The Long Ride: Bull Riding Goes Back To Its Roots

Erick W. Rasco got behind-the-scenes access for Pro Bull Riding’s Elite series.

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Photographs by Erick W. Rasco

A version of this piece appears in the April 2021 issue of SI.

Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

Most years, Pro Bull Riding’s Elite series events are held at major arenas like Madison Square Garden and AT&T Stadium. In 2021 PBR is going back to the sport’s roots, touring outdoor venues and other historic sites in the South and West. In February that meant a stop at the Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, built in 1908 as the first indoor rodeo arena in the U.S. SI was there for a behind-the-scenes look at bull riding’s celebration of its rich heritage—and at a slate of riders shaping its present and future.

Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

João Henrique Lucas was briefly the center of attention in Fort Worth—emphasis on briefly. His two rides lasted a combined 3.93 seconds before he was tossed.

Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

Other riders also competed in the PBR Can-Am Invitational, the fifth event on the PBR Unleash the Beast tour. The 2021 circuit finished last month with the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas.

Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

2018 PBR world champion Kaique Paheco mentally prepared in the Coliseum’s spartan locker room. 

Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

Riders tend to their equipment and hands while prepping for what may be just a few seconds of action in the ring.

Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

Jose Vitor Leme (with phone, and fellow rider Dener Barbosa), a former semipro soccer player in Brazil, was the 2020 PBR world champion. After breaking his ankle in PBR’s January season opener he returned to the circuit in Fort Worth—and won.

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