Las Vegas Weekly

April 17, 2010 · 2:56 PM

PBR World Cup photos: Defending champs Team USA in 3rd after Day 1

By Robin Leach

The 2010 PBR World Cup at Thomas & Mack Center on April 16, 2010.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

It was the night the beastly bulls beat the cowboys more times than not. In fact, the ferocious animals were so powerful out of the chute that only 14 of the 50 rides managed the 8-second count and qualified.

Professional Bull Riders cowboy and legend Guilherme Marchi of Brazil, a Las Vegas favorite and 2008 PBR world champion, was the only rider out of the 25 to complete both of his rides without being bucked off.

Texan McKennon Wimberly, who tamed the Gilley’s mechanical bull at Thursday’s grand opening in Treasure Island, had the best Team USA ride of the night for a full 8 seconds. His score of 90.25 was the second highest of the first night of competition at Thomas & Mack Center.

So after two rides last night at UNLV, Brazil was out in front by nearly 100 points ahead of Australia, and two-time defending champions Team USA were in third. Canada and Mexico placed fourth and fifth among the five teams of five riders competing. (Brazil won the first world championship in 2007, followed by Team USA in 2008 and last year.)

Our contributing photographer Tom Donoghue was arena-side for all the action. The next round is tonight, and the final round is tomorrow afternoon. We’ll post new photos as the World Cup, here for the first time, continues through the weekend.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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