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My best time of the year to be in Las Vegas is here. The summer heat has pretty well moved out, the cooler air is here. But that’s not really the reason. It’s Bull Riding Season!! That’s what I love about Las Vegas at the end of October. The 2015 Professional Bull Riders World Finals to be exact.
Forty of the best bull riders in the world are here in town along with the top bulls to compete for over $2 million in prize money. The World Champion bull rider will walk away with over $1 million in prize money.
Last night was round one of six and the fan favorite J.B. Mauney came into the Finals in the number one position and was the last to ride. As always, the audience was on their feet and blew the roof off as the cheered JB to a 91 point ride and the buckle for winning the round. It wasn’t that much of a shocker to anyone. It is just always fun to watch this man ride. As long as JB is healthy, he will ride any bull you put under him or break something trying! The man is a bull riding machine when he is on the bull.
Now unless something out of the ordinary happens, JB forgets how to get to the arena or some scoring malfunction, its pretty much a sure thing that he will be hoisting the trophy on Sunday night while cashing that million dollar check. And that would be the second time he walked away as World Champion.
For those os us int he media, this is always like a yearly family reunion. A lot of the people we will see maybe once or twice during the year at other events, but this is the time we are all together to swap stories from the year that was and cheer on the riders (or for some, its the bulls). The PBR after-parties are kind of legendary. Never know what happens when cowboys, buckle bunnies and Jack Daniels at an open bar mix. Not to mention a few media people who tend take the “It Vegas” thing to the max only to find out the hard way that we don’t really have last call!!
Most everyone in the media area is kind of sad, this is the last year the PBR World Finals will call the Thomas & Mack Center home. Starting in 2016, everything moves over to the new MGM Las Vegas Arena. The PBR World Finals will be Nov 2-6, 2016.
Las Vegas has been the home of the PBR’s season finale event since the sport’s first season in 1993-94 when Brazil’s Adriano Moraes won the first of three PBR World Championships. It is the longest-running event on the PBR schedule. The good news is that the PBR has agreed to extend their contract with Las Vegas thru 2018. Cowboys, Buckles and Bulls for 3 more years!
Tough Enough To Wear Pink
With the world of cowboys and the PBR, there are only a few things that are more important than riding the bulls: Honoring God, your family, the men and women who keep us free, and breast cancer awareness. Its always amazing how these cowboys and the people who support them think. Yes, riding bulls is what puts food on the table, but they know that there is more to your life than that. They also know they would not be here if it weren’t for God, family and having Military people defending the freedoms too many of us take for granted. All three are honored here every night in every way possible and you can really feel it.
One night a year is dedicated to raising awareness and money for Breast Cancer Research and Awareness. Everyone is encouraged to wear pink. From the people pulling the cables to the cowboys and the fans will be wearing their pink shirts, hankies and helmets tonight. God Bless them all!!
The PBR World Finals are always best to watch live. It really is the toughest sport on dirt! But if you can’t be here and want to see what all the excitement is, here is a link to the Finals TV Schedule.
Click here to Get Tickets to A Professional Bull Riders Event
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