PENDLETON – The crowd at the US Bank/Pendleton PBR Classic waited a long time to see a score in the 90s Tuesday night.

Adriano Moraes was the first rider to post one, but Brendon Clark was the last, and his score of 90.5 aboard Jabaroo propelled the Morpeth, New South Wales, resident to the championship.

After Clark’s ride, he watched the next three riders fail to ride their bulls and Steven Shelley could just muster an 84 aboard Chilli Hopper. That left just Moraes, the two-time world champion, who fell several points short when he scored an 85.5 on Broken Bone.

“It’s always hard when you have to watch the last couple of guys and see if they’re going to make the whistle,” Clark said. “Especially when there’s one guy to go and it’s a guy like Adriano Moraes. You know that 90 percent of the time he’s going to make the whistle.”

Clark began the evening on a positive note, scoring an 88 on Sky High Who, which left him in a three-way tie for fourth place heading into the championship round.

“The first bull was a real little one and I didn’t know what to expect from him, but he got out there and bucked,” Clark said. “I took a bit of time in the chute, because he was acting up, but it worked out in the end.”

Clark looked to be a good bet to finish in the top 45 and earn a spot in the PBR World Finals coming into Pendleton, but his purse of $14,128 pretty much guarantees him a spot in Las Vegas.

“I’m sitting about 20th in the world in money right now,” Clark said. “This definitely puts me in the Finals. I found out the other day my mom and dad are coming from Australia to watch me ride so things seem to be looking up.”

For Moraes, the ride in the championship round has been typical of his season. He gave a good ride, but didn’t quite get enough help from his bull.

“I was just lucky his bull wasn’t quite as good as mine was tonight and that worked in my favor,” Clark said. “I got the money and that’s all that matters.”

The $11,692 Moraes won gives him a big boost in the standings, as he was 46th coming into the event.

Although a Challenger Tour event, which would be the equivalent of baseball’s minor leagues, the Classic continually draws major league talent each year, primarily because it’s the highest-paying event on the tour.

“It’s a good Challenger Tour event and I’m real happy to have it in the bank,” Clark said.

Last year’s Classic champion, Troy Dunn, is recovering from broken ribs that he suffered three weeks ago and hopes to be back in time to compete in Atlantic City. Dunn will need another late-season push to qualify for another trip to the Finals.

Sean Willingham, of Summerville, Ga., finished tied with Moraes for second place, after he posted the evening’s other top score, with a 90.5 on Panda in the championship round. He rode Happy Hooker to an 85.5 in the first round.

The leader after Monday, Reed Corder, finished in fourth place with a score of 174. His earnings of $3,758 will move him from 81st place in the standings to 67th.

Clark was going to spend today in Pendleton watching travel partner Greg Potter compete, before heading to Laughlin, Nev., for the next event in the PBR Built Ford Tough Series.

US Bank/Pendleton PBR Classic at Happy Canyon Arena

Tuesday results

1. Brendon Clark, Morpeth, New South Wales, 178.5; 2. (tie) Adriano Moraes, Keller, Texas, 176 and Sean Willingham, Summerville, Ga., 176; 4. Steven Shelley, Salina, Okla., 173; 5. Brian Wooley, Burleson, Texas, 88.5; 6. (tie) Cody Hancock, Taylor, Ariz., 88 and Brian Herman, Inez, Texas, 88; 8. Gary Richard, Houston, Texas, 86.5; 9. Bart Jackson, Greenwood, Miss., 85.5; 10. Andre Moraes, Keller, Texas, 84.5

Final standings

1. Brendon Clark, 178.5; $14,128.80; 2. (tie) Adriano Moraes, 176, $11, 692.80; and Sean Willingham, 176 $7,516.80; 4. Reed Corder, 174, $3,758.40; 5. Steven Shelley, 173, $6,055.20; 6. Dan Wolfe, 172, $2,088.00; 7. Brian Wooley, 88.5; $3,758.40; 8. (tie) Brian Herman, 88, $1,392.00 and Cody Hancock, 88, $1,392.00; 10. Beau Hill, 87, $417.60.