One man, one bull and eight seconds – PBR sets the stage for the ultimate sport on dirt
What do you get when you put one man on a bull for eight desperate seconds in a pyrotechnic, pulsating rock concert atmosphere? The toughest sport on dirt – the 2016 Professional Bull Riding (PBR) events.
A PBR event is not a rodeo – this is the mother of all extreme sports. Strong athletes try to out manoeuvre and out muscle a tonne of raging bovine fury that is hell bent on dominating the battle. PBR is a worldwide phenomenon and this year will celebrate 10 years in Australia with events held across the country in July and November. More than 22 professional riders, from Australia and abroad, are expected to compete in packed arenas in the ultimate sporting spectacle.
For many, eight seconds may not sound like a long time, yet to a cowboy on the back of a bull it can feel like an eternity, especially when you have an 800kg to 1,000kg bull doing everything in its power to slam you in the dirt. There is no referee to blow a whistle and call time out, it’s simply man vs beast, with a little help from the cowboy protection athlete who is willing to put his body on the line to distract the animal so a rider can get away safely. All PBR events are internationally sanctioned with all points won counting towards the PBR World Standings.
2016 Professional Bull Riding Events:
- Last Cowboy Standing – Saturday 16 July, 7:30pm, Brisbane Entertainment Centre
- National Finals – Saturday 23 July, 7:30pm, Allphones Arena
- Tamworth Invitational – Saturday 12 November, 7:30pm
- AELEC Brendan Clark Invitational – Saturday 26 November, 7:00pm, Newcastle Entertainment Centre
For further information and tickets head online.
About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR)
The premier bull riding organisation in the world began as a dream of 20 bull riders 23 years ago and is now a global sports phenomenon. PBR broadcasts reach more than half a billion households in 40 nations and territories around the world, and more than 3 million fans attend live events each year. On its elite Built Ford Tough Series, the PBR features the Top 35 bull riders in the world and the top bulls in the business. The televised Built Ford Tough Series, the BlueDEF Velocity Tour, the Touring Pro Division and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico have paid more than $140 million in earnings to its athletes. Twenty-seven men have earned more than $1 million, including three-time World Champion Silvano Alves who, in just 54 months, won more than $5.2 million to become the richest bull rider in history.