Brazilian Gilmar Santana Making Title Noise in Canada

AIRDRIE, Alta. – With the PBR Canada Cup Series’ event run in Ontario in full swing, set to return to London this weekend, plenty of attention is turning to the steady, season-long consistency of Brazil's Gilmar Santana.

A Brazilian rider has never captured the PBR Canada Championship, but the series is no stranger to international talent coming north and thriving. And in 2026, Santana is doing more than thriving, he's putting together the kind of results that force the field to take notice.

The 29-year-old hasn't finished worse than fourth across the last four events. That run includes a win at the Touring Pro Division stop in Dauphin, Manitoba, along with runner-up finishes in Melfort, Saskatchewan, and at the most recent Cup Series event in Hamilton, Ontario. With those performances, Santana has settled into the No. 3 rank in the national standings.

For Santana, the goal is simple and it's the same one every rider on tour carries into each weekend: to be holding the PBR Canada National Championship buckle at season's end, along with the $100,000 bonus.

He credits his surge this season to focus, determination, and a deeper comfort level in Canada now that he's in his third year of competition on this side of the border.

"Being my third year, I think the time has passed to where nothing is new, not having to adapt to the kind of bulls here, and riding them away from my hand," Santana said.

"I feel like I put a lot of pressure on myself for good results in the beginning, and now it all just feels like home. My head is 100%, I know a lot of the bulls, and I am just riding and having fun."

That comfort has translated directly into results. Heading into London this weekend, Santana is amid an eight-out ride streak, and he's looking to keep that trend alive as he chips away at the top of the standings, currently 365.83 points behind leader Nick Tetz.

Asked what it takes to stay in contention all season and be there when it matters most, Santana points to a combination of work and belief.

"I believe hard work, and my belief in God. Put it in His hands. He knows the desires of my heart. I just need to keep doing my part working hard and dedicating myself to the sport."

PBR Canada is now deep into the busiest part of the schedule, with events stacked across the country and little downtime between weekends. This week's stop in London falls on a Friday night, and many competitors will be racing the clock immediately afterward, heading back toward other commitments, including pro rodeos and the inaugural Party in the Pasture PBR in St. Walburg, Saskatchewan, on Saturday night.

For Santana, the priority remains clear: keep riding, keep stacking points, and ensure he's inside the Top 18 when the PBR Canada National Finals arrive in Edmonton, Alberta, this November. But beyond the Finals, he admits there's one more date he's got circled on the calendar.

"It is Saskatoon for sure. It is an event I really like. Two-day event. If I can pull out a win there, the last event before the PBR Canada National Finals, I think it would be really cool."

If Santana continues to ride the way he has so far, London could be another key chapter in a season that's quickly becoming one of the most consistent runs by an international rider in recent PBR Canada history and a real step toward a first-ever Brazilian national title winner north of the border.