Leonardo Castro was on the radar before he ever had a chance to introduce himself to PBR fans. The Cassilândia, Brazil, native learned to ride regionally in his home country and caught the attention of the Kansas City Outlaws — particularly Brazilian legend and assistant coach Guilherme Marchi — before Castro had even made his PBR debut. Kansas City liked what it saw enough to select him in the second round of the 2023 PBR Teams Draft.

Castro quickly justified the faith. Before joining the Outlaws, he posted four Top-3 finishes across five PBR Brazil events, including a victory in Frutal, Minas Gerais. Once the Teams season began, the left-hander went 7-for-13 during the 2023 regular season and helped Kansas City finish No. 2 in the standings with an 18-10 record. His 89.25-point ride on Mike’s Motive in Kansas City became his career high at the time.

His rise continued on the individual side. Castro made his Unleash The Beast debut late in 2023 and, just a few months later, went a perfect 4-for-4 in Sacramento to capture his first premier-series event victory. He qualified for his first PBR World Finals in 2024 and finished the season No. 17 in the world, establishing himself as one of the sport’s most promising young Brazilian riders.

That same year, Castro was selected third overall by the New York Mavericks in the PBR Teams Expansion Draft. He went 6-for-17 during New York’s inaugural regular season and added an 83.75-point ride on Firewater during the Last Chance Game at the 2024 PBR Teams Championship. He remains on the Mavericks’ protected roster as the franchise continues building around its young talent.

Away from the dirt, Castro is every bit the Brazilian sports fan. He follows soccer, UFC and professional bull riding closely, and if bull riding had not become his full-time job, he says he would have liked to play soccer professionally. Neymar is his favorite athlete, while his dad is the person he looks up to most.

Castro keeps Brazil close even while competing in the United States. Brazilian food is his favorite, country music stays in the rotation alongside Henrique & Juliano, and Marília Mendonça is among his favorites as well. He also enjoys fishing, hunting and soccer when he has time away from competition, and when he is looking for something familiar on the road, Whataburger gets the nod.

For a rider who got noticed before most fans even knew his name, the next step is making sure they don’t forget it.