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 08: Jose Vitor Leme stands on the stage after winning he PBR Unleash The Beast event at Madison Square Garden on January 08, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Paulo Crimber is a former champion. Now, he's a coach for the Arizona Ridge Riders.
Right now, the PBR Team Series is happening and more than 30 of the athletes are from Brazil.
Just like football, the team series has a draft.
"When the expansion draft came in, I just picked him and nobody knew about him," Crimber said.
Crimber is talking about 19-year-old Vitor Losnake, who he predicts will be a world champion.
"For his size, he gets really high scores because he's flashy," said Crimber.
Ellen McNamara asked Losnake, whose grandfather and father were cowboys, what it means to be competing in the states with PBR.
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - JANUARY 8: A professional bull rider competes at the Championship Round of the 2023 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash the Beast Event at Madison Square Garden, New York City, United States on January 8, 2023. (Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
"A dream that came true," he said in Portuguese. "I catch myself wondering what I've already done and how much I can still do with God's blessing."
As a bull rider, becoming world champion is the dream. Money is also a strong motivator.
"One American Dollar is worth 5 Rios in Brazil," Crimber said.
Over the years, the Brazilian athletes say they have been welcomed with open arms. Besides Friday night, there are events on Saturday and Sunday at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
PBR teams: Ridge Rider Days
https://pbr.com/event-schedule/event/5049/pbr-teams-ridge-rider-days