LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Gabriel Henrique da Silva (Lagoa Formosa, Brazil) became the fifth different rider to capture a PBR RAM Challenger Series Championship event title at South Point Arena, winning the 2026 title following his Round 3-winning ride on Not Like Us Thursday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Despite not competing in the season-ending finale, João Paulo Velasco (Paranaita, Brazil) was crowned the 2026 PBR RAM Challenger Series Champion. He became the fifth different champion to end the season atop the standings since the Challenger Series’ 2022 inception.
19-year-old da Silva recorded a qualified ride during his stateside debut Wednesday, scored 87.30 points on Whiplash as one of four riders to convert in Round 1.
Silva was dispatched in 1.65 seconds during his Round 2 out paired against Donnie J but rebounded in a big way during the event’s Championship Round by besting Not Like Us for a clutch 87.15 points to surpass fellow Brazilian Wingson Henrique da Silva (Itaquirai, Brazil) for the top spot on the event leaderboard.
“I always dreamed of this moment,” Silva said via the RidePass on Pluto TV broadcast with the assistance of a translator.
“I’d like to thank God and all of my friends who have been helping me. This is for them.”
Silva earned a spot at the first four PBR Unleash The Beast events of the 2027 premier series season for his 2-for-3 effort Thursday night.
Wingson Henrique da Silva finished runner-up at the event as one of four cowboys who rode two bulls. He returned to competition following a two-month absence recovering from injury and immediately topped Up The Ante for 86.80 points Wednesday to enter Round 2 in third place. The 27-year-old became the first man to ride a second bull Thursday, scored 84.90 points atop Big Bills to take the top spot on the event leaderboard.
Veteran rider Marcus Mast (Middlebury, Indiana) won Wednesday night’s opening round courtesy of an 89.10-point conversion aboard South Best Surfaces’ Running Red to enter Thursday’s second round atop the leaderboard. Mast’s conversion represented the third-best score of his career across all levels of competition and doubled as his highest-scored ride competing at the Challenger Series level.
Mast improved to 2-for-2 Thursday courtesy of an 82.15-point conversion following his 8-second dance with Quick Draw but was unable to go the distance aboard Straight Trouble in Round 3.
Wyatt Nez (Flagstaff, Arizona) won Round 2 courtesy of a career-high 87.75 points on Warbonnets Ridin Bruised to finish fifth, while Rogério Venâncio (Paranaita, Brazil) finished fourth for his 2-for-2 showing Thursday. The Nashville Stampede standout bested Cheap Trick for 81.30 points in the second round before topping Ferdinand (85.70) in Round 3.
João Paulo Velasco, 21, clinched the championship title with 1,295 points, 115 points over runner-up Gabriel Henrique da Silva, via his 47-for-64 (73.44%) season-long record.
Velasco is the fifth PBR Challenger Series Champion, joining:
Gabriel Henrique da Silva joins four previous Challenger Series Championship event champions:
The PBR Challenger Series is a premier proving ground for top riders that showcases the depth of global bull riding talent competing in PBR – future stars and comeback stories alike. The series provides opportunities for new and PBR Teams-affiliated riders to compete and advance toward the PBR’s premier tours.
Photo Courtesy of Andre Silva