EXPLORE BIG SKY – On the final bull of the final night of the 2024 Big Sky PBR, cowboy Luciano de Castro rode for 91 points, a one-point margin of victory to earn $52,562 on top of his $20,000 bounty ride from Friday. After photos with his oversized check and a brief stadium interview on the dirt, he walked a few paces out of the arena, set down his helmet and kneeled in prayer.
After about 30 seconds, de Castro was called back for photos with PBR officials and event organizers. He jumped up, grabbed his cowboy hat and hustled back onto the dirt.
“I’m very happy,” de Castro told EBS. “I just want to say, thank God. Thanks to my family for supporting me, because in 2021 I [came] here for this event and I hurt my knee, I had surgery, and now I come here one more time and win. I’m very happy for today.”
Moments before the final three bulls of the event would settle the score between top riders—de Castro, Eduardo Aparecido and Brady Fielder—a paddle-raise fundraiser upped the stakes. Eric Ladd, founder and chairman of Outlaw Partners, co-host of the event, announced a goal to make the prize winnings the biggest in PBR history.
