At the top, John Crimber, after a master class in bull riding to win the final three rounds and take Sioux Falls, has created a narrow cushion, just over 200 points ahead of seven-time PRCA World Champion Sage Steele Kimzey. But beyond that, the standings remain razor-thin.

The separation tells the story. While Crimber holds a 220.5-point lead, the battle behind him is stacked tight: just 83.5 points separate No. 2 Kimzey from No. 4 Brady Fielder, and fewer than 200 points cover the entire Top 10 — from Kimzey to No. 10 Keyshawn Whitehorse. Riders like Leandro Zampollo, Fielder and Alex Cerqueira remain firmly within striking distance, while Paulo Eduardo Rossetto, Dalton Kasel, Clay Guiton and Cort McFadden are all within range to make a decisive move.

The reality is simple:

With multiple rounds still to be ridden and one stop remaining after Billings, momentum right now means everything.

This is where contenders separate themselves from the rest and where seasons are defined.

WHAT FANS CAN EXPECT IN BILLINGS

This is not just another stop on tour. This is pressure in its purest form.

Inside the arena, fans will witness:
• The best riders in the world matched against the rankest bulls in the sport
• Bubble riders fighting for their season and a place inside the Top 35
• Championship contenders managing risk while chasing points
• A level of urgency that only exists when the season is nearing its breaking point

Every out matters. Every second counts. And every rider in Billings knows exactly what’s at stake.

HOW THE POINTS WORK: WHAT’S AT STAKE IN BILLINGS

Understanding the scoring structure is critical this late in the season, because riders have multiple ways to gain—or lose—ground in a single weekend.

GO-ROUND POINTS (PER ROUND)
• 1st Place – 20 points
• 2nd Place – 10 points
• 3rd Place – 9 points
• 4th Place – 8 points
• 5th Place – 7 points
• 6th Place – 6 points
• 7th Place – 5 points
• 8th Place – 4 points
• 9th Place – 3 points
• 10th Place – 2 points
• 11th–15th Place – 1 point

EVENT AGGREGATE POINTS (2-DAY EVENT – LIKE BILLINGS)
• 1st Place – 80 points
• 2nd Place – 50 points
• 3rd Place – 36 points
• 4th Place – 21 points
• 5th Place – 17 points
• 6th Place – 12 points
• 7th Place – 9 points
• 8th Place – 7 points
• 9th Place – 6 points
• 10th Place – 5 points

BONUS POINTS (RIDE SCORE)
• 90.00+ Points – +9 bonus points
• 80.00–89.75 Points – +8 bonus points
• 70.00–79.75 Points – +7 bonus points

WHY THIS MATTERS IN BILLINGS

In a two-day Unleash The Beast event, riders can stack points in three different ways:
• Each round they place in
• Their overall event finish (aggregate)
• The score they earn on each qualified ride

That combination creates opportunity—and risk.

And when you layer that system over a leaderboard this tight, the impact becomes clear. A single strong weekend — winning a round, placing high in the aggregate and stacking bonus points — can swing well over 100 points.

That’s the difference between jumping multiple spots inside the Top 10 or falling out of contention entirely — and Daniel Keeping is proof of it. Just last weekend, he surged from No. 32 to No. 20 in the standings, while Dener Barbosa delivered a round win and a career-high score to climb inside the Top 40.

A rider can make up serious ground in one weekend.
Or lose it just as fast.

MONSTER ENERGY TEAM CHALLENGE: WHAT IT IS AND WHY IT MATTERS

Friday night adds another layer with the second semifinal game of the Monster Energy Team Challenge, after the No. 1 Missouri Thunder advanced to the finals in defeating the No. 4 Florida Freedom in Albuquerque.

The No. 2 Austin Gamblers (3-1) will take on the No. 3 Kansas City Outlaws (3-1) in the special 7 x 7 game with the winner to play the Thunder in Tacoma to crown the 2026 Monster Energy Team Challenge Champion.

That Teams showcase presents a nice preview to the PBR Teams league’s fifth season, which begins in July. But make no mistake: The Unleash The Beast remains the sport’s ultimate proving ground.

It is the tour where:
• The best riders face the best bulls
• The gold buckle is earned, not given
• And the $1 million World Championship is decided

The team format adds to the experience – but the individual world title remains the standard every rider is chasing, with $3.3 million on the line at World Finals in May.

MONSTER ENERGY TEAM CHALLENGE: SEMIFINAL SHOWDOWN

Friday night features a semifinal clash between the Austin Gamblers and the Kansas City Outlaws.

This is win-or-go-home.

Riders listed below as “MUST RIDE” are highlighted in black and must convert to advance to Championship Saturday night.

AUSTIN GAMBLERS
• Callum Miller
• Dalton Kasel
• Dener Barbosa
• Kaique Pacheco
• Lucas Divino
• Sage Steele Kimzey
• Vinicius Pinheiro Correa — MUST RIDE

KANSAS CITY OUTLAWS
• Andy Guzman — MUST RIDE
• Bruno Roberto — MUST RIDE
• Cassio Dias
• Eric Henrique Domingos — MUST RIDE
• Koltin Hevalow
• Marcelo De Souza Dias Junior — MUST RIDE
• Natanael Serra Aires — MUST RIDE

There is no margin here.

Every ride determines whether a team moves on—or goes home.

And every score still impacts the Unleash The Beast standings, making these outs as important as any you’ll see all weekend.

THE RACE FOR THE WORLD FINALS: EVERYTHING ON THE LINE

Billings isn’t just about the top—it’s about survival.
• Riders fighting for the Top 35 are battling to keep their season alive
• One ride can be the difference between making the World Finals—or missing it

At the same time:
• The Top 5 are positioning for a title run
• The Top 10 remain within striking distance
• And momentum heading into Tacoma could ultimately decide the World Champion

This is where everything tightens.
This is where it gets real.

NEAR BILLINGS AND STILL NEED TICKETS?

If you’re anywhere near Billings and haven’t secured your seat yet, now is the time.

Here’s when the action unfolds:
• Friday Night: April 17, 2026 – 6:45 PM (Local Time)
• Saturday Night: April 18, 2026 – 6:45 PM (Local Time)

CAN’T MAKE IT TO BILLINGS? HERE’S HOW TO WATCH LIVE

If you can’t make it to Billings, you don’t have to miss a second.

The entire event will stream live on Paramount+, with select coverage airing on CBS.

Broadcast times will follow the event schedule in your local time zone.

For full viewing details click HERE.

For fans who want to stay locked into every ride, the official PBR day sheet provides real-time updates throughout the event.

Track:
• Rider scores
• Bull scores
• Buck-off times
• Round-by-round results

Follow the official draw and live results HERE.

Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media