Rattler Roundup: Anaheim 2024
Rattler Roundup – Anaheim, CA
Your Ariat Texas Rattlers rode the wave in the Golden State last weekend, walking away from their triple-header in Anaheim 1-2. That Chevron $800 for 8 tally shot up by another $5.6K, while our 2024 Teams Series season ranking got bumped down one notch to fourth overall.
We’re all about the highlights here, so in case you missed it, here’s your look at What Went Down in Anaheim, as well as a peek at What’s New and What’s Next for Texas in the days to come.
What Went Down
Anaheim Recap
Game 1: New York Mavericks
Texas brought their A-game to Anaheim on Friday, kicking off the opening game of the weekend with a 4-1 victory over the New York Mavericks. Daniel Keeping was the first Rattler to make it out of the bucking chutes, following an automatic re-ride opportunity for usual opener Brady Fielder. Keeping took the lineup switch-up in stride, getting Texas on the board early with his 87-point-marker aboard Oyster Creek Brawler. Claudio Montanha Jr. followed in Keeping’s footsteps, posting a score of 83.75 points aboard Pistola. After another buckoff for the Mavericks, it was back to Brady for his matchup against Watch Out. It turned out to be worth the wait, and Fielder nabbed his first qualified ride of the evening to the tune of 89 points, bumping his season record to 13 qualified rides. That total climbed again during the shootout round, where the Aussie cowboy went for ninety-and-a-half aboard Firewater to win the day for the Rattlers – but not before veteran João Ricardo Vieira showed out to clinch the game win for Texas with his own 89.5-point-marker aboard Shot in the Dark. (Final 349.45 : 86.75)
Game 2: Florida Freedom
Some tough luck Saturday night sent the Rattlers out of the arena scoreless, falling to the Florida Freedom in an uncharacteristic shutout loss. (Final 0 : 260.25)
Game 3: Kansas City Outlaws
Although it wasn’t quite the outcome we wanted, Sunday’s matchup against the Outlaws was an opportunity for the guys to wrap up the weekend on some more solid footing. Brady Fielder, Daniel Keeping, and Claudio Montanha Jr. each found the whistle in their matchups against Tropic Thunder (86.5), Pay Dirt (88.25), and Benjamin Ranklin (89) to rack up another $2,400 for Permian Basin Youth organizations. Qynn Anderson’s early departure from Army Slasher resulted in some prompt in-arena attention from sports med – he was carried off on a stretcher to be treated for injury, and is back home doing well. An early slap from João Ricardo Vieira against Sober Train brought Cassio Diaz within striking distance of a walk-off win for Kansas City, which he secured to tip the scales in the Outlaws’ favor, four qualified rides to Texas’ three. (Final 263.75 : 345.75)
What’s New
Countdown to Cowtown: Rattlers Debut ‘City Jersey’ Showcases Panther City Pride
This past Tuesday, Mayor Mattie Parker and the Fort Worth City Council issued an official proclamation recognizing the Ariat Texas Rattlers as the city’s first professional sports team to bring a national championship home to Panther City. During the City Council meeting, Ariat Texas Rattlers’ general manager Chad Blankenship unveiled and gifted a special model of the team’s first-ever ‘city jersey’ to Mayor Parker. The jersey was designed by Fort Worth’s own Sovic Creative as a nod to the iconic ‘Panther City’ moniker. Originally meant as an insult from a Dallasite, the nickname has been turned on its head and morphed into a symbol of resilience and pride in Fort Worth since its first use in the late 1870s. You can read more about the special history of Panther City, and the Rattlers’ city jersey, at this link here.
Your Ariat Texas Rattlers remain the only PBR team undefeated on home dirt – a title we’re looking forward to defending throughout Rattler Days, which officially kicks off in one week. The guys will be donning the city jerseys for their Thursday night faceoff in the historic Cowtown Coliseum. With a seating capacity of just about 1,700, this will be one of the most up close and personal (but still totally safe!) professional bull riding events any venue can offer. Don’t miss your chance to see your 2023 PBR Teams Series Champions in action, defending their home dirt up close and personal. Tickets are still on sale – but the clock is ticking!
What’s Next
This weekend, we’re hitting the opposite coast to take on Cowboy Days. We’ll be squaring off against the Missouri Thunder and Arizona Ridge Riders in North Carolina, looking to clinch a couple of wins before our bye on day three to send us back home to make the final preparations for the next weekend of the 2024 Teams Series in fashion…
Finally, the one we’ve been waiting for all across Rattler Nation: In just one week’s time, your defending world champs will be suiting up to defend their home dirt right here in Fort Worth. Rattler Days is so close, we can almost taste it… and by it, we mean the Rattle Battle cooking competition of course. Join us next Thursday to kick off three days of family-friendly fun, starting with the Rattle Battle presented by TX Whiskey and the Alley Rally presented by Community Coffee in the Stockyards. In addition to three nights of adrenaline-pumping bull-riding action, there will be daytime activities including meet and greets with Fang and the team, and a pancake feed and parade on Saturday morning. For a full Rattler Days schedule, and to score those last minute event tickets, visit our website here. We can’t wait to see you!