The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) is an international professional
bull riding
Bull riding is a rodeo sport that involves a rider getting on a bucking bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal tries to buck off the rider.
American bull riding has been called "the most dangerous eight seconds in sports." To recei ...
organization based in
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo () is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 111,876 at the 2020 United States Census, making Pueblo the ninth most popu ...
, United States. In the U.S., PBR events have been televised on
CBS and
CBS Sports Network
CBS Sports Network (a.k.a. CBSSN) is an American pay television network owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global. When it launched in 2002 as the National College Sports Network (later College Sports Television also known ...
since 2012. In 2013, the PBR and CBS signed a contract that extended CBS Sport's partnership with PBR, making them the primary sports broadcaster for PBR.
In 2018, the PBR launched ''RidePass''; its own subscription-based
video on demand
Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos without a traditional video playback device and the constraints of a typical static broadcasting schedule. In the 20th century, broadcasting in the form of ...
service that live-streams PBR events, as well as PBR-produced events for other western sport organizations. On July 20, 2021, ''RidePass'' switched from a subscription-based streaming service to a free, ad-supported streaming channel on
Pluto TV. More than 500 cowboys from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia and other countries hold PBR memberships.
[''2020 PBR Media Guide'', ''PBR & Bull Riding Basics - The PBR at a Glance'', p.4.]
History
The organization began in mid-April 1992 through the efforts of 21 professional bull riders who gathered in a hotel room in
Scottsdale, Arizona
, settlement_type = City
, named_for = Winfield Scott
, image_skyline =
, image_seal = Seal of Scottsdale (Arizona).svg
, image_blank_emblem = City of Scottsdale Script Logo.svg
, nic ...
. They all rode in the
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), the top
rodeo
Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaq ...
organization in the world which had been around for many years, as well as
Bull Riders Only (BRO), an all-bull riding organization that had been in existence for just one year. Each rider contributed $1,000 to forming the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). This group was seeking to break away from the rules set by the PRCA and BRO, and form their own bull riding competitions, which included them as well as other top bull riders. "We wanted to create a better product for the fans, so that when they tuned in they were seeing the best of the best every time," said PBR co-founder and nine-time world champion rodeo cowboy
Ty Murray, who later served as the president. In 2007, investment firm Spire Capital Partners acquired a majority stake in PBR and turned those founders’ $1,000 into millions. In April 2015,
Endeavor (formerly
WME ,
IMG), a global leader in several industries, bought the PBR.
The PBR put on a small series of events in 1993 and had its first championship season in 1994 with the
Bud Light Cup Series (BLC). The organization has since grown to include five tours in the United States which stage over 100 events every year. Prize money for contestants had exploded from over $330,000 in 1994 to over $11 million in 2008.
The original
CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
of the PBR was Sam Applebaum.
Randy Bernard became CEO of the PBR in 1995, a position he held until he resigned in 2010 to become the CEO of
INDYCAR
INDYCAR, LLC, is an American-based auto racing sanctioning body for Indy car racing and other disciplines of open wheel car racing. The organization sanctions five racing series: the premier IndyCar Series with its centerpiece the Indianapoli ...
. When Bernard took over the position of CEO in 1995, it was just after the conclusion of the first World Finals at the
MGM Grand Garden Arena
The MGM Grand Garden Arena (originally known as the MGM Grand Garden Special Events Center) is a 17,000-seat multi-purpose arena located within the MGM Grand Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip.
Sporting events
From its opening on December 18, 1993 ...
in
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...
. At that time, the PBR's bank account held $8,000. It was $140,000 in debt. Bernard, a bold and wise businessman, quickly went to work. At the end of his first year, he turned things around. The World Finals paid out $1 million, and increased to $1.5 million in 1999.
In 1996, the PBR made bull riding protective vests, which were introduced three years earlier, mandatory for all contestants at their events. The same was done for bull riders in all other organizations.
After a few years of intense rivalry between BRO and PBR to see which professional bull riding organization would come out on top, the former organization officially went out of business in the spring of 1998.
In 2001, one month after that year’s World Finals, the PBR held the Bud Light World Challenge in
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
, which featured the top riders from the 2001 year-end world standings, as well as some international invitees.
2002 was the last year in which PBR
bullfighters wore traditional make-up and baggy outfits. Beginning with the 2003 season, they now wore sport jerseys and shorts that featured corporate sponsor logos.
Also in 2003, the elite Bud Light Cup Series changed title sponsors and became the
Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS). In the past, PBR world champions received a year-end money bonus, but starting this year, they received a $1 million bonus.
Chris Shivers was the first world champion to claim that bonus.
In 2005, the PBR opened offices in Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Australia to produce tours in said countries starting the next year.
In 2006, just shortly after that year’s World Finals, the PBR held two events in
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
. The first was a regular lower-level event in
Wailuku
Wailuku is a census-designated place (CDP) in and county seat of Maui County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 17,697 at the 2020 census.
Wailuku is located just west of Kahului, at the mouth of the Iao Valley. In the early 20th centu ...
, followed by an event in
Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the isla ...
which featured the top 15 riders from the 2006 year-end world standings, as well as five riders that were voted online by fans to compete at the event.
The PBR was originally headquartered in
Irvine, California
Irvine () is a master-planned city in South Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on December 28, 197 ...
before moving to downtown
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
in 1995. By 2007, the organization had enough of its cramped office in Colorado Springs, so they moved their world headquarters to a new 4-story building just outside
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo () is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 111,876 at the 2020 United States Census, making Pueblo the ninth most popu ...
.
In 2008, the PBR launched the Bull Team Challenge; a series of events in which stock contractors bucked a certain number of bulls at select Built Ford Tough Series events to try to earn money and points for their respective teams. At the beginning of the year, 22 bull teams chipped in $50,000 a piece for their opportunity to win their share of the $1.1 million total competition purse. Out of the 33 Built Ford Tough Series stops held that year, 17 were Bull Team Challenge events, including the PBR World Finals. Each stop had between five and eight bull teams that included five bulls, plus two alternates per team. Each team could only compete in five events. At each Bull Team Challenge stop, the first place team won $20,000, while second place won $10,000. The top bull teams then competed at the PBR World Finals for a $500,000 purse, with $250,000 going to the champion team. The PBR discontinued the Bull Team Challenge after just one year. However, the concept was picked up by another bull riding organization,
Championship Bull Riding (CBR) in 2010, and the CBR Bull Team Challenge hosted several bull teams competing at regular events, as well as the CBR World Finals. The bull teams racked up points and money and from 2010 to 2018, a year-end CBR Bull Team Challenge champion was crowned. After CBR went out of business in the summer of 2018, the CBR Bull Team Challenge was renamed the Million Dollar Bull Team Challenge (MDBTC) and returned to its roots by rejoining the PBR. MDBTC events now primarily take place at lower-level PBR events.
In the summer of 2008, the PBR Team Shootout was held. This was a series of five events in which the top 20 riders in the PBR world standings each selected a rider of their choice, and as a team competed against each other for the Team Shootout championship. Each team rode in two of the first four events, held respectively in
Del Mar, California
Del Mar (; Spanish for "Of the Sea") is a beach town in San Diego County, California, located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Established in 1885 as a seaside resort, the city incorporated in 1959. The Del Mar Horse Races are hosted on the ...
;
Paso Robles, California
Paso Robles ( ), officially El Paso de Robles (Spanish for "The Pass of Oaks"), is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Located on the Salinas River approximately north of San Luis Obispo, the city is known for its ...
;
Molalla, Oregon; and
Guthrie, Oklahoma
Guthrie is a city and county seat in Logan County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City Metroplex. The population was 10,191 at the 2010 census, a 2.7 percent increase from the figure of 9,925 in the 2000 census.
First k ...
. Then, the top 10 teams rode at the finals event in Pueblo, Colorado.
2009 was the first year in which most of the contestants on the PBR’s televised elite series rode with helmets instead of cowboy hats.
In 2010, just shortly before the start of that year’s World Finals, the PBR held an event in New York City’s
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...
which featured the top 10 riders competing for the chance to receive additional points towards the world standings.
On February 23, 2011, the PBR announced that Jim Haworth had become its new CEO. Then on June 29, 2015, the PBR announced that Haworth was promoted to Chairman, while
COO Sean Gleason had become the new CEO.
In 2013, the PBR made it mandatory that all contestants at their events who were born on or after October 15, 1994 ride with a full bull riding helmet. Those born before that date were
grandfathered in and permitted to ride with a protective face mask underneath their cowboy hat or simply with their cowboy hat if so desired.
In 2014, just shortly before that year’s World Finals, the PBR held an event at a beach in
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California, located southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. The city is named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 during the 2020 census, mak ...
which featured the top 15 riders attempting to gain additional points towards the world standings.
In 2018, the elite series changed title sponsors once again and the
Unleash the Beast Series
The Unleash the Beast Series (UTB) is the Premier Series of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). Monster Beverage Corporation is the current series sponsor for the premiership since 2018. From its founding in 1994 until 2002, it was sponsored by ...
(UTB) tour name replaced the Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) tour name. It was also now referred to as the Premier Series.
That same year, the PBR celebrated its 25th championship season and awarded another $11 million in prize money, which included the bonus to the World Champion Bull Rider of $1 million and the $20,000 gold belt buckle.
In mid-March 2020, because of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, several events were either canceled or rescheduled to later dates. In the spring, the PBR held three UTB events at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and all were closed to the public to avoid the spread of the virus. In the summer, the organization held the Monster Energy Team Challenge, a series of events in which several teams of four riders competed against each other, and each team was represented by a corporate sponsor. The regular events were held at the
South Point Hotel Arena & Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, while the series finale was held at the
Denny Sanford Premier Center
The Denny Sanford Premier Center is an indoor arena in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The building is located at 1201 North West Avenue, and is connected to the Sioux Falls Arena and Sioux Falls Convention Center. The Arena's naming rights partners ...
in
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls () is the most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the 130th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha County and also extends into Lincoln County to the south, which continues up ...
. While the regular events were closed to the public, the championship event allowed fans to attend, but in limited numbers and they had to socially distance themselves. For the rest of the year, PBR events consisted of limited and socially distanced crowds, including the World Finals.
Since 2020, the PBR has held Cowboys for a Cause; an event that features sponsored teams of three bull riders competing against each other in a winner-take-all format while donating money to charitable causes. During its first two years, the event took place on the launch deck of the
USS Lexington in
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi (; Ecclesiastical Latin: "''Body of Christ"'') is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio ...
and was held in conjunction with the
Air Force Reserve
The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commi ...
to support military causes in Texas. The 2020 event took place in the autumn, after the conclusion of that year’s PBR World Finals, while the one in 2021 took place on Labor Day Weekend. The 2022 edition took place at
King Ranch in
Kingsville, Texas, also during Labor Day Weekend and donations from that event went towards conservation and sustainability efforts across Texas. A donation to the
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, Inc., is an organization established in 1877 by forty Texas cattlemen for the purpose of combating unbridled livestock theft. The association headquarters is located in Fort Worth.
History
The Te ...
was also included and the money was to be distributed to multiple local and rural fire departments that helped landowners fight
wildfires across Texas earlier in the year.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...
was home to the PBR World Finals for over 25 years. The PBR hosted its inaugural World Finals in 1994 at the city’s
MGM Grand Garden Arena
The MGM Grand Garden Arena (originally known as the MGM Grand Garden Special Events Center) is a 17,000-seat multi-purpose arena located within the MGM Grand Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip.
Sporting events
From its opening on December 18, 1993 ...
. They remained at the arena through 1998.
In 1999, the PBR moved their World Finals to the
Thomas & Mack Center
The Thomas & Mack Center is a multi-purpose arena located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Paradise, Nevada. It is home of the UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team of the Mountain West Conference.
History
The facility was ...
. The PBR was stretching its current arena's limits and really needed a bigger arena. They wanted to stay in Las Vegas, so the Thomas & Mack Center was the place to go. The PBR World Finals was held at the Thomas & Mack Center in from 1999 until 2015. The 2015 World Finals was the 17th and last time the event was hosted at the venue.
In 2016, the PBR moved their World Finals event to the
T-Mobile Arena
T-Mobile Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Paradise, Nevada. Opened on April 6, 2016, it is the home arena of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). A joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Anschutz En ...
on the
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of ...
.
In 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and Nevada state restrictions on large events, the PBR World Finals were moved to
AT&T Stadium
AT&T Stadium, formerly Cowboys Stadium, is a retractable roof, retractable-roof stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States. It serves as the home of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL), and was completed on May 27, 2009. I ...
in
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Tarrant County. It forms part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and is a principal city of the metropolis and region. ...
with a limited and socially distanced crowd for every day of competition. The event returned to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the final time in 2021. The PBR World Finals relocated to
Dickies Arena
Dickies Arena is a 14,000-seat multipurpose American arena, located within the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The venue hosted a public ribbon cutting on October 26, 2019. The first event held was a Twenty One Pilots concert o ...
in
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
in 2022.
From 2007 to 2010, the PBR hosted a team competition format called the
PBR World Cup The PBR World Cup was a team competition developed by the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) organization in 2007 in which bull riders from the five different countries where PBR events are sanctioned competed for their share of a $100,000 prize. Each t ...
, where 25 bull riders (altogether representing the five countries where PBR events are sanctioned) competed to win the title of best bull riding country in the world. Since 2017, another event, the
PBR Global Cup
The PBR Global Cup is a bull riding team competition that was developed in 2017 by the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) organization, which intends to give the winning country the ability to say they have the best bull riders. Previously, there was ...
, again offers bull riders a chance to compete in a five country competition. This new event is a different format from the PBR World Cup; it is not a continuation of the old event. It is staged annually across the five PBR countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and United States. National team riders are matched against the best of each. The home country is granted a competitive advantage. It is a series that visits each nation each year and continues until one nation holds all five pieces of the Global Cup—including the native soil of each territory. Thus, only one country can claim The Toughest Nation on Dirt.
On November 5, 2021, a new series of competitions was announced: the PBR Team Series. The series debuted in 2022 and will run from the summer to autumn of every year. The teams and their respective owners were announced on January 6, 2022, while the Team Series schedule was later announced on March 4 of that year. In said series, there are eight teams representing different regions of the United States which go head-to-head against each other in events in each of the teams’ respective hometowns, as well as a few “neutral site” events. The team with the highest total combined points among its riders after the conclusion of each event is the champion. The season culminates with a championship event which is held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The year-end champion team wins a $700,000 bonus and a trophy shaped like a giant belt buckle. Each individual member of the champion team also wins a $150,000 bonus and a regular-sized championship gold buckle.
The trophy cup that the PBR’s annual individual world champion receives in addition to the gold buckle and money bonus was originally called the Bud Light Cup from 1994 to 2002. However, when
Bud Light was no longer the elite series’ title sponsor by 2003, it was referred to simply as the PBR Cup or PBR Championship Trophy in 2019. In 2022, the trophy cup was officially renamed the Jerome Robinson Cup, in honor of legendary bull rider and longtime PBR arena director Jerome Robinson, who passed away early in the year.
In September 2022, it was announced that the PBR Hall of Fame would open in Spring 2023 at the
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, with more than 28,000 American West, Western and Native Americans in the United States, American Indian art works and Artifact (archaeology), ar ...
in
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
within the museum’s American Rodeo Gallery and would expand to be completed by 2024 or 2025.
Organization
More than 500 cowboys from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and other countries hold PBR memberships, and compete in PBR-sanctioned events in the five mentioned countries.
At the end of each season, the PBR world champion receives a $1 million bonus, trophy cup, and championship gold belt buckle.
The PBR has become one of the most globally successful television sports programs. The PBR Premier Series in the United States is televised on CBS, CBS Sports Network, and other networks around the globe. PBR television broadcasts now reach half a billion households in 130 territories around the world. A new digital network named RidePass that started in February 2018 as a subscription-based streaming service before switching to a free, ad-supported streaming channel on
Pluto TV in July 2021 adds hundreds of hours of PBR bull riding and other western sports to anytime availability in the United States. PBR’s international tours in Canada, Brazil, and Australia are televised in their respective countries. Since November 2022, American PBR events are streamed outside the U.S. on the ''PBR Live'' channel on the streaming service Recast.
Total viewership, including event attendees and the television audience, grew 52 percent between 2002 and 2004. In 2004, 16.4 million fans watched or attended a PBR event. By 2008, over 100 million watched the PBR on television, and over 1.7 million attended a live event. In 1995, roughly 310,000 fans attended an event. Now, around 3 million fans attend a live event.
Competition
A qualified ride is worth up to 100 points. That is, 50 points for the rider and 50 points for the bull when he successfully rides the bull for 8 seconds. An event has four judges, all former bull riders themselves. Each judge may award up to 25 points. Two judges score the rider, and two judges score the bull. All of the judges' scores are tallied together. That figure is divided by two for the official score. One-half of the possible score is based on the bull's performance. The two judges score the bull on how rank (difficult to ride) he is. Two judges score the rider on how proficient he is. The rider has to stay on top of the bull for 8 seconds. The rider has to ride with one free hand. He is disqualified if he touches himself or the bull with his free arm. Any ride that is scored 90 points or higher is deemed exceptional. The highest score in the PBR is 98.75 points. Each Premier Series event always has four judges. At the end of each event, the top 12 riders compete in the Championship Round; the rider with the highest point total from the entire event becomes the champion.
PBR tours
The PBR started their inaugural championship season in 1994 with one tour. Today, it offers five tours in the United States. Eligibility of contestants at each level is based on previous performance.
Current U.S. tours
Premier Series
The Premier Series is where the best riders and bulls compete, and it culminates at the PBR World Finals at the end of the regular season. Due to sponsorship changes, the Premier Series has had different titles throughout its history. It was known as the
Bud Light Cup Series (BLC) from 1994 to 2002, the
Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) from 2003 to 2017, and since 2018 has been known as the
Unleash the Beast Series
The Unleash the Beast Series (UTB) is the Premier Series of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). Monster Beverage Corporation is the current series sponsor for the premiership since 2018. From its founding in 1994 until 2002, it was sponsored by ...
(UTB).
The PBR World Finals were held in
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
for over a quarter century. They were held at the city’s
MGM Grand Garden Arena
The MGM Grand Garden Arena (originally known as the MGM Grand Garden Special Events Center) is a 17,000-seat multi-purpose arena located within the MGM Grand Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip.
Sporting events
From its opening on December 18, 1993 ...
from 1994 to 1998,
the
Thomas & Mack Center
The Thomas & Mack Center is a multi-purpose arena located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Paradise, Nevada. It is home of the UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team of the Mountain West Conference.
History
The facility was ...
from 1999 to 2015,
and
T-Mobile Arena
T-Mobile Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Paradise, Nevada. Opened on April 6, 2016, it is the home arena of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). A joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Anschutz En ...
from 2016 to 2019.
In 2020, due to
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
restrictions, the World Finals were relocated to
AT&T Stadium
AT&T Stadium, formerly Cowboys Stadium, is a retractable roof, retractable-roof stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States. It serves as the home of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL), and was completed on May 27, 2009. I ...
in
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Tarrant County. It forms part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and is a principal city of the metropolis and region. ...
.
The World Finals returned to Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena for the final time in 2021.
In the past, the Premier Series schedule lasted the regular calendar year, with the concluding PBR World Finals taking place in the autumn. However, by 2022, the Premier Series schedule was shortened, running from winter to spring. Also, the PBR World Finals now take place at
Dickies Arena
Dickies Arena is a 14,000-seat multipurpose American arena, located within the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The venue hosted a public ribbon cutting on October 26, 2019. The first event held was a Twenty One Pilots concert o ...
in
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
.
Touring Pro Division
In 1995, the PBR launched the Touring Pro Division; a minor league tour that allowed riders to compete at lower-level events to work their way up to the elite series. In 2000, the Touring Pro Division was renamed as the Challenger Tour. In subsequent years, the PBR would launch other lower-level tours: the Enterprise Tour and the Discovery Tour. Money won on these two tours counted towards the Challenger Tour standings. On January 1, 2010, the PBR announced the discontinuation of the Enterprise and Discovery tours and the Challenger Tour was changed back to its original title of the Touring Pro Division.
The Touring Pro Division schedule used to last throughout the regular calendar year. However, as of 2022, like the Premier Series, now runs from winter through spring.
From 1995 to 2012, the year-end champion of this tour was the rider who won the most money throughout the season. From 2013 to 2021, it was the rider who won the most points throughout the season. Throughout its history, the finals event for this tour was held respectively in different locations such as
Guthrie, Oklahoma
Guthrie is a city and county seat in Logan County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City Metroplex. The population was 10,191 at the 2010 census, a 2.7 percent increase from the figure of 9,925 in the 2000 census.
First k ...
;
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
;
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...
;
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
; and
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
. 2009 was the last year that this tour had a season-ending finals event.
Velocity Tour
Since 2014, The Velocity Tour features young and up-coming talent competing against the established talent of the sport, bringing events to cities across the United States that are not included in the Premier Series. Every winner of a Velocity Tour regular-season event is seeded at one Premier Series event during the season, and if that rider wins enough points at the Premier Series event, he has the chance to earn a full-time spot in said tour.
The Velocity Tour Finals take place a few days before the start of the PBR World Finals. During its first year in 2014, there was no Velocity Tour finals event, and the year-end champion was the rider who won the most points throughout the season after the completion of the last event of the year. However, there has been a Velocity Tour Finals since 2015. The first Velocity Tour Finals in said year was held at the
KFC Yum! Center in
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
. From 2016 to 2019, the Velocity Tour Finals took place at the South Point Hotel Arena & Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the finals were moved to the
Denny Sanford Premier Center
The Denny Sanford Premier Center is an indoor arena in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The building is located at 1201 North West Avenue, and is connected to the Sioux Falls Arena and Sioux Falls Convention Center. The Arena's naming rights partners ...
in
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls () is the most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the 130th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha County and also extends into Lincoln County to the south, which continues up ...
.
The 2021 Velocity Tour Finals returned to the South Point Hotel Arena & Equestrian Center in Las Vegas for the final time. In 2022, the Velocity Tour Finals moved to the
American Bank Center Arena in
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi (; Ecclesiastical Latin: "''Body of Christ"'') is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio ...
to be held in conjunction with the World Champions Rodeo Alliance (WCRA) sanctioned Rodeo Corpus Christi, and like the Unleash the Beast Series and Touring Pro Division, the Velocity Tour now takes place from winter to spring after having previously taken place throughout the regular calendar year and concluding in the autumn.
Team Series
Debuting in 2022, the PBR Team Series features eight teams of bull riders competing against each other. In its inaugural season, there were two pre-season events. They were then followed by ten regular season events, including eight of them taking place in each respective team’s hometowns, as well as two “neutral site” events. The season culminates with a championship event at
T-Mobile Arena
T-Mobile Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Paradise, Nevada. Opened on April 6, 2016, it is the home arena of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). A joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Anschutz En ...
in
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. The PBR Team Series runs from the summer to autumn of every year.
The teams are as follows:
* Texas Rattlers - based in
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
; owned by
John J. Fisher and head-coached by
Cody Lambert
Cody Lambert (born December 2, 1961) in Artesia, New Mexico is an American former professional rodeo cowboy. He specialized in saddle bronc riding and bull riding. He was also a co-founder and vice president of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). ...
* Arizona Ridge Riders - based in
Glendale, Arizona; owned by
Thomas Tull
Thomas Tull (born June 9, 1970) is an American billionaire businessman, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is the former chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Legendary Entertainment. Tull is the founder of Tulco LLC, an investment hol ...
and co-head-coached by Paulo Crimber and Colby Yates
* Austin Gamblers - based in
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
; owned by Egon Durban and head-coached by Michael Gaffney
* Carolina Cowboys - based in
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in N ...
; owned by
Richard Childress and head-coached by Jerome Davis
* Missouri Thunder - based in
Ridgedale, Missouri
Ridgedale is an unincorporated community in southern Taney County, Missouri, United States. It lies approximately ten miles south of Branson on U.S. Route 65, about one-half mile north of the Arkansas state line. The community is part of the Bra ...
; owned by
Johnny Morris Johnny or Johnnie Morris may refer to:
* Johnnie Morris (actor) (1887–1969), American comedian and actor
*Johnny Morris (television presenter) (1916–1999), British television presenter
*Johnny Morris (footballer) (1923–2011), English football ...
and co-head-coached by
Luke Snyder
Luciano "Luke" Eduardo Snyder (born Grimaldi) is a fictional character from the American daytime drama ''As the World Turns''. Actor Van Hansis is most recognized for his portrayal of Luke from his debut in December 2005 until the series finale ...
and Ross Coleman
* Nashville Stampede - based in
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
; owned by
Morris Communications
Morris Communications, headquartered in Augusta, Georgia, is a privately held media company with diversified holdings that include magazine publishing, outdoor advertising, book publishing and distribution, visitor publications, and online serv ...
and head-coached by
Justin McBride
Justin Travis McBride (born August 7, 1979) is an American former professional bull rider. In his career, he competed on the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. He was a two-time PBR World Champion (2005 and 2007), has a record 32 career PBR ...
* Kansas City Outlaws - based in
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
; owned by Phil Pulley and head-coached by J.W. Hart
* Oklahoma Freedom - based in
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...
; owned by the PBR, operated by Prodigal Management and head-coached by
Cord McCoy
Cord Jarret McCoy (born August 19, 1980) is an American professional rodeo stock contractor and producer and former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in saddle bronc riding and bull riding. He is best known as the 2nd-place finisher (al ...
Challenger Series
Also new in 2022, the Challenger Series runs from the summer through autumn and works as a way for riders to compete at PBR events in the United States as stand-alones during the Team Series season. Riders that are members of a Team Series squad can compete at Challenger Series events when there is not a Team Series event scheduled on the same weekend. This tour also works as a series of scouting events for Team Series managements looking to add riders as alternates to their teams in cases of riders on the protected rosters getting injured or in cases of riders getting traded to different teams.
The Challenger Series Championship takes place at the
South Point Arena & Equestrian Center in
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...
; one day before the start of the PBR Team Series Championship at Las Vegas’
T-Mobile Arena
T-Mobile Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Paradise, Nevada. Opened on April 6, 2016, it is the home arena of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). A joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Anschutz En ...
.
International tours
Since 2006, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and Mexico have each had their own PBR tours and finals events that crown year-end champions for each respective country. In 2014, a PBR-sanctioned event was held in New Zealand.
Note: Previously, points won by riders at all levels of PBR competition, American and international, counted towards the world standings for the PBR world championship. However, beginning in 2023, only points won on the U.S. Premier Series will count towards the world championship race. Points won on the U.S. lower-level tours and international circuits leading up to and including the Velocity Tour Finals will be jumbled together into what is now known as the Velocity Global standings, which will count towards the Velocity Tour championship race.
U.S. television and streaming
1993-2002:
The Nashville Network
The Nashville Network, usually referred to as TNN, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, game shows, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows. On Septembe ...
(TNN) began televising a small number of PBR-sanctioned events in 1993. The following year, the PBR had its first official season that included a year-end world finals event with TNN remaining the organization's official channel. TNN changed its name from The Nashville Network to The National Network late in the 2000 season. After the 2001 season, a special PBR event, the Bud Light World Challenge (which would be a precursor to the PBR’s World Cup, and eventually Global Cup) was televised on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
. The last regular season event of 2002 was televised on
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
. TNN remained the PBR elite series’ primary channel through the 2002 PBR World Finals.
2003-2012: The PBR was now primarily televised on the Outdoor Life Network (OLN) with select events being televised on NBC. From 2003 to 2006, select events were also televised on
Telemundo
Telemundo (; formerly NetSpan) is an American Spanish-language Terrestrial television, terrestrial television network owned by NBCUniversal Television and Streaming#NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, a divi ...
. OLN televised the 2004 PBR Challenger Tour Finals. In the middle of the 2006 season, OLN changed its name to Versus and it remained the PBR's primary channel through the 2011 season. The championship round of the last regular season event of 2007 was televised on
Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
. Versus televised the 2007 and 2008 Challenger Series Finals. In the summer of 2008, the PBR Team Shootout, a series of five events in which duo teams of riders competed against each other was televised, with the four regular events being televised on
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American multinational pay television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communications (which owns the remaining 20%).
ESPN2 was initially fo ...
, while the championship event was televised on
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
. In 2012,
CBS Sports Network
CBS Sports Network (a.k.a. CBSSN) is an American pay television network owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global. When it launched in 2002 as the National College Sports Network (later College Sports Television also known ...
became the PBR's primary channel, while CBS broadcast network televised the 15/15 Bucking Battles; a new competition that featured the top 15 PBR riders at the time of competition against 15 of the top PBR bulls in a select regular-season elite series event that gave the riders an opportunity to earn additional points. That same year, Versus became
NBC Sports Network
NBCSN was an American sports television channel owned by the NBC Sports Group division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It originally launched on July 1, 1995, as the Outdoor Life Network (OLN), which was dedicated to programming prim ...
and select PBR events were also televised on said channel.
2013-present: CBS Sports Network televises the regular-season Premier Series events and the World Finals, while CBS broadcast network televises the 15/15 Bucking Battles. In 2018, the PBR launched ''RidePass''; its own subscription-based
video-on-demand
Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos without a traditional video playback device and the constraints of a typical static broadcasting schedule. In the 20th century, broadcasting in the form of o ...
service that live-streams PBR events, as well as PBR-produced events for other western sport organizations. From 2018 to 2020, PBR events were also live-streamed on the subscription-based video-on-demand service, FloRodeo, owned by
FloSports
FloSports is an over-the-top subscription sports broadcaster and streaming service. The company is based in Austin, Texas, United States, and was founded in 2006. FloSports streams live sporting events to audiences around the world.
History
La ...
. In the summer of 2021, ''RidePass'' went from a subscription-based streaming service to a free, ad-supported streaming channel on
Pluto TV. PBR content on Pluto TV is available through the ''PBR RidePass'' linear channel, as well as on demand. Since 2022, PBR events have also been streamed on
Paramount+
Paramount+ is an American subscription video on-demand service owned by Paramount Global. The service's content is drawn primarily from the libraries of CBS Media Ventures (including CBS Studios), Paramount Media Networks (formerly Viacom Media ...
. Also, beginning that year, the PBR Team Series has been televised on CBS Sports Network, CBS broadcast network, and streamed on Pluto TV and Paramount+. Some events of the PBR Challenger Series are also streamed on Pluto TV.
Note: The PBR’s international tours in Canada, Brazil, and Australia are televised in their respective countries. Since November 2022, U.S. PBR events are streamed abroad on the ''PBR Live'' channel on the streaming service Recast.
Current statistics
The PBR web site tracks many statistics regarding the performances of bull riders and bulls during the season and throughout its history. There is the 90-Points Club, which has been tracking rides that have been scored over 90 points since 1998. Then there is the high marked bull ride statistic, which has been tracked for many seasons. Each season it tracks the highest bull scores throughout and until the Finals have concluded. And then there is the all time money earners statistic, which tallies the bull riders in order of who has earned the most money in their careers. Additionally, the success rate for an 8-second ride was 46 percent in 1995, had dropped to 26 percent by 2012, then climbed roughly 3 percent to about 29 percent for 2017 and 2018. This lower modern rate has been attributed to the selective breeding of bulls.
90 Point Club
In 2002, the
U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company
U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company (formerly United States Tobacco Company) manufactures smokeless tobacco products, notably dipping tobacco, but also chewing tobacco, snus, and dry snuff and is a subsidiary of Altria.
Its corporate headquarters a ...
developed the original 90 Point Club. Each contestant who scored 90 or more at a Bud Light Cup Series event shared in bonus money of $90,000. The money was distributed after the World Finals event. It was divided equally by all the qualified rides. The competitor with the most 90 point rides received an additional bonus of $10,000. That competitor also became the 90 Point Club Champion. In 2003, it was added that for each 90 point ride that a bull makes, the stock contractor received $1,000. For that $1,000, half came from the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company and the other half came from B&W Trailer Hitches.
The first statistic kept is the most 90 points rides since 1998.
Chris Shivers has held first place for a very long time with 94 rides.
J.B. Mauney
James Burton "J.B." Mauney (; born January 9, 1987) is an American professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in bull riding. The bulk of his career came from riding in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), winning the world championship for said ...
holds second place with 75 rides.
Justin McBride
Justin Travis McBride (born August 7, 1979) is an American former professional bull rider. In his career, he competed on the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. He was a two-time PBR World Champion (2005 and 2007), has a record 32 career PBR ...
is at third place at 74 rides.
Jose Vitor Leme
Jose Vitor Leme Batista (born August 15, 1996) is a Brazilian professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in bull riding. He is the 2020 and 2021 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion, and holds the record on the bull Woopaa for the highes ...
holds fourth place with 60 rides, and
Guilherme Marchi
Guilherme Marchi (pronounced Gih-lare-mee Mar-chee) (born July 22, 1982) is a Brazilian former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding, and competed in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. He was the 2008 PBR World Champi ...
is at fifth place with 51. Shivers, McBride and Marchi are all retired, and since 2021, Mauney no longer rides in the PBR, so all their numbers will stay the same. New for 2018 was the most 90 point rides for the year and the contractor 90 point rides for the year. Lastly, are the historic 90 points rides trailing all the way back to 1998. They are ordered by the highest to lowest ride score. The rides list the rider, the bull, the contractor, the location, and the ride score.
High-marked bull
These statistics keep track of the current season's elite tour event's high marked bulls. B.O.T. stands for buck off time. Each event has a high-marked bull. The top 100 bulls scores are also tracked here.
Highest scored ride
The perfect score in bull riding is 100 points. For several years, the highest score in the PBR was 96.5 points, which was achieved four times. The mark was originally set by Bubba Dunn, who rode Promise Land (owned by Terry Williams) at the 1999
Bud Light Cup event in
Tampa, Florida
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...
. The record was later tied in 2000 by
Chris Shivers, who rode Jim Jam (owned by Logan & Williams) also at the Bud Light Cup event in Tampa. Shivers would repeat the score in 2001 when he rode
Dillinger
John Herbert Dillinger (June 22, 1903 – July 22, 1934) was an American gangster during the Great Depression in the United States, Great Depression. He led the Dillinger Gang, which was accused of robbing 24 banks and four police stations. Dill ...
(owned by Herrington Cattle Company) in
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
at the PBR World Finals. The most recent 96.5 point ride was in 2004, when Michael Gaffney rode
Little Yellow Jacket
Little Yellow Jacket #P761 (August 20, 1996 – September 19, 2011) was an American bucking bull. He was a three-time Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion Bull, winning the title in consecutive years from 2002 to 2004. At the time, hi ...
(owned by Berger Bucking Bulls) at the
Built Ford Tough Series event in
Nampa, Idaho
Nampa () is the largest city in Canyon County, Idaho. Its population was 100,200 at the time of the 2020 Census. It is Idaho's third-most populous city. Nampa is about west of Boise along Interstate 84, and six miles (10 km) west of Meridian. ...
.
In 2021, new records for third highest, second highest, and highest scored rides in PBR history were all set on the same bull, Woopaa (owned by Barker Bucking Bulls and Hookin’ W Ranch). The new record for highest scored ride was originally set in the summer, when
Jose Vitor Leme
Jose Vitor Leme Batista (born August 15, 1996) is a Brazilian professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in bull riding. He is the 2020 and 2021 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion, and holds the record on the bull Woopaa for the highes ...
rode
Woopaa
Woopaa #124 (born March 9, 2017) is an American retired bucking bull. He is the 2021 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion Bull.
In 2023, Woopaa was ranked No. 7 on the list of the top 30 bulls in PBR history.
Background
Woopaa was b ...
for 97.75 points at the
Unleash the Beast
''Unleash the Beast'' is Saxon (band), Saxon's thirteenth studio album, released in 1997. It is the first studio album with Doug Scarratt on guitar, making it the first album to feature the band's current lineup as of 2022.
Track listing
All ...
event in
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
. A new record for second-highest score in PBR history was later set in the autumn when Dalton Kasel rode Woopaa for 96.75 points at the Unleash the Beast event in
San Antonio, Texas
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, subdivision_t ...
. The record for highest scored ride in PBR history was later broken at the World Finals when Jose Vitor Leme rode Woopaa for 98.75 points.
Highest bull score
Even though riders receive no score if they buck off their bulls before the required eight seconds, bulls receive scores for every outing, with the perfect bull score being 50 points. The highest bull score in PBR history, 49 points, was achieved twice, with the first time being in 2000 when Hercules (owned by Flying U/Rosser Rodeo) bucked off Gilbert Carrillo at the
Bud Light Cup event in
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
, and again when Hammer (owned by Tony Sharp and Zaunbrecher) bucked off Cory Rasch at the 2003
Built Ford Tough Series event in
Uncasville, Connecticut
Uncasville is an area in the town of Montville, Connecticut, United States. It is a village in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River where it flows into the Thames River. The name is now applied more generally to all of the ea ...
.
All-time money earners
The all time moneys show off the PBR's claim that they have changed bull riding into a real sport that does more than just pay the riders' fees. PBR bull riders make a true living, and many are millionaires several times over. Two-time world champion
J.B. Mauney
James Burton "J.B." Mauney (; born January 9, 1987) is an American professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in bull riding. The bulk of his career came from riding in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), winning the world championship for said ...
has earned the most money of any rider at over $7.4 million. He is followed by three-time world champion Silvano Alves at over $6.5 million, and in third place is two-time world champion
Jose Vitor Leme
Jose Vitor Leme Batista (born August 15, 1996) is a Brazilian professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in bull riding. He is the 2020 and 2021 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion, and holds the record on the bull Woopaa for the highes ...
with over $5.5 million.
Previous challenges
Mossy Oak Shootout
Starting with the 2000 season, this challenge sponsored by the
Mossy Oak
Mossy Oak is a West Point, Mississippi–based branded camouflage and outdoor lifestyle company founded by Toxey Haas in 1986. Mossy Oak is owned and operated by its parent company Haas Outdoors, Inc.
History
Haas, an avid outdoorsman, gained ...
camouflage brand was a bonus ride that was featured during first night of each two-day BLC/BFTS event. The Shootout matched up the event's first-round winner against a prearranged bucking bull. The rider had to make a qualified ride to win the Mossy Oak Shootout bonus. In the event that he failed, $5,000 would be added to the bounty, and the new amount would be offered at the next two-day event's Mossy Oak Shootout. The bonus capped out at $100,000, and when a rider made the whistle and collected his bonus, the bounty was then reset to $5,000 at the next event. If the rider made a qualified ride, he was given a score, but those points did not count towards the world standings.
Justin McBride
Justin Travis McBride (born August 7, 1979) is an American former professional bull rider. In his career, he competed on the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. He was a two-time PBR World Champion (2005 and 2007), has a record 32 career PBR ...
was the first rider to successfully conquer his bull and receive the Mossy Oak Shootout bonus by riding Freckles for $15,000 in
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte and Raleigh, the 69th-most populous city in the Un ...
in 2000. Later that same year, McBride successfully rode Rampage in the Shootout for $30,000 in
Houston, Texas
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
. Other notable winners of the Shootout included
Chris Shivers who won $5,000 on
Dillinger
John Herbert Dillinger (June 22, 1903 – July 22, 1934) was an American gangster during the Great Depression in the United States, Great Depression. He led the Dillinger Gang, which was accused of robbing 24 banks and four police stations. Dill ...
(
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
; 2000), Chris Shivers again who pocketed $10,000 on Vertigo (
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, it is the seat of Yellowstone County and the principal city of the Billings Met ...
; 2000), Ross Coleman who racked in $100,000 on Tuff-E-Nuff
(
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...
; 2001),
Jim Sharp who banked $85,000 on Dillinger
(Fort Worth, Texas; 2002), Owen Washburn who collected $90,000 on Hammer
(
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City ( ) is a city in Bossier Parish in the northwestern region of the U.S. state of Louisiana in the United States. It is the second most populous city in the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan statistical area. In 2020, it had a ...
; 2003), Wiley Petersen who netted $20,000 on Ace of Hearts (Billings, Montana; 2003), Ednei Caminhas who earned $65,000 on Red Alert (
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma ( ) is the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, Washington, Olympia, and northwest of Mount ...
; 2004), Fabricio Alves who cashed $45,000 on Red Alert (Tacoma, Washington; 2005), and
Guilherme Marchi
Guilherme Marchi (pronounced Gih-lare-mee Mar-chee) (born July 22, 1982) is a Brazilian former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding, and competed in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. He was the 2008 PBR World Champi ...
who captured $90,000 on Scene of the Crash (Greensboro, North Carolina; 2006). This challenge was discontinued after 2006.
Ford Truck Moment of Truth
In this challenge sponsored by
Ford Trucks
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobile ...
which started in 2001 and lasted through 2009, the average leader going into a BLC/BFTS regular-season event’s Championship Round got a chance to win $5,000. If this leading rider won the event, he also won the "Ford Truck Moment of Truth" bonus money. If the average leader did not win, however, the prize money increased by $5,000. This repeated until a bull rider was successful. After a rider won the money, the whole pool started over again.
Wrangler High Marked Ride
Circa 2003, there was a contest where
Wrangler Jeans
Wrangler is an American manufacturer of jeans and other clothing items, particularly workwear. The brand is owned by Kontoor Brands Inc., which also owns Lee. Its headquarters is in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina, in the United States, wit ...
used to reward the rider with the highest marked ride at the majority of BFTS events. If there was a tie, both riders were awarded.
Ford Super Duty Challenge
From 2005 to 2008, this challenge gave the top 45 bull riders an opportunity to compete for a $1 million bonus. One elite bull rider won a
Ford Super Duty pickup truck and one won a $1 million bonus through the achievement of performance milestones. The bull riders competed at seven pre-determined BFTS events. Winners of these events became eligible for incentives. A bull rider who won two or more events became eligible to win the $1 million bonus and had to win the PBR BFTS World Finals event. The bull rider that finished the highest in the event aggregate won the Super Duty truck.
Adriano Moraes drove away with the 2005 Ford Super Duty.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Ride with the Best Bonus
Beginning in 2004, the rider who won the previous BFTS event had a chance to win $5,000 courtesy of
Enterprise Rent-A-Car if he successfully covered his bull during the first round of the next BFTS two-day event. If he rode his first round bull, then he had the chance to ride for an additional $5,000 during the second round.
By 2007, the challenge was modified; the rider who won the previous long round at a regular season BFTS event, regardless if it was a two or three-day event, was offered the chance to win $5,000 if he successfully rode his next long-round bull. If the rider failed to make a qualified ride, the money went to the bull’s stock contractor(s). This challenge was discontinued after 2010.
Cabela's World’s Foremost Ride
From 2005 to 2009,
Cabela's
Cabela's Inc. is an American retailer that specializes in hunting, fishing, boating, camping, shooting and other outdoor recreation merchandise. The chain is based in Sidney, Nebraska. Cabela's was founded by Richard N. Cabela in 1961. Cabela' ...
paid the rider who scored the highest-marked ride at each BFTS regular-season event a $1,000 bonus.
At the PBR World Finals, Cabela’s awarded $25,000 to the rider who scored the highest-marked ride of the BFTS regular season. If multiple riders tied for the highest-marked ride, the money was split between them. Cabela’s also awarded the riders who scored the second-highest and third-highest marked rides of the BFTS regular season $10,000 and $5,000, respectively. The rider who scored the highest-marked ride of the World Finals was also awarded a $10,000 bonus.
Salem NationaLease High Mark Bull Bonus
From 2007 to 2009, the High Mark Bull Bonus sponsored by Salem NationaLease was paid to the stock contractor of the bull. The bonus was designated to the bull who received the highest bull score at each BFTS event. The bonus amount was a weekly amount of $1,250. The PBR World Finals were excluded.
Zantrex-3 Insta-Shot Grudge Match
Beginning in the middle of the 2008 BFTS season, the rider who won the previous event went up against another BFTS rider of his choice at the next event. Each rider would get on a bull selected by the then-PBR Director of Livestock,
Cody Lambert
Cody Lambert (born December 2, 1961) in Artesia, New Mexico is an American former professional rodeo cowboy. He specialized in saddle bronc riding and bull riding. He was also a co-founder and vice president of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). ...
at the end of the event’s regular first round. The rider who successfully rode his bull or the rider who scored more points if both covered their bulls won $5,000 courtesy of Zantrex-3 Insta-Shot. If neither rider covered his bull, the bounty increased by $5,000 at the next BFTS event. If a rider won the money, the bounty reverted back to $5,000 at the following event. This challenge only lasted from the middle to the end of the 2008 BFTS regular season and points won by riders did not count towards the world standings.
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) Trophy Bull Challenge
From 2009 to 2010, this challenge sponsored by the
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is a conservation and pro-hunting organization, founded in the United States in 1984 by four hunters from Troy, Montana (Bob Munson, Bill Munson, Dan Bull and Charlie Decker). Its mission is to ensure the fu ...
was added. It was a season long challenge. Cody Lambert selected three bulls from every long round of each BFTS event. If the bull bucked the rider off, the stock contractor received one point. If the rider achieved a successful ride, the rider received a point. The winners of the challenge, the top three riders and stock contractors with the most points received an RMEF outdoor adventure of their choice, which happened at the end of the season.
Champions and awards
Heroes and Legends Celebrations lists the Ring of Honor, Brand of Honor, Sharon Shoulders Award, Jim Shoulders Lifetime Achievement Award, and Ty Murray Top Hand Award. The Ring of Honor for bull riders is equivalent to a hall of fame induction.
See also
*
Lists of rodeo performers
The following articles contain lists of rodeo performers:
* Bull Riding Hall of Fame
* List of Calgary Stampede Rodeo Champions
* List of Canadian Professional Rodeo Association Champions
* List of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Champions ...
*
Bull Riding Hall of Fame
The Bull Riding Hall of Fame, located at Cowtown Coliseum in the Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, is a hall of fame for the sport of bull riding. It is incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of Texas, a ...
*
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
*
ProRodeo Hall of Fame
The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy was opened in August 1979 as a museum designed to "preserve the legacy of the cowboy contests, the heritage and culture of those original competitions, and the champions of the past, pr ...
*
International Professional Rodeo Association
The International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA) is the second-largest American rodeo organization in the world. It sanctions rodeos in the United States and Canada, with members from said countries, as well as others. Its championship ev ...
*
Bull Riders Only
*
Professional Roughstock Series
The Professional Roughstock Series (PRS) was an American rodeo organization based in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, United States. It featured American rodeo's three roughstock events: bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding.
...
*
Championship Bull Riding
*
Women's Professional Rodeo Association
The Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) is one of the largest rodeo sanctioning bodies in the world and is open exclusively to women eighteen years of age and older. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the Association curren ...
* Canadian Professional Rodeo Association
* ''8 Seconds''
* ''Cowboy Up''
* The Ride (2010 film), ''The Ride'' (2010 film)
* The Longest Ride (film), ''The Longest Ride'' (2015 film)
* Fearless (2016 TV series)
References
Bibliography
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External links
* Official sites of Professional Bull Riders, Inc.:
Official WebsiteCanadaAustraliaMexico
Brazil
Professional Bull Riders ticketing informationFeature story about PBR on Hossli.comAmerican Bucking Bull
{{DEFAULTSORT:Professional Bull Riders
Professional Bull Riders,
Sports organizations established in 1992
Rodeo organizations
Organizations based in Colorado
Sports in Pueblo, Colorado
Rodeo in the United States
Bucking bulls
Rodeo competition series
Sports in Las Vegas
Bull sports
Professional Bull Riders: Heroes and Legends
Bull riders
Professional sports leagues in the United States