Big, imposing and strong... very strong. The Ram brand stands out in rural areas and becomes a mandatory presence in rodeos and agribusiness.

August 26, 2020 - Brave and talented cowboys, bucking bulls, crowded arenas (albeit virtually, in these pandemic times), the announcer's thundering voice, adrenaline filling the air... Rodeos have these captivating and traditional characters but now, with one more element gaining increasing visibility in this scenario: the Ram.

No wonder: the brand has a strong identity with the rural universe and supports important actions such as virtual rodeos and lives performances of country music duos like Bruno and Marrone. It will also have a prominent presence at the online event Barretos Pra Sempre, in The Park of Peão de Barretos (SP), on August 29 and 30. With no audience in the stands (because of the Covid-19 pandemic), The Barretos International Rodeo will take place in conjunction with the final of the National Confederation of Rodelo. The bull riding winner will leave the arena with a fabulous prize: no less than the new Ram 2500 Laramie, the strongest and most sophisticated pickup truck in Brazil, which made its first appearance in the country’s most famous rodeo in 2008. Since then, its participation is as awaited as that of the cowboys themselves.

Renowned for its robustness, the Ram 2500 pickup truck attracts a legion of admirers. This is the case of Almir Cambra, 46, one of the most famous rodeo announcers in Brazil. A Ram ambassador since 2007, Almir does not leave the house unless it’s aboard the pickup truck. "In this business one really needs a model like the 2500," he says. "It’s so functional: it pulls trailers, it can carry a lot of load and it provides assistance in the field, such as the care for cattle. It's ideal for the country man", he adds.

From Ribeirão Preto to Rondônia

Almir Cambra next to the New Ram 2500 Laramie.

Almir has been the Ram's poster boy for 13 years due to his professional activity, a passion that started in his youth. He began narrating university rodeos in 1990 and, in 1995, he had the opportunity to show his talent in Barretos (SP), where one of the most celebrated rodeos in the world takes place.

"I never once left this life" says Almir, who is celebrating his three-decade career. Currently, he does between 55 and 60 events per year. The routine is tiring: he leaves Garça (SP), where he lives, and runs to the rodeo site, usually in municipalities around the states of Paraná, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rondônia and Goiás. "Once, I left Ribeirão Preto and went to Rondônia, passing through Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul. I drove 2,500 kilometers in 26 hours, taking four employees plus luggage in the Ram. After tackling asphalt, dirt roads and all sorts of potholes, the truck arrived in one piece", he recalls.

Rodeos take place from Thursdays to Sunday nights and Almir often times drives up to three cities on the same weekend, zipping down the roads in his 2018 Ram 2500, which has 77,000 kilometers on it. During the pandemic, the announcer let out his voice in the Estrelas da Arena action, a series of virtual rodeos with live streaming. Each event featured only 35 people – all taking the necessary steps and care required for isolation – and Almir did the voiceover atop the Ram 2500 Laramie’s bucket.

The bond between the pickup and Almir is so strong that last year, at the invitation of the brand, he recorded a video showing some of the features in the new Ram 2500, such as the Cummins engine, the 12-inch UConnect multimedia center and tire pressure monitoring.

In fact, the new Laramie is an example of raw power. The pickup is equipped with a 6.7 engine of 365 hp and six-gear automatic transmission. A giant, it’s 6.07 meters long, 2.21 m wide, 2.04 m high and 3.78 m wheelbase, dimensions that ensure comfort for five people. The bucket can carry up to 1,088 kg and its towing capacity is no less than 7,861 kg.

Power to tow a three-horse trailer

Fatiana Ferreira and her Ram 2500 2018 pulling a 6,800 kg trailer with ease.

The strength to tow almost eight tons was one of the Ram’s qualities that caught the attention of the 36-year old zootechnician Fatiana Ferreira. She (pictured right and on the cover) has always been passionate about pickup trucks. However, she saw in Ram 2500 Laramie the ideal model to tow her huge trailer transporting three horses to the Três Tambores National Association competition (ANTT) and still double as an apartment while travelling. In other words, it can tow 6,800 kilograms without a glitch.

"Ram is both rustic and elegant. The powerful engine responds with total efficiency and makes the vehicle meet all my needs", she says. Fatiana bought her first 2500 in 2012 after a bad episode with a pickup truck from another brand: "I stopped at the red light at the top of a hill. Once I had to go, the vehicle could not climb the slope and the gearbox broke. I had to have it towed". After that, she never had another model other than the Ram. "You have to feel safe when carrying a lot of live cargo, and Ram never lets me down".

Fatiana lives on a farm in São José do Rio Preto (SP), but on weekends she’s on the road with her 2018 Ram 2500 to compete in the races. "I drive throughout Brazil to compete. The ANTT’s competition calendar is national and has 15 stages, which are part of the programming of the main rodeos in the country", she explains.

A top competitor, Fatiana is a four-time national champion in the category where you need to go around three barrels – arranged in the shape of a triangle – in the shortest time possible. At the age of 13, she practiced ballet, played the piano and loved horseback riding. However, when she attended a three-barrel race at the Barretos Festival, she fell in love with the sport and made a deal with her mother: once she turned 15, she would switch her sweet fifteen debutante party for her participation in the competitions.

Fatiana knows that one of the main allies for her good performance in the tests is the Ram. After all, despite the long journeys, she arrives rested and ready to compete. "The Ram feels like a car, it’s so comfortable. Even though I’m only 1.60 m, I can easily find the best driving position for me, thanks to the seat adjustments. This is it, the truck is part of my life," she says.

Sponsorship for the Brazilian Cowboys

Pedro Radade with his newly purchased New Ram 2500 Laramie.

If you follow rodeos, you will surely see many cowboys wearing Radade branded shirts, pants, jackets and boots. The country brand has existed for 26 years and sponsors about 30 Brazilian riders who make up the Radade Ram Rodeo Team. The owner is Pedro Radade, who owns two trailers used as travelling shops, always parked in strategic points in rodeos or in agribusiness fairs. "I realized that rodeos had no connection with fashion. So, I started making clothes by copying the American Cowboy style. It worked," he says.

Pedro does not travel inside the trailers because he makes it a point of driving in his New Ram Laramie 2500, which he bought three months ago. He has a strong partnership with the brand using the name on his clothing. "Associating the Ram name with Radade further strengthens my business", he says. Owner of a farm in Nova Esperança (PR), the businessman uses his 2500 daily as well as to load the bucket with his oranges from his farm.

"Four years ago, I bought my first Ram and after that I bought two more. It’s beautiful, powerful and it combines business with pleasure; it can carry a load without compromising the comfort of passengers", he defines. According to Pedro, Ram is a mandatory presence in rodeos, not just in Brazil. Accustomed to visiting major events in the United States and Canada, he says the imposing pickup truck is always there. "Ram's image is strong in the world's major rodeos," he says.

Identifying with the country movement

For César Menotti, Ram 2500 is the greatest symbol of those who live in the countryside.

Like Radade, Brazilian singer César Menotti, singer Fabiano, has always had pickup trucks and, a month ago, bought his New Ram 2500 Laramie Night Edition. In his opinion, it’s the vehicle that identifies more with the country music movement. "Trucks have a great connection with the countryside. Ram is the top or the line pickup in Brazil, it’s the greatest symbol of those who lead life in the countryside", he stresses.

For Caesar, the Ram's main attributes are the strength provided by the mechanical set and the safety it provides when driving a very high pickup truck. "I fell in love with the aesthetics of the New 2500 Laramie. It has more delicate details with decadent luxury on the inside," he says.

The singer lives in Belo Horizonte (MG) and uses the truck more in the city than on the road, although he enjoys traveling. "I don't usually carry anything in the back. In fact, the heaviest load it has ever carried is me", he jokes.

Happy with the high satisfaction of so many owners, Ram's Product Marketing Manager, Juliano Machado, celebrates the success of the pickup truck in such an atypical year. "Ram was born to bring security and innovation to customers. Over time, it became a partner of agribusiness and continues to revolutionize the market", he points out. "Despite the difficult year, we launched the special series 2500 Night Edition and reinforced our presence in online rodeo events, country shows and the development of web series that speak the language of Brazil", he says.

Words: Mário Sérgio Venditti

Pictures: Marketing / Personal Collections