thePULSEThis Isn’t Your Grandfather’s Rodeo
Adriano Moraes and the Professional Bull Riders Bring More Bang for the Buck
by Kim Dunbar
It’s not even a little bit country. And it’s a lot of rock n’ roll. And when the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) buck into the DCU Center (the second stop on the Build Ford Tough Series tour) for the tenth year in a row, fans will be surprised to see that the PBR is no rodeo.
“Worcester is one of the most exciting and fun events on the Built Ford Tough Series,” said Randy W. Bernard, CEO of the PBR. “As PBR continues to get more pressure and bigger offers to play larger cities and venues, the PBR has always continued to keep Worcester on the tour because of the great fans.”
While Worcester has been a regular stop for the sport, there has also been one rider who’s been a fixture on both the PBR tour and in the sport of bull riding. Adriano Moraes, a native of Cachoeira, Paulista, Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a 12-year veteran of the sport and the tour. “Go ahead, you can say it, I’m old,” the 36-year-old Moraes joked.
He’s not old, but Moraes has been around since the beginning. Thirteen years ago, a group of 20 elite bull riders organized their sport away from the rodeo. The riders pooled $1,000 to start the PBR, which since then has become one of the fastest growing sports both on and off the dirt. It has experienced an influx of international riders and enjoyed an almost 52% increase in audience between 2002-2004. Known as “The toughest sport on dirt,” the PBR doesn’t have rodeo clowns or any of the other events featured at a rodeo; instead, 45 riders, buck-wild bulls, and plenty of entertainment combine for the perfect combination of danger and excitement.
“What I love about it is that it is a true match between man and beast,” said Moraes. The three-time champion compares the strength and intelligence of a human versus the strength of the animal. “This is the only ancient sport [still around today],” he added. “A man, a beast, an arena. It’s very primitive. You have to depend on instinct for survival.”
Moraes is obviously a huge part of the PBR history. He was crowned the first- ever PBR champion in 1994, was the first to win two championships in 2001, and in 2006 became the only rider to ever win three titles. “It doesn’t matter to me if I’m the first or the tenth. But winning is good,” he said.
The modest rider stumbled upon his love for the sport by accident. “I’m a terrible soccer player,” he joked. Moraes was born and raised on a ranch, and one day decided to try it for fun. Many years later, this cowboy is a bull riding legend. “I guess it worked out,” he added. Moraes never thought his love for the sport would blossom into such success. “I just have fun riding bulls. Everything else that comes from it is good,” he said.
Moraes is the eldest of three brothers, all of whom participate in the PBR competitions. Moraes admits he gets a little nervous when his brothers ~ Allan and Andre ~ get on the bull to ride. “It makes it a little more stressful,” he said, referring to the possibility that one of them could get hurt. But don’t think Adriano is scared of a little brotherly competition ~ “That would be a bad mistake,” he joked.
But without pain, there is no gain. “The question isn’t whether I have had bad injuries, it’s which one is the worst,” said Moraes, who has had nine major surgeries and 25 broken bones. He said the worst experience was when a bull slammed its horns into his belly, causing bleeding but thankfully no damage to the organs. But don’t call him crazy for still riding. “Crazy people can’t do things right,” said Moraes. “I’m not crazy, I’m brave.”
Moraes has been to Worcester several times, and enjoyed every minute of it. “It’s going to be the second stop kicking off a new season,” said Moraes. “The riders are pumped, the bulls are rested, and everyone is fresh. The fans can feel this inside of them, and that is what makes Worcester exciting.”
You can catch the PBR at the DCU from January 12-14. Tickets are available at the DCU Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, charge-by-phone by calling 617-931-2000 or 617-228-6000. To purchase tickets online, visit www.ticketmaster.com
Photo: Adriano Moraes rides a Page & Teague Bucking Bull named Here’s Your Sign for 93 points during the 2006 PBR World Finals. Photo by Andy Watson.
