Born: April 20, 1970
Height: 5' 10
Weight: 185 lbs.
Home: Cachoeira Paulista SP, BZ
Career Earnings: $3,261,986.59
Years Riding Pro: 13
Seated: Yes
Card Type: World Card
Back Number: 1
Because stopping at two just didn’t fit his style, in 2006 Adriano Moraes rewrote history yet again by taking home his third PBR World Championship. Moraes first made his presence known in the United States in 1994 when he burst onto the PBR scene and was crowned the organization’s first ever PBR World Champion. In 2001, he became the first ever two-time PBR World Champion, and Moraes didn’t stop there.
The stage was set for a dramatic ending, and capitalize he did. Moraes was sitting in the number four position going in to the last two rounds at the 2006 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals presented by Wrangler, he was the only bull rider to cover his first four bulls, and he was poised to win the seventh round, drawing Sunshine of Page and Teague Bucking Bulls. The catch, Moraes had been suffering through back spasms since the fifth round. Moraes posted a 91.25 aboard Sunshine in round seven and went on to win the eighth and final round with a 93 point score atop Page and Teague’s Here’s Your Sign, earning himself an astounding and unprecedented third PBR World Championship.
“Today I drew two great bulls, but I knew I could ride them” said Moraes of his final two rounds, he then added, “today I could ride Godzilla.”
Moraes, a living legend and true ambassador to the sport of bull riding, continues to break records at the age of 36. His $1.346 million dollar payday at the PBR World Finals put him over the $3 million dollar earnings mark and makes him the PBR’s all time money leader with $3,369,623 to date. As long as Moraes feels he is on top of his game mentally and physically, his fans can enjoy watching him in the years to come.
When asked about the possibilty of retiring, Moraes states, “I still believe I can ride because I don’t see any bull out there that creates doubt in my mind about my riding ability. When a bull comes along that I think I am not capable of riding, that will be my last day.”
web site: http://www.adrianomoraes.com
