Wingson Henrique da Silva has been riding bulls for most of his life. The Naviraí, Brazil, native first climbed on calves at 5 years old, learning from his father, who rode bulls for a decade, before progressing to steers and beginning his professional career at 16. After turning heads in Brazil, including a 3-for-3 performance in his debut at Barretos in 2021, Silva brought his talents to the United States for the inaugural PBR Teams season in 2022.

His first season with the Carolina Cowboys was a learning experience, but it didn't take long for Silva to show what he had absorbed. In his rookie Unleash The Beast campaign, the left-hander finished runner-up for the 2023 Rookie of the Year honor, second at his first PBR World Finals and a career-best No. 4 in the world. That same year, after being traded to the Kansas City Outlaws, Silva went 11-for-20 during the Teams regular season and capped the year with a career-best 92.5-point ride on Flyin Wired during the PBR Teams Championship.

Silva added another major milestone in 2024, going a perfect 3-for-3 in Houston to capture his first Unleash The Beast event victory. He sealed the win with 90 points on I’m Legit Too, continuing a stretch that had established him as one of Brazil’s most dangerous young talents before a broken ankle in Nampa cut his individual season short. Later that year, he was traded to the Oklahoma Wildcatters, where he remained through the 2025 PBR Teams season.

Now with the Florida Freedom, Silva is working to turn another opportunity into his next breakthrough. That work doesn't always happen under arena lights. Late at night, he can often be found at PBR World Champion and now-teammate John Crimber’s house sharpening his craft and climbing aboard practice bulls, putting in extra reps as he works to find his best form again.

Away from the dirt, Silva is a married father of one who stays ready through weightlifting three to four times a week. He grew up playing soccer and still closely follows the sport, cheering for São Paulo, while UFC also gets his attention. He looks up to J.B. Mauney, prefers a truck over anything flashy and keeps country music — particularly Gusttavo Lima — in the rotation. Fishing and barbecue fill some of his downtime, but bull riding remains the full-time job.

Had things gone differently, Silva says he might have chased a career as a soccer player. Instead, the kid who started on calves at 5 has made his living on bulls — and whether it's inside a packed arena or on a practice bull late at night in Texas, he is still putting in the work to make the next eight seconds count.