Marco Eguchi Poised For Another Monster PBR Weekend

That may well have been an understatement worth 90 points of its own considering Smooth Operator’s place among the all-time great bucking bulls in PBR history.

“I knew I had a great opportunity to win the 15/15,” said Eguchi, of his matchup with Smooth Operator in Okeechobee, Florida. “He already buck me off twice. I knew I can’t give this opportunity to go away. I do everything to ride him.”

Two-time World Champion bull rider-turned-CBS Sports Network broadcaster Justin McBride said Eguchi is “a guy you can never count out.”

McBride went to describe the memorable out, “That’s as good a ride as you’re going to see. That’s flawless.”

Eguchi will need to be flawless again this weekend if he intends to make the 8-second whistle. Another weekend like this past event and Eguchi, who is ranked seventh in the PBR world standings, and he will find himself in the Top 5 and vying for the No. 1 position.

In addition to Eguchi, Derek Kolbaba, 8, is in the Top 10, while Cody Teel, 12, is right outside of the Top 10 as all three make their way to Del Rio this weekend. By the end of February, Monster Energy could very well have five or six riders and, perhaps, even all seven ranked in the Top 25.

Eguchi, who is 31 years old, is a native of Poa, Brazil—a small town near Sao Paulo.

He did not start riding bulls until his late teens after watching some friends ride practice bulls. Without ever having ridden calves or steers or even smaller, younger bulls, Eguchi’s first experience was getting on a full-sized bucking bull.

He knew in that moment he wanted to make a career out of becoming a professional bull rider with the goal of one day riding on the elite televised level of PBR competition in the United States.

“No second option,” said Eguchi, with a smile that indicated he understood how unlikely it was he would reach his goal.

He arrived in the U.S. in 2008 and has ridden exclusively at the elite-level since 2012 and earned nearly $2 million in the process, including 2018 when he won $250,000 for top the average at the PBR World Finals event.

His best attribute as a bull rider is never panicking, especially if a bull like Ridin’ Solo goes left away from his riding hand, and he will need to be at his best this weekend.

In addition to Eguchi, Kolbaba is matched up with Top Shelf and Teel will get on Oilfield Outlaw’s Yellow Feather in Saturday’s 15/15 Bucking Battle at the Val Verde County Fairgrounds.