For the past three years, Guilherme Marchi has finished runner-up in the Professional Bull Riders world title race.

But this year, the Brazilian has been the dominant competitor and he won the title during the Sept. 26-27 tour stop in Oakland, Calif.. It was his fifth win of the season on the Built Ford Tough Series.

After winning in Oakland, Marchi entered this weekend's tour stop in Cincinnati leading Valdiron de Oliveira in the world standings by 3,721.5 points, 12,488.50 to 8767.00.

But Marchi, 26, doesn’t appear overconfident. He points out that he faces a field of talented bull riders and he knows he must fare well at the World Finals that’s scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 2 and Nov. 6-9 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

“The top five guys (in the world standings) ride really good,” Marchi said in an interview in Oakland. “They will have a lot of great chances at the Finals where they (more than) double the points. But I feel great that I’m riding 75 percent of my bulls. In past years, the champion that wins the world might ride 50 or 60 percent of their bulls during the year. So, now I’m just waiting for the Finals.”

When he arrived in Oakland, Marchi had been in something of a slump. He had failed to advance to the final round during the past two tour stops in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Jacksonville, Fla.

But in Oakland, Marchi stayed on all three bulls for the 8-second count. During the final round, he turned in a score of 91 atop the notorious Copperhead Slinger (owned by Chad Berger/Clay Struve) and edged Valdiron de Oliveira by four points for the title, 265 to 261.

“This win here helps me a lot,” said Marchi, who is scheduled to compete this weekend in Cincinnati.

Marchi dedicated the Oakland victory to his daughter, Manuela, who celebrated her fourth birthday over the weekend.

“It’s a big present for my daughter and I’m happy,” Marchi said.

Sears on the move

Lindsay Sears, a Nanton, Alberta, cowgirl, who also has a home in the West Texas town of Ropesville, padded her lead in the barrel racing world standings as the result of earning the title and $15,000 at the Sept. 27 River City Roundup in Omaha, Neb.

In the world standings, Sears, a former Texas Tech star, leads second ranked Brittany Pozzi-Pharr of Victoria, $160,140 to $122,207.

The Omaha Rodeo was the third show on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Ariat Playoff Series. The final show is the Nov. 7-9 Wrangler ProRodeo Tour Championship in Dallas.

Cash Myers of Athens finished second in steer wrestling in Omaha and pocketed $6,875. He is ranked sixth in the world title race with $78,563 and he will qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The championships are scheduled for Dec. 4-13 in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, Jeff Chapman of Athens finished fourth in tie-down roping in Omaha and pocketed $4,688. He is ranked sixth in the world title race with $83,146 and he also will advance to the National Finals.

The 2008 PPCA regular season – with the exception of the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour Championship in Dallas (Nov. 7-9), the Heartland ProRodeo Series Championship in Waco (Oct. 3-11), the San Patricio Pro Rodeo in Sinton, Texas (Oct. 17-18) and the Dodge Xtreme Bulls Tour Championship in Indianapolis (Oct. 24) – ended Sept. 30.

Amarillo roping finale

Eighteen-time PRCA world steer roping champion Guy Allen of Santa Anna is scheduled to compete in the 2008 Heartland ProRodeo Series Steer Roping Finals that’s scheduled for Oct. 12 at the Amarillo National Center. Cash Myers also is on the card. The total purse is $30,050 and the show will help competitors qualify for the Nov. 14-15 National Finals Steer Roping in Hobbs, N.M. Thirty competitors advanced to the Amarillo roping after faring well in a designated series of smaller rodeos. The performance begins at 1 p.m. and admission is free.

Brett Hoffman is a 20-year rodeo columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and a member of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. He can be reached at brett@myrodeoinsider.com.