Professional Bull Riders
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| File:Professional Bull Riders logo.jpg | |
| Sport | Bull Riding |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1992 |
| Owner(s) | WME-IMG |
| Competitors | Over 1,200 total, 35 in highest ranked tour |
| Countries |  United States Canada Mexico Brazil Australia New Zealand |
| Most recent champion(s) |  Cooper Davis |
| Official website | PBR.com |
Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) is an international professional bull riding organization based in Pueblo, Colorado, United States. In the United States, PBR events have been televised on CBS and CBS Sports Network since 2013.[1][2] More than 1,200 cowboys from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand hold PBR memberships.
History
The organization began in 1992 through the efforts of 21 professional bull riders who gathered in a hotel room in Scottsdale, Arizona and each contributed $1,000.[3] Since that time, the organization has grown to include three tours (the Built Ford Tough Series, Touring Pro Division, and Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour) which collectively stage over 100 events in the United States every year. Prize money has exploded from over $330,000 in 1994 to over $11 million in 2008. In 2007, investment firm Spire Capital Partners acquired a majority stake in PBR.[4]
The PBR moved to its current headquarters in Pueblo, Colorado in 2006. Its original headquarters were located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The PBR's premier tour, the Built Ford Tough Series (formerly the Bud Light Cup Series), includes at most 30 events across the United States every year. Pyrotechnics, pulsating music, and special effects open each event, and each features the top 35 riders in the world at the time. The season culminates in Las Vegas,[5] where the PBR World Finals are held.
Riders attempt to stay on a bucking bull for eight seconds, and rides are judged based on both the rider's and the bull's performance, with two judges scoring the rider and two scoring the bull. At the end of each event, the top 15 riders compete in the short round, or "short go"; the rider with the highest point total from the entire event becomes the winner.
Since 2003, the PBR has awarded its annual world champion a $1,000,000 bonus.
From 2007–2010, the PBR also hosted a team competition format called the PBR World Cup, where 25 bull riders (altogether representing five different countries) competed to win the title of best bull rider in the world.
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.
The original CEO of the PBR was Sam Applebaum.[6] Then Randy Bernard became CEO of the PBR in 1995, a position he held until he resigned in 2010 to become the CEO of INDYCAR.[7] On February 23, 2011, the PBR announced that Jim Haworth had become its new CEO.[8] Then on June 29, 2015, the PBR announced that Haworth was promoted to Chairman, while COO Sean Gleason had become the new CEO.[9]
Canada, Brazil, Australia, and Mexico each have their own PBR tours, and points earned on those tours count towards the U.S. qualifier standings and a spot in the PBR World Finals. A tour in China was scheduled to begin sometime in 2015 and PBR New Zealand was set to debut in Christchurch on November 13, 2014. Opportunities for expansion into Argentina are being explored as well.
PBR was bought by IMG in April 2015.
PBR World Champions
- 2016
Cooper Davis - 2015 J.B. Mauney
- 2014
Silvano Alves - 2013 J.B. Mauney
- 2012 Silvano Alves
- 2011 Silvano Alves
- 2010 Renato Nunes
- 2009 Kody Lostroh
- 2008 Guilherme Marchi
- 2007 Justin McBride
- 2006 Adriano Moraes
- 2005 Justin McBride
- 2004 Mike Lee
- 2003 Chris Shivers
- 2002 Ednei Caminhas
- 2001 Adriano Moraes
- 2000 Chris Shivers
- 1999 Cody Hart
- 1998
Troy Dunn - 1997 Michael Gaffney
- 1996 Owen Washburn
- 1995 Tuff Hedeman •
- 1994 Adriano Moraes
• Tuff Hedeman was also the 1986, 1989, and 1991 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) world champion bull rider.
Touring Pro Division Champions
- 2016 Cody Nance
- 2015 Luis Blanco
- 2014 Jason Malone
- 2013 Chase Outlaw
- 2012 Edevaldo Ferreira
- 2011 Shane Proctor
- 2010 Douglas Duncan
- 2009 J.B. Mauney
- 2008, 2007 Clayton Williams
- 2006 J.B. Mauney
- 2005 Edgard Oliveira
- 2004 Ross Johnson
- 2003, 2002 Adriano Moraes
- 2001 Paulo Crimber
- 2000 Chris Shivers
- 1999 Jason Bennett
- 1998 Brian Herman
- 1997 Chris Shivers
- 1996 Troy Dunn
- 1995 Tuff Hedeman
• Ross Johnson was also the 2003 Championship Bull Riding (CBR) world champion.
• Shane Proctor was also the 2011 PRCA world champion bull rider.
World Finals Event Champions
- 2016 Ryan Dirteater
- 2015 Cooper Davis
- 2014 Silvano Alves
- 2013 J.B. Mauney
- 2012, 2011 Robson Palermo
- 2010 Renato Nunes
- 2009 J.B. Mauney
- 2008 Robson Palermo
- 2007 Wiley Petersen
- 2006 L.J. Jenkins
- 2005 Guilherme Marchi
- 2004 Mike Lee
- 2003 Jody Newberry
- 2002 J.W. Hart
- 2001 Luke Snyder
- 2000 Tater Porter
- 1999 Ty Murray •
- 1998 Reed Corder
- 1997 Troy Dunn
- 1996 Ronnie Kitchens
- 1995 Troy Dunn
- 1994 Ted Nuce •
• Ted Nuce was also the 1985 PRCA world champion bull rider.
• Ty Murray was also the 1989-94 and 1998 PRCA world champion all-around rodeo cowboy as well as the 1993 & 1998 PRCA world champion bull rider.
World Champion Bull
- 2016 - SweetPro's Bruiser ••
- 2015 - SweetPro's Long John
- 2014, 2013 - Bushwacker
- 2012 - Asteroid
- 2011 - Bushwacker
- 2010 - Bones
- 2009 - Code Blue
- 2008 - Bones
- 2007 - Chicken on a Chain
- 2006 - Mossy Oak Mudslinger
- 2005 - Big Bucks
- 2004, 2003, 2002 - Little Yellow Jacket
- 2001, 2000 - Dillinger
- 1999 - Cripple Creek's Promise Land
- 1998 - Moody Blues
- 1997 - Panhandle Slim
- 1996 - Baby Face
- 1995 - Bodacious •
• Bodacious was also the 1994-95 PRCA bull of the year.
•• There was actually a tie between Bruiser, Long John and Pearl Harbor, which was resolved by taking the highest average of the bull's 8 qualifying outs for the champion race.[10]
Other awards
The PBR has some secondary awards, in addition to the World Championship, given out annually, many named after bull riders fatally injured during competition.[11]
The Glen Keeley Award is for the Canadian bull rider who earns the most points throughout the entire season. It is named for Glen Keeley, a Canadian bull rider who was fatally injured during the 2000 Ty Murray Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Lane Frost/Brent Thurman Award is for the highest-scoring single ride at the World Finals. It is named for Lane Frost, fatally injured during a competition in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1989, and Brent Thurman, fatally injured during the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in 1994.
The Rookie of the Year award goes to the rookie (first year of Built Ford Tough Series competition) bull rider who wins the most points of all first-year competitors.
The Stock Contractor of the Year award goes to the stock contractor who has supplied the best bulls to Built Ford Tough Series events. This award is given based on a vote among bull riders.
The PBR also has some recognition awards Professional Bull Riders: Heroes and Legends. Some of these like the Ring of Honor and the Brand of Honor are the equivalent of a Hall of Fame recognition. There is also the Jim Shoulders Lifetime Achievement Award and the Sharon Shoulders award.
Glen Keeley Award recipients
- 2016, 2015, 2014 - Tanner Byrne
- 2013 - Aaron Roy
- 2012 - Chad Besplug
- 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 - Aaron Roy
- 2007 - Scott Schiffner
- 2006 - Jesse Torkelson
- 2005 - Matt Roy
- 2004 - Rob Bell
- 2003, 2002 - Reuben Geleynse
- 2001, 2000 - B.J. Kramps
Rookie of the Year
- 2016 Jess Lockwood
- 2015 Kaique Pacheco
- 2014 J.W. Harris •
- 2013 Joao Ricardo Vieira
- 2012 Emilio Resende
- 2011 Rubens Barbosa
- 2010 Silvano Alves
- 2009 Cody Nance
- 2008 Reese Cates
- 2007 Clayton Williams
- 2006 J.B. Mauney
- 2005 Kody Lostroh
- 2004 Zack Brown
- 2003 Jody Newberry
- 2002 Dan Henricks
- 2001 Luke Snyder
- 2000 Jason Bennett
- 1999 Mike White •
- 1998 Pete Hessman
- 1997 Keith Adams
- 1996 Ronnie Kitchens
- 1995 Bubba Dunn
- 1994 J.W. Hart
• Mike White was also the 1999 PRCA world champion bull rider, as well as the 2002 CBR world champion.
• J.W. Harris was also the 2008-10 & 2013 PRCA world champion bull rider.
Stock Contractor of the Year
- 2016, 2015, 2014 - Chad Berger Bucking Bulls
- 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 - Jeff Robinson Bucking Bulls
- 2009, 2008, 2007 - Chad Berger Bucking Bulls
- 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 - D&H Cattle Company
- 2000 - Herrington Cattle Company
- 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995 - Terry Williams Bucking Bulls
See also
References
- ^ Hummer, Craig; Murray, Ty (December 12, 2012). "PBR SIGNS EXCLUSIVE TELEVISION AGREEMENT WITH CBS SPORTS". PBR. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ "PBR SIGNS EXCLUSIVE TELEVISION AGREEMENT WITH CBS SPORTS". CBS Sports. December 12, 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ * Fried Twinkies, Buckle Bunnies & Bull Riders: A Year Inside The Professional Bull Riders Tour, Josh Peter, Rodale, 2005
- ^ Nethery, Ross (May 5, 2008). "Elway, Gretzky invest in Professional Bull Riders". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ Leach, Robin (October 31, 2008). "World's best bull riders are ready for their 8 seconds". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ Cartwright, Keith Ryan (April 10, 2013). "Professional Bull Riders - It all started in a motel room". pbr.com. Retrieved 2015-10-12.
- ^ "PBR CEO RANDY BERNARD RESIGNS". pbr.com. February 1, 2010. Archived from the original on February 5, 2010. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
- ^ "Jim Haworth named Chief Executive Officer of the PBR". pbr.com. February 23, 2011. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
- ^ Abbott, Denise M. (June 29, 2015). "PBR appoints new leadership team". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ "SweetPro's Bruiser wins 2016 World Champion Bull title". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
- ^ "PBR Bull Riding Dictionary". PBR. Archived from the original on October 8, 2003. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
- ^ "Professional Bull Riders - Event Winners / Champions". Pbr.com. Retrieved 2015-10-12.
Further reading
- Childs, Craig (May 18, 2009). "The Rise of the Minotaur". High Country News.
External links
- Official sites of Professional Bull Riders, Inc.:
- TeamPBR - official fan club
- Professional Bull Riders ticketing information
- Feature story about PBR on Hossli.com