Bull Stock Media

After Round 3 of the final weekend of the PBR World Finals, Jose Vitor Leme did not appear nervous in the slightest. He had just made a 89.25-point ride on his first bull Sunday to win his third consecutive round in AT&T Stadium and with an improbable World Title hanging in the balance, you’d have no idea by watching him that Leme was at the center of what was about to be one of the greatest stories in PBR history.

He drank a Monster behind the chutes, chatted with fellow rider Lucas Divino, and cracked some smiles with PBR CEO Sean Gleason. Cool, calm, collected. About 30 minutes later, he climbed on Walk Hard, rode him for eight seconds and when the score, 91 points, was announced, he was mobbed on the dirt by a group lead by Adriano Morães and carried off on their shoulders.

Dalton Kasel still had a chance, and he fought valiantly with 90.25 points of his own in Round 4 of Championship Weekend, but for all intents and purposes, the second Leme dismounted Walk Hard, it was over. He had just completed one of the greatest comebacks in Western Sports history at the 2025 PBR World Finals.

The Brazilian entered the World Finals No. 18 in the World Standings and surged to his third World Title one bull at a time, until he was a perfect 8-for-8 when it was all said and done. With the win, Leme becomes the third PBR cowboy to win three Gold Buckles, joining countrymen Adriano Morães and Silvano Alves.

“I’m so happy, I’m so blessed, this is a special moment in my life,” Leme said. “It’s (been) an incredible weekend, I had a chance to step up and do my job and that’s what I came for. Just ride my bulls, do my part, and let God handle the rest.”

Leme came into the final two rounds still trailing Dalton Kasel by 446 points in the UTB Standings, but erased that deficit by winning both rounds and picking up 400 points for winning the World Finals Event Title. It is the third time he has done that as well, tying him for the most in PBR history. More records poured in with the victory.

Leme cleared $8 million in career earnings, becoming the richest bull rider of all time. He also set a single-season PBR record with $2.15 million earned, $1.60 million of which came at the World Finals. He did it all on 37 outs, the fewest every for a PBR World Champion.

“I want everybody to remember nothing is impossible,” he said. “Even if you’re all the way down, you can sit up and shake the dust and keep riding.”