Robson Palermo Sets Record at the PBR World Finals

Silvano Alves earned his second consecutive $1 million bonus for winning the season points championship, and Palermo claimed his second straight $250,000 bonus as the winner of the six-round event at Thomas & Mack Center.

Palermo, the lone rider to enter Sunday’s competition with four successful rides, was bucked off Gray Squirrel in 3.49 seconds in the fifth round. He finished third in the championship round with an 87.25 on Pawnbroker that propelled him to the event title with 439.25 points. Palermo also is the first rider to claim three World Finals championships, winning his first title in 2008.

Brazilian Emilio Resende, who won the championship round with an 89.75 on David’s Dream, finished second in the event standings with 351.75 points. Renato Nunes, of Buritama, Brazil, was third with 348.5.

During the past 18 years, the PBR has had three multiple world champions: Adriano Moraes (three gold buckles), Chris Shivers (2) and Justin McBride (2). McBride, who is the association’s leading money winner with career earnings of more than $5 million, won the gold buckle in 2005 and 2007.

The PBR world championship has become a coveted title. For the past 10 years, the association has awarded its world champion a $1 million bonus.

The 2012 World Finals featured 39 riders. In addition to Alves, the World Finals featured five other former gold buckle winners. They were Guilherme  Marchi (2008), Nunes (2010), Kody Lostroh (2009), Mike Lee (2004) and Chris Shivers (2000 and 2003). Shivers announced that he would retire at the World Finals.

Resende claimed the 2012 PBR Rookie of the Year Award, and Asteroid won the 2012 Bull of the Year Award.

Palermo won the Event Finals title in 2008 and 2011, and has earned $2,339,783 in his career.

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