John Crimber lights up Tallahassee, wins Round 1 and tightens the PBR world title race

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The chutes cracked, the crowd roared and John Crimber gave the home-state fans exactly what they came to see Friday night at Florida State University. The Florida Freedom standout won Round 1 of PBR Florida State with an 88.80-point ride aboard Phe-Phe’s Soul Man, trimming Sage Steele Kimzey’s lead in the 2026 Unleash The Beast standings to just 55 points.

For sports fans in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario who follow elite North American rodeo competition, this is the kind of late-season showdown that gives a championship race some real bite. With one of the biggest weekends on the PBR calendar underway and more than $200,000 on the line, every qualified ride now carries major weight.

Crimber delivers in front of a fired-up Florida crowd

Crimber, ranked No. 2 entering the weekend, took command early in the night during the third out of the event and never looked back. His winning score earned 38 Unleash The Beast points and cut 28 points from Kimzey’s advantage in the race for the world championship.

The ride was Crimber’s second round win of the 2026 season and another statement performance from one of the sport’s top young stars. In a building packed with energy, he embraced the moment.

“Riding in a building like this — this stadium, with these people — man, I love Florida,” Crimber said on the Paramount+ broadcast. “We’re trying to put on a show for you guys.”
He added that he trusted both his preparation and his draw, saying he believed he had been given the chance for a reason and attacked the bull with confidence.

Kimzey still leads, but the pressure is building

World No. 1 Sage Steele Kimzey stayed in the fight by covering Little Rip for 85.95 points. That left him 11th on the Round 1 leaderboard, enough to collect 10 points and keep the top spot in the season standings.

Even so, the margin has narrowed.

Kimzey came to Tallahassee holding an 88-point lead over Crimber. By the end of Friday night, that cushion had been chopped to 55. With Round 2 and the championship round still to come Saturday, the title chase has tightened at exactly the right time in the season.

Round 1 leaderboard packed with strong rides

Crimber’s winning ride set the pace, but he was hardly alone under the lights.
Trace Redd put together an 88.55-point ride aboard Tecovas Triple Aught to finish second and earn 28 points. Daylon Swearingen, returning from injury, looked sharp in his first qualified ride in six weeks, taking third with 88.20 points aboard Turning Point.

Kase Hitt rode Dirty South for 87.35 points to finish fourth after battling through an early re-ride situation, while Brazil’s Alex Cerqueira rounded out the Top 5 with 87.10 points aboard Swamp Donkey. Cerqueira also became the first rider to record 20 qualified rides this season.

The Top 5 after Round 1:
John Crimber — 88.80
Trace Redd — 88.55
Daylon Swearingen — 88.20
Kase Hitt — 87.35
Alex Cerqueira — 87.10

Big-money weekend raises the stakes

This stop in Tallahassee is the first and only PBR major of the 2026 Unleash The Beast season, giving riders a bigger payday and a bigger chance to swing the standings.
That matters in a hurry for competitors trying to climb the ladder before the championship stretch. Redd jumped from No. 42 to No. 37 with his strong opening night, while Hitt improved to No. 34. Swearingen’s comeback ride pushed him to No. 27.

At the top of the standings, Kimzey remains first with 647 points, followed by Crimber at 592. Leandro Zampollo sits third at 475.50, with Dalton Kasel fourth at 443.50 and Clay Guiton fifth at 409.50.

Saturday set for a showdown finish

Friday night ended with country star Jon Pardi performing for the Tallahassee crowd, and Saturday promises even more star power with Miranda Lambert scheduled after the championship round.

On the dirt, though, the main event is already clear.

Crimber has the home crowd behind him, the momentum in his corner and a real shot to put even more heat on Kimzey in the world championship race. Round 2 and the championship round are set for Saturday night at Doak S. Campbell Stadium, with coverage on Paramount+ beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

For bull-riding fans, it is shaping up to be one of those nights where every gate swing could change the season.