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Cooper Davis (Photo by Todd Brewer)
At the second PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash the Beast event of the 2023 season in St. Louis, Missouri, Jasper native and 2016 World Champion Cooper Davis delivered a flawless 3-for-3 effort, including what is now the highest-marked ride of the season, to win the PBR St. Louis Invitational and vault to the No. 1 position in the early gold buckle race.
As one of three riders to cover all of his draws, Davis clinched the victory when he architected a showdown of titans for the championship round, teaming with 2021 World Champion Bull Woopaa for a mammoth 91.75 points.
“Winning never gets old,” Davis said from the dirt moments after the win. “Stepping up and riding a bull like I got to get on today is what PBR is all about and why I love the sport so much.”
After considering retirement during the 2022 individual season, Davis was reinvigorated during the subsequent PBR Team Series season while representing the Carolina Cowboys. He got off to a hot start in Round 1 in St. Louis, delivering the fifth-best score when he took the bull Bottom’s Up to the 8-second whistle for 86.75 points.
Davis then went head-to-head with Casper in Round 2. The charismatic Texan surged to second on the event leaderboard when he covered the animal athlete for a crucial 89 points, the second-best score of the round.
After Silvano Alves, the event leader entering the championship round, opted not to pick Woopaa, Davis was quick to pounce on the opportunity, setting up a showdown of titans in the final round.
With the electric crowd brought to the edge of their seats, Davis burst from the chutes, matching the athletic red bull jump-for-jump enroute to the requisite 8. As the fans erupted in cheer, Davis was awarded 91.75 points to propel him to the event lead.
Davis’s score, paired with event-leader Alves failing to convert in the final round, led him to earn his 12th career Unleash the Beast event win and first since topping the field in May 2021. The golden finish earned him $46,122.67 and a crucial 142 points. He now leads the field and is 56.5 points ahead of No. 2 Brady Oleson.
Davis will next compete in the PBR Minneapolis Invitational on Friday, Dec. 9, and Saturday, Dec. 10, in the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.