PBR TPD visits Arkansas, Montana, Texas

PUEBLO, Colo. - The Professional Bull Riders Touring Pro Division will make a series of annual stops this weekend, visiting Arkansas, Montana, and Texas.

The 83rd Annual Slick Rock Challenge will play host to the TPD on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Edwards County Fairgrounds in Rocksprings, Texas. Tickets are $10 and are available by telephone at (830) 683-4312.

The TPD will make its annual visit to the Richland County Fairgrounds in Sidney, Mont., at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday for the Eastern Montana Bull Blow Out. Tickets begin at $12 and are available at the Sidney Chamber of Commerce.

The TPD will be at Midland Horseshoe Arena in Midland, Texas, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $17 and $22, and are available at Tickets.Dooleyman.com. Ticket prices increase $5 at the gate.

The 15th Annual Buckin' In The Ozarks event will be Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Parsons Stadium in Springdale, Ark. Tickets begin at $19, and are available at www.RodeoOfTheOzarks.com. Ticket prices increase $2 on the day of the show.

Leading the way into Springdale is Arkansas native and 2008 PBR Rookie of the Year Reese Cates. The field also includes 2009 PBR Rookie of the Year Cody Nance, who has won TPD events each of the last two weeks, and 2004 PBR World Champion Mike Lee. Other riders scheduled to compete are Austin Meier of Kinta, Okla., who is ranked eighth in the Built Ford Tough Series standings, and Ryan Dirteater of Hulbert, Okla., who is ranked 11th.

The Touring Pro Division gives riders the opportunity to compete in PBR-sanctioned events, while earning money to qualify for the nationally-televised Built Ford Tough Series, which is comprised of the Top 35 bull riders in the world. Every five events on the BFTS, the Top 5 riders (based on money earned) from the TPD are allowed to move into the BFTS.

The BFTS features the world's best and highest-paid bull riders competing against the fiercest bucking bulls on the planet. The TPD allows established veterans and newcomers alike the opportunity to compete against some of the world's best bucking bulls.

The BFTS is televised every week on CBS, CBS Sports Network, NBC, NBC Sports Network and YouTube. BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR under a multi-year agreement with David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company led by 34-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award winner David Neal, who serves as executive producer. 

Professional Bull Riders Touring Pro Division Event Results:

June 24 at Cedar Park, Texas
Final Results (Round 1-Round 2-Total Points)
1. Reese Cates, 89-87-176 points.
2. Sevi Torturo, 84-83.5-167.5 points.
3. Tyler Taylor, 82.5-80.5-163 points.

WinStar World Casino PBR Touring Pro Classic presented by D&H Cattle Company
June 23 at Ardmore, Okla.
Final Results (Round 1-Round 2-Total Points)
1. Ben Jones, 86-0-86-86 points; and Cody Nance, 0-86-86 points.
3. Carrson Hiatt, 0-84-84 points.

June 23 at Binford, N.D.
Final Results (Round 1-Round 2-Total Points)
1. Josh Ehlers, 90-87.5-177.5 points.
2. Skeeter Kingsolver, 87-86.5-173.5 points.
3. Elliot Jacoby, 84-81.5-165.5 points.

Mike White Invitational
June 22-23 at Lake Charles, La.
Final Results (Round 1-Round 2-Total Points)
1. Colby Yates, 88-0-88 points; and Josh Faircloth, 88-0-88 points.
3. Chad VanAmburg, 87.5-0-87.5 points.

About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR)
The PBR is the world's premier bull riding organization. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the PBR. In just two decades, the dream of 20 bull riders has become a global sports phenomenon that is televised worldwide. More than 100 million viewers annually watch primetime PBR programming on networks around the world including CBS, CBS Sports Network, NBC, and NBC Sports Network. The PBR has awarded over $100 million in prize money and 25 riders have earned over $1 million, including Justin McBride with $5.5 million - the most of any Western-sports athlete in history. Nearly 2 million fans attend Built Ford Tough Series and Touring Pro Division events each year. For more information on the PBR, go to www.pbr.com, or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PBR, Twitter at http://twitter.com/PBR, and YouTube at http://www.YouTube.com/PBR.

Follow Jack Carnefix on Twitter @JackCarnefix.