CHEYENNE, Wy. (July 27, 2022) – At the first-ever PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series event in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the Oklahoma Freedom finished seventh.
On the opening day of action, the Freedom registered the first tie in league history against the Kansas City Outlaws, 0-0. With neither team logging a score, both walked away with a loss added to their record.
The Freedom then readied to face the Austin Gamblers in the team’s second game Tuesday night.
Despite a late-game surge which began with a ride from first round Draft pick Eli Vastbinder, the Freedom were unable to remain atop the scoreboard, defeated by the Gamblers 257.5-176.5.
In the bonus round, Head Coach Cord McCoy matched Vastbinder against Pookie Holler.
While Vastbinder was bucked off in 6.55 seconds, the effort positioned the team fourth in the bonus round, earning them 5 bonus points.
The Oklahoma Freedom are now seventh in the regular season standings, having gone 0-2 in game play, amassing 176.5 aggregate and 5 bonus round points.
CBS Sports will air a one-hour highlight show from the season-launch PBR Team Series event in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on Sunday, July 31 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer re-airs and on-demand replays of all the action. PBR RidePass is available on desktops, laptops, and mobile devices via www.pluto.tv.
The PBR Team Series will next travel to T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, for Outlaw Days, the first of eight, three-day, team homestands in the 2022 season. The event will be on Friday, August 5 at 7:45 p.m. CT, Saturday, August 6 at 6:45 p.m. CT and Sunday, August 7 at 11:00 a.m. CT.
During the opening night of competition for Outlaw Days on August 5, the Oklahoma Freedom will play the Missouri Thunder.
The Oklahoma Freedom are based at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where they will host their inaugural homestand, Freedom Fest, on Sept. 16-18.
For more information about Oklahoma Freedom, visit https://pbr.com/teams/freedom/, Oklahoma Freedom on Facebook, @OK_Freedom_ on Instagram, or @OKfreedom_ on Twitter.
CHEYENNE TEAM STANDINGS: Here are the final Team standings for the PBR Team Series: Cheyenne regular season event:
1. Missouri Thunder, 2-0-0-1-263.5
2. Carolina Cowboys, 1-1-0-8-434.5
3. Austin Gamblers, 1-1-0-7-346.5
4. Arizona Ridge Riders, 1-1-0-6-252.75
5. Nashville Stampede, 1-1-0-3-424.75
6. Kansas City Outlaws, 1-1-0-2-173
7. Oklahoma Freedom, 0-2-0-5-176.5
8. Ariat Texas Rattlers, 0-2-0-4-85.75
PBR TEAM SERIES SEASON STANDINGS: Here are the current Team standings for the regular season after the season-launch event in Cheyenne, Wyoming:
1. Missouri Thunder, 2-0-0-1-263.5
2. Carolina Cowboys, 1-1-0-8-434.5
3. Austin Gamblers, 1-1-0-7-346.5
4. Arizona Ridge Riders, 1-1-0-6-252.75
5. Nashville Stampede, 1-1-0-3-424.75
6. Kansas City Outlaws, 1-1-0-2-173
7. Oklahoma Freedom, 0-2-0-5-176.5
8. Ariat Texas Rattlers, 0-2-0-4-85.75
GAME RECAP – OKLAHOMA FREEDOM VS. AUSTIN GAMBLERS:
Two-Time PBR World Champion and Franchise Bedrock Jose Vitor Leme Delivers Walk-Off Score for Austin Gamblers to Defeat Oklahoma Freedom in Game’s Final Out
Oklahoma Freedom: 176.5
Austin Gamblers: 257.5
An intense back-and-forth showdown between the Austin Gamblers and Oklahoma Freedom came down to the final out of the game. Two-time PBR World Champion Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) stepped up to deliver a walk-off score in the final out of the game to lead the Gamblers to their first win of the young season. As the final game of the inaugural PBR Team Series event in Cheyenne, Wyoming, got underway, the Gamblers were the first to strike. Following an Oklahoma Freedom buckoff from Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington), Dakota Louis (Browning, Montana) gave Austin an 85.25-point lead when he covered Light’s Out (Jane Clark/Gene Owen). The Gamblers then padded their lead in the second round. With the Freedom again failing to register a score, as Briggs Madsen (Tremonton, Utah) was upended by Dr. X (Universal Pro Rodeo/Pepper/Freeman Cattle Co.), Claudio Montanha Jr. (Pacembu, Brazil) delivered a gritty 86.25-point ride atop Homebru (D&H Cattle Co./Buck Cattle Co.) to grow the Gamblers’ lead to 171.5 points. As the game approached the halfway point, however, the Oklahoma Freedom awakened a newfound fire. First-round draft pick Eli Vastbinder (Statesville, North Carolina) launched a wave of momentum that kept the Freedom’s hopes of victory alive. Vastbinder covered Surprise Package (Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) for 86.25 points and, coupled with a Gamblers buckoff from Austin Richardson (Dallas, Texas), the Sooner State outfit pulled within 85.25 points of their rivals. The Freedom then delivered the second 90-point ride of the PBR Team Series as Casey Roberts (Munford, Alabama) dominated Magic Bru (D&H Cattle Co./Buck Cattle Co.) for a monstrous 90.25 points. The significance of the ride was amplified when Blake Smith (Abbey, Saskatchewan, Canada) was denied a ride in the Gamblers’ fourth out, giving the Freedom a mere 5-point lead with one rider left for each team. The Freedom’s surge, however, came to a crushing end when Trevor Kastner (Ardmore, Oklahoma) was dispatched by Born To Sin (Logan Clancey/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger). Needing a score in the bottom of the fifth frame, the final rider to compete for the Gamblers was none other than Leme. The home-run hitter proved why he was the No. 1 overall pick in the PBR Team Series draft and signed last week by the Gamblers to a long-term deal, clinching the victory when he covered Lil Hott (Stinger/Brunner/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger) for 86 points. With a deafening roar erupting inside the iconic rodeo venue, the Austin Gamblers earned their first win, 257.5-176.5. With the bonus round awaiting each team, the Gamblers (1-1) continued on amidst a surge of success, while the Freedom (0-2), who were shut out in game play, regrouped to conclude the event on a successful note.