Jose Vitor Leme

Background José Vitor Leme Batista was born in Ribas do Rio Pardo, Mato Grosso do Sul, on August 15, 1996. As early as seven years old, he started riding calves. However, his parents separated and divested their bulls. Leme went to live with his mother, Sylvia. Thereafter, he became interested in soccer and played 11 years. He became a semi-professional player. He was also simultaneously learning karate. But being a bull rider was still his desire. In Brazil, most often an invitation is required for elite events. He finally got an opportunity when he was 18 years old. It was in Rochedo, near his mother Sylvia, who lived in Campo Grande. He pedaled six miles to the event and back to attend. His first ride, he got called for a slap.

That was the beginning of his bull riding career. He often had to walk or ride a bicycle to events. His father assisted him by buying some of his equipment. Leme improvised with equipment maintenance, traveling costs, and assorted other costs. Leme claims soccer has many moves that translate to bull riding. It was a hard road to get to the big tour. He won $1,080,500 this year for that title. He also competed in the Velocity Tour Finals again. He also became a two-time PBR World Champion. He won $1,871,257.92 including $1,401,800 in the World Finals this year.

Unleash the Beast Series Leme's first UTB event of the season was in Duluth, Georgia, the fourth event of the season. Injuries sidelined him from participating in the first three events of the season. He bucked off Blue Duck in the first round in 3.92 seconds. For his next out two outs he bounced back. He rode Cold Chill for a ride score of 88.50 points in the second round. In the third round, he rode Mike's Motive for a score of 89.25 points. He placed third in the event.

In February, Leme competed at the UTB event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. First, in Round 1, he bucked off Lonesome Fugitive in 4.26 seconds. His second bull, Tiger, he rode for 88 points. His third bull, Jag Metals Grand Theft, he rode for a high score of 92 points. At the UTB event in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Leme was back in form by riding Ridin' Solo for 94.75 points in the 15/15 Bucking Battle. This was his seventh 15/15 Bucking Battle win. He bucked off his other two bulls during the regular event: Tulsa Time in 2.33 seconds and Falcon Eddie in 4.71 seconds.

PBR World Finals In May, during the PBR World Finals at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, Leme successfully rode four of his bulls. This included two 90-point rides, which were 90.25 points on Lone Survivor in Round 2 and 92.75 on Norse God in Round 5. The latter of which Leme won the round on. However, in Round 6, Leme was bucked off by Crossover in 6.24 seconds and the bull stomped on his chest. This caused four rib fractures on his right side and a partial collapse of his right lung. As a result of his injuries, Leme was unable to finish the event. However, when the World Finals concluded, he ended up finishing fifth overall in the event and won $92,500. Leme also finished fifth in the final 2022 PBR world standings.

Team Series The day after the conclusion of the 2022 PBR World Finals, the inaugural PBR Team Series season draft was held at Texas Live! in Arlington, Texas. Leme was selected to ride for the Austin Gamblers.

In mid-August, the Austin Gamblers clinched their first event title at the third stop of the 2022 PBR Team Series season in Anaheim, California, which was a "neutral site" event. The following week, the Austin Gamblers won their second consecutive Team Series event at Stampede Days in Nashville, Tennessee; the hometown event of rival team, the Nashville Stampede.

Leme won the inaugural PBR Team Series Regular-Season MVP award; being the individual rider that earned the most points during the Team Series regular season.

Team Series Championship The Austin Gamblers were the regular-season champions. As a result, both them and second-place team, the Texas Rattlers, received first-round byes and automatically qualified for the second day of the PBR Team Series Championship at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, in November. The Gamblers were eliminated after the second day of competition.

2023 season

Unleash the Beast Series Leme missed the first five events of the 2023 Unleash the Beast Series season due to recovering from injuries sustained at the 2022 Team Series Championship. He made his return to the UTB series during the sixth event of the season in New York City on the first weekend of the 2023 calendar year. In Round 1, he rode Pickle Moonshine for 87.75 points. In Round 2, he rode Bad Decisions for 86.5 points. He was bucked off Choc Tease in Round 3, but rode Cliff Hanger for 92 points in the Championship Round to win the event. The following weekend at the UTB event in Chicago, Illinois, Leme rode Reinstate Hank for 83.5 points in Round 1. He then followed that up with a Round 2 winning ride on Knuckle Head for 87 points. In the Championship Round, he rematched with Cliff Hanger for 88.25 points and won his second consecutive UTB event. He had climbed to second in the world championship race.

During the tenth event of the UTB season in Sacramento, California, on the first weekend in February, Leme rode Havoc for 85.5 points in Round 1. He then rode Lil Hott for 89.5 points in Round 2 for the round win. In the Championship Round, Leme covered The Right Stuff for 87.5 points and won his third event of the season. He also climbed to first in the world championship race. At the following UTB event in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Leme rode Diamond in the Ruff for 88.75 in Round 1. He then rode The Show for 88.25 in Round 2. For the Championship Round, he matched up against I'm Legit Too; a bull he had faced five times previously and had successfully ridden the most recent four times they had matched up against each other. In this most recent rematch in Tulsa, the bull bucked him off in 5.97 seconds. Leme finished fifth in the event. The following weekend at the UTB event in Eugene, Oregon, Leme rode Chiseled, the 2020 and 2021 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Bull of the Year, for 88.25 points in Round 1. He then got bucked off by Punchy Pete in Round 2. His one score was enough to bring him back to the Championship Round. However, he decided to doctor out. Leme ended up finishing 12th in the event.

At the fifteenth stop of the UTB series in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Leme covered Spirited World for 87.5 points in Round 1. He then rode Air Shift for 87 points in Round 2. In the Championship Round, Leme rematched with Woopaa. However, this rematch proved unsuccessful for Leme, as he was bucked off in 6.39 seconds. This would also be their final rematch and last out of Woopaa's bucking career, as he was retired by his owners after this out. Altogether, Leme and Woopaa matched up a total of five times, and this fifth and final rematch was the only one in which the bull bucked off the rider. Leme ended up finishing third in this event. At the following UTB event in New Orleans, Louisiana, Leme rode Hog Wild for 72.5 points in Round 1. Because of the bull's poor performance, Leme was offered a re-ride, but declined it. He then rode Bread Basket for 88.5 points in Round 2. In the Championship Round, he matched up with Fastfire and got bucked off in 4.57 seconds. He again ended up finishing in third place. Leme was injured during the Championship Round in New Orleans and would miss the last several UTB events of the regular season. As a result, he dropped to second in points in the world championship race.

Leme returned to competition during the final UTB event of the regular season in Louisville, Kentucky. In Round 1, he touched his bull, Hostage, in 1.24 seconds, thus disqualifying his ride. However, he won Round 2 by successfully covering Pneu Dart's Wild Card for 90 points. In the Championship Round, he rode Ivy League for 91 points, and finished second in the event. Leme remained in second in points for the world championship going into the PBR World Finals.

PBR World Finals Kaique Pacheco, the 2018 PBR World Champion, was the points leader heading into the 2023 World Finals. However, an unfortunate series of events would end his hopes for a second world championship that year. During the second to last event of the UTB regular season in Tacoma, Washington, Pacheco fractured his right tibia and fibula; receiving surgery the day after the wreck. He missed the final UTB regular season event in Louisville, Kentucky, and after a lot of thinking and speaking with doctors, it was decided that he would not compete at the World Finals. This left the door wide open for Jose Vitor Leme in his pursuit of a record-tying third PBR world championship.

In Round 1 of the World Finals, Leme was bucked off by Blood Moon in 3.42 seconds. In Round 2, during his ride on JAGS Metals Grand Theft, his hand came out of the bull rope in 7.81 seconds. Then in Round 3, he got bucked off by Pearl's Ghost in 5.79 seconds.

With the first weekend of the World Finals completed, Leme had bucked off his first three bulls. He was a mere 74 points behind the injured No. 1, Kaique Pacheco. In Round 4, Leme was bucked off by Big Bank in 4.28 seconds. Then in Round 5, he successfully covered his first bull of the World Finals, when he was rematched with Pneu Dart's Wild Card for 88.5 points and tied with Marcus Mast for 5/6th in the round. Leme was now only 40 points behind Kaique Pacheco in the world championship race. In Round 6, Leme got bucked off by Big Johnny Reb in 3.49 seconds. Then in Round 7, he rebounded when rematched with JAGS Metals Grand Theft, the same bull that bucked him off in Round 2. Only this time, he rode him successfully for 90.25 points and placed second in the round to Josh Frost. Leme had regained the lead in the world championship race, but only by nine points. In the Championship Round, he was matched up with Yellowknife and his goal of winning a record-tying third PBR world title was quickly ended when the bull bucked him off in 1.8 seconds. Rafael Jose de Brito, the 2023 PBR Rookie of the Year and World Finals event champion had garnered enough points to also win the world championship. Leme ended up finishing eighth in the World Finals event average and second in the 2023 PBR world championship race.

Camping World Team Series In 2023, Camping World became the PBR Team Series' title sponsor.

The Austin Gamblers won the first Team Series event of 2023 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in late July. Leme was the MVP of the event.

The Gamblers later won the Team Series event in Anaheim, California, in mid-August. This was the second year in a row that the Gamblers won the event in said city.

Two weeks later, the Gamblers won their own hometown event at Gambler Days in Austin, Texas.

In late September, the Gamblers won Cowboy Days in Greensboro, North Carolina; the hometown event of rival team, the Carolina Cowboys.

In early October, Leme would win the Team Series Regular-Season MVP award for the second year in a row.

Team Series Championship In late October, for the second year in a row, the Gamblers were the regular-season champions. As a result, both them and second-place team, the Kansas City Outlaws, received a first-round bye and automatically qualified for the second day of the PBR Team Series Championship. The Gamblers succeeded in making it into the final round of the Team Series Championship against the Texas Rattlers. However, the Rattlers would end up defeating the Gamblers to win the second annual PBR Team Series championship title.

2024 season

Unleash the Beast Series During the first event of the 2024 Unleash the Beast season in Tucson, Arizona, Leme was rematched against Hostage in Round 1 and rode him successfully for 88.75 points. In Round 2, he rode Lone Star for 82.75 points. In the Championship Round, Leme rode High Wire for 90.75 points and ended up finishing fourth in the event.

At the twelfth event of the UTB season in Los Angeles, California, Leme won Round 1 by riding Mud Train for 88.5 points. In Round 2, he bucked off Black Gold in 5.37 seconds. Leme's one qualified ride was enough to bring him back to the Championship Round, but he decided to doctor out due to injury. He ended up finishing sixth at the event.

Leme had only competed in six of the first 18 UTB events of 2024, as he had struggled with a groin injury for most of the season. In early April, he announced on his social media accounts that he would miss the remainder of the 2024 UTB series, including the World Finals. He would now turn his focus on rehabbing his injury in order to be ready for the upcoming Team Series in the summer. Leme was ranked 26th in the UTB standings at the time of his announcement.

Camping World Team Series Leme returned in time for the Team Series season with the Austin Gamblers. In mid-October, at the Team Series Championship, the Austin Gamblers succeeded in making it to the final round for the second year in a row, only this time against the Carolina Cowboys. The Gamblers ended up defeating the Cowboys to win the 2024 PBR Team Series Championship title.

2025 season Unleash the Beast Series During the second event of the 2025 UTB season in Ontario, California, Leme rode I'm Him for 87.5 points and tied for 5/6 place in Round 1 with Anderson de Oliveira. In Round 2, Leme rode HomeBru for 90.25 points for the round win. In the Championship Round, Leme rode Umm for 90.25 points to place second in the round, and ended up winning the overall event.

At the seventh event of the UTB season in New York City, Leme won Round 1 with an 89.75-point ride on Roc Wit It. However, he bucked off his next two bulls and finished 13th in the event.

At the tenth event of the UTB season in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Leme rode Mr. Koolie for 87.50 points to tie for second place in Round 1 with Dawson Branton and Guilherme Valleiras. However, Leme was bucked off by Crazy Party in 2.11 seconds in Round 2 and failed to qualify for the Championship Round. He finished tied for 14th/15th place in the event with Guilherme Valleiras.

During the twenty-first event of the UTB season in Billings, Montana, Leme rode Rank Hank for 88 points in Round 1. In Round 2, he rode Vindicated for 87 points. In the Championship Round, Leme was bucked off by Ricky Vaughn in 3.74 seconds and finished fifth in the event. At the following UTB event in Nampa, Idaho, Leme rode Buckaroo for 87 points in Round 1. In Round 2, he rode Rank Hank for 88.25 points. Leme again attempted to ride Ricky Vaughn in the Championship Round. However, during the ride, the bull stumbled and jerked Leme forward, causing him to touch the bull before the eight seconds. As a result, Leme was awarded a re-ride. He was matched up against Lights Out and rode him for 88.25 points. Leme finished second in the event.

PBR World Finals At the PBR World Finals, Leme successfully rode all four of his bulls in the Elimination rounds at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas; Whiplash for 85 points in Round 1, Flapjack for 87.50 points in Round 2, Triple Aught for 89.25 points in Round 3, and Pegasus for 91.25 points in Round 4. He ended up winning the event and punched his ticket to the Championship rounds at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Leme won Round 1 of the Championship rounds by riding Ugly This for 88.75 points. He also won Round 2 of the Championship rounds by riding Oyster Creek Brawler for 90.50 points. He would go on to win Round 3 with 89.25 points on Lari's Speck, and tie the Round 4 win with Australian rider Brady Fielder with 91 points; Fielder rode Magic Hunter, while Leme rode Walk Hard. Both riders ended up tying for the Lane Frost/Brent Thurman Award, as it was the highest score of the World Finals.

Following the 2025 Team Series season, Leme's contract with the Austin Gamblers had expired, making him an unsigned free agent.

2026 season Unleash the Beast Series During the seventh event of the UTB season in Sacramento, California, Leme won Round 1 by riding Dirty Honey for 89.2 points. In Round 2, he rode Nefarious for 88.3 points and finished sixth in the round. In Round 3, he was bucked off Fire Fight in 2.28 seconds. Leme qualified for the Championship Round, but opted out due to injury. He finished tied for eighth/ninth place with Daniel Keeping in the event.

During the 15th event of the UTB season in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Leme rode Crazy Sox for 89.65 points in Round 1 and finished fifth in the round. In Round 2, he rode Mo Money for 87.95 points to finish sixth in the round. In Round 3, he rode Felix for 90.75 points to finish second in the round. In the Championship Round, Leme touched Eyes On Me in 5.75 seconds, thus disqualifying his ride. He finished fifth at the event.

A few days before the start of the 2026 PBR World Finals, Leme announced on his social media that he would not compete at the event due to a groin injury. He was ranked 27th in the UTB standings at the time of his announcement.

A few days before the start of the 2026 PBR Team Series, it was announced that Leme had resigned to ride for the Austin Gamblers.

Awards 2017 PBR Brazil Rookie of the Year 2017 PBR Brazil Champion 2017–2020, 2022 PBR Global Cup Team Brazil member 2017, 2020, 2021, 2025 Lane Frost/Brent Thurman Award recipient 2017 PBR World Rookie of the Year 2017, 2021, 2025 PBR World Finals Event Champion 2018, 2019 PBR Global Cup Individual Rider Champion 2019 PBR Velocity Tour Champion 2019 PBR Velocity Tour Finals Champion 2020, 2021, 2022 Mason Lowe Award recipient 2020 PBR Touring Pro Division Champion 2020, 2021, 2025 PBR World Champion 2022, 2023 PBR U.S. Team Series Regular-Season MVP

Records Most rounds wins in a season (21) Most 90-point rides in a season (24) First perfect 50-point rider score in PBR history Highest-marked PBR ride of all time (98.75 points) Most Premier Series event wins in a season (tied with 8) Note: All records achieved in 2021

Personal life Leme resides in Decatur, Texas, with his family.