FORT WORTH, Texas – For the first time in team history, the Oklahoma Freedom hold the No. 1 rank in the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series standings. Going 2-1 in game play and earning 1 Bonus point during Rattler Days in Fort Worth, Texas, the Freedom knocked off the then No. 1 Carolina Cowboys on Championship Sunday of the event to leapfrog their rivals for the top spot in the standings with just one regular season event remaining.
As PBR Rattler Days began, the Oklahoma Freedom readied to ride in bull riding’s version of the Red River Showdown as the played the host Texas Rattlers, presented by Ariat.
The Freedom, however stumbled, failing to score in their 258.25-0 loss to their Texas rivals.
Keen to right their momentum, the Freedom returned to Dickies Arena Saturday evening determined to rebound with a victory against the Arizona Ridge Riders.
Riding a torrid 80% of their draws, going 4-for-5, Oklahoma thrashed Arizona, defeating them by three bulls, 351-90.75. The victory was earned via scores from Captain Eli Vastbinder, newly inked Freedom rider Trevor Reiste, Derek Kolbaba, who was scored a monstrous 91 points, and Briggs Madsen.
Compliments of the win the league No. 2 Oklahoma Freedom improved to 14-10 on the season, holding the same record as the No. 1 Carolina Cowboys.
In a showdown of titans, the Freedom and Cowboys went head-to-head on Championship Sunday, with the league No. 1 ranking on the line.
Trailing the entire game, after Carolina’s Cooper Davis delivered a monstrous 90-point ride in the top of the first, the Freedom roared back with a vengeance in the fifth delivering back-to-back rides from Kolbaba and Reiste in a re-ride to beat Carolina 176.25-91.75. The win also allowed Oklahoma to dethrone Carolina for the No. 1 position in the league standings.
The Oklahoma Freedom concluded PBR Rattler Days 2-1 in game play, punching their ticket to the Bonus Round tied for third alongside the Austin Gamblers.
In the crucial tie-break scenario, Head Coach Cord McCoy and Assistant Coach Kody Lostroh matched Kolbaba with JAG Metals Grand Theft.
After Gamblers’ Bonus Round rider Dalton Kasel rode Manaba for 93.25, Kolbaba was brought down in a swift 2.08 seconds, leading them to finish the event fourth.
Kolbaba’s effort was the eighth best of the Bonus Round, earning the Freedom just 1 Bonus point.
Now No. 1 in the league, the Oklahoma Freedom have gone 15-10 in game play, amassing 36 Bonus Round points.
PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer replays of all the PBR Team Series action from Fort Worth. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule.
For a behind-the-scenes look at the creation and launch of the new league, tune in to PBR Team Series: Getting the Job Done, presented by ZipRecruiter, Thursdays on PBR RidePass on Pluto TV at 8:30 p.m. ET. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule.
The PBR Team Series will next travel to Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, for the final regular season event for the 2022 PBR Team Series. The Arizona Ridge Riders will host Ridge Rider Days Oct. 14-16. The event will be on Friday, August 14 at 7:45 p.m. MT, Saturday, October 15 at 6:45 p.m. MT and Sunday, October 16 at 1:45 p.m. MT.
During the opening night of competition in Glendale, the Oklahoma Freedom will play the Arizona Ridge Riders.
For more information about Oklahoma Freedom, visit https://pbr.com/teams/freedom/, Oklahoma Freedom on Facebook, @OK_Freedom_ on Instagram, or @OKfreedom_ on Twitter.