Eli Necochea Rides to First Career Velocity Tour Win in Oakland
The chutes flew open and Eli Necochea answered the bell Saturday night in Oakland, Calif., putting together a clean 2-for-2 performance to claim his first career Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event title. For rodeo and western sports fans in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario, it is another reminder that the North American bull-riding season is hitting a crucial stretch, with standings tightening and the final regular-season stop now in sight.
Necochea cashes in when the pressure is highest
Necochea, of Hemet, Calif., got the job done the hard way and the right way, covering both of his bulls to finish on top at Oakland Arena. He opened with 76 points on Lemon Drop, then came back in the second round and stayed aboard Sheep Creek for 67.7 points, giving him an aggregate total of 143.7 and his first buckle of the 2026 season.
That victory earned Necochea 99 event points and moved him to No. 93 in the Velocity Tour standings. It was not the highest single ride of the night, but it was the best all-around body of work when the dust settled.
Big rides light up the Oakland card
Chase Wimer of Corning, Calif., delivered the highest-scored ride of the night in the second round, posting 86.2 points aboard Bookers Bandit. That effort was good enough for second place and 78 points in the standings, pushing him to No. 73 overall.
Jack Mitchell of Weatherford, Texas, claimed third after putting up the top score of the opening round, an 83.8-point ride on Lodi. He left Oakland with 64 points and now sits No. 126 in the standings.
Braidy Randolph of Stephenville, Texas, rounded out the top four with an 81.7-point ride on Packing A Pistol in the second round. He earned 39 points and climbed to No. 15 in the overall race.
Standings race gets tighter heading into Knoxville
While Necochea stole the spotlight in Oakland, the larger season battle remains fierce. Grayson Cole now holds down the No. 1 spot in the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour standings with 655 points. Nick Tetz sits second with 597.5, while Macaulie Leather is third at 529.
For Canadian rodeo followers, Dakota Buttar remains in the mix at No. 28 with 216 points, showing there is still plenty of room for movement as the season heads toward its final regular-season stop.
The tour now rolls on to Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, April 18, where riders will make one last push before the post-season picture sharpens.
The Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour heads into its final regular-season stop of the 2026 campaign in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, April 18 with Ram Trucks PBR Knoxville kicking off at 7 p.m. ET.
44. Lucas Martins Costa, 19, 1, 3, 172.00, $7,819.13
45. Bruno Carvalho, 6, 1, 2, 166.00, $22,271.67
Why it matters in Northwestern Ontario
Bull riding may be rooted in the western circuit, but it still connects with readers across Northwestern Ontario, where agricultural fairs, horse culture and rodeo-style events remain part of the wider rural sports tradition. The PBR circuit also draws interest because it brings together American, Canadian and international riders in one standings race, making every event matter down the stretch.
Oakland was a one-night stop, but it carried season-long consequences. One rider got his breakthrough win, several others gained ground, and the leaderboard now heads into Knoxville with little margin for error.
