Kaique Pacheco established himself as one the best bull riders in PBR history. In addition to winning the 2018 world title, the Brazilian native was the 2015 PBR Rookie of the Year, four times he represented Brazil at the Global Cup, including back-to-back international wins in 2019 and ’18, nine-time PBR World Finals qualifier, took home the richest $2.1 million one-day payout in rodeo history at The American in 2022 and, just months later, Pacheco led the Nashville Stampede to the 2022 PBR Team Series Championship (after being the second overall selection in the inaugural draft). Known as the “Ice Man,” Pacheco and others look to his “consistency” as his biggest attribute. He has finished ranked inside the Top 5 in seven of the past nine years, including a title (2018) and four second place finishes (2022, ’21, ’16, and ’15), and only finished outside the Top 10 the year (2019) he was injured. Pacheco is fundamentally sound and does not compare himself to anyone else, including two-time World Champion Jose Vitor Leme and fellow Monster Energy rider, and is solely focused on becoming better than he was the day before. A third-generation cowboy — his father, uncle and both grandfathers were bull riders — Pacheco took lessons at 10, started riding full-sized bulls at 12 and turned pro at 17 before coming the United States at 20. “I grew with these guys all my life,” Pacheco recalled. “When I (decided) to ride bulls, my daddy (started) teaching me, and I make some clean (rides). After my daddy stopped riding bulls, I (got) his riding gear, his rope, his spurs, his helmet, everything, and start riding.” His father made it a point to make sure his son was just as comfortable on bulls that turned either direction. It did not matter if they were large and powerful or slow and faster, Nene insisted his son, Kaique, “get on all-styles of bulls” before leaving Brazil shortly after graduating from high school. Like his younger brother, Kaique can rope but is not interested in other sports or rodeo disciplines. He concluded, “I don’t think about other things, just bull riding.”