Game Notes – Saskatoon

ALL ROADS END IN SASKATOON – This weekend PBR Canada’s Monster Energy Tour stops in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at the SaskTel Centre, for the tenth and final event of the nationally-televised, cross-nation tour, the 2019 PBR Monster Energy Canadian Finals, presented by Dakota Dunes Casino. The event marks the fourth time the tour has visited Saskatchewan’s largest city. As the PBR Canadian Finals, the event is the culmination of a more than 35-event slate of bull ridings from the year between both the Monster Energy Tour and Touring Pro Division. The fourteenth annual finals will mark the PBR’s tenth consecutive year hosting the event in Saskatoon. New this season, the 2019 PBR Canada Champion will earn an unprecedented $50,000 bonus, while the Canadian Finals event winner will claim $17,500.

RELATED: Click here for the complete 2019 PBR Canada Finals Game Notes

FIERCEST BATTLE IN HISTORY – This year, the race for the 2019 PBR Canada Championship has been one of the fiercest in league history. With 2,250 points up for grab at the two-day finals event in Saskatoon, numerically, all 20 competing riders have the chance to leave the province of Saskatchewan with the Canadian title. Atop the standings, No. 1 Jared Parsonage leads No. 2 Dakota Buttar by a slim 32.49 points, while the Top 5 is all within 1,000 points of one another: No. 3 Shay Marks (-452.49), No. 4 Daylon Swearingen (-689.57) and No. 5 Jordan Hansen (-995). As the No. 27-ranked rider in the nation, two-time Monster Energy Tour event winner Marcos Gloria enters the Saskatoon stop needing to make-up the most ground, 2184.99 points behind Parsonage. In addition to the fierce title race set to play out, the field is one of the most accomplished in recent history. Combine, the 20 riders set to compete have qualified for the PBR World Finals 25 times, and have won 26 of the 36 regular-season PBR Canada events in 2019. Additionally, when including bullfighter Tanner Byrne, the participants have won 11 of the 20 Glen Keeley Awards.  

SASKATOON BY WAY OF VEGAS – Five riders will travel to Saskatoon for the 2019 PBR Canada Finals having last ridden at the prestigious PBR World Finals: No. 1 Jared Parsonage, No. 2 Dakota Buttar, No. 3 Shay Marks, No. 4 Daylon Swearingen and No. 21 Derek Kolbaba. Three additional riders also make the trip after having competed at the 2019 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals held the weekend prior: No. 16 Cody Casper, No. 17 Jake Lockwood and No. 19 Lane Mellers. Of the contenders that competed at the World Finals, Parsonage led the pack in his debut performance going an impressive 4-for-6 to finish eighth in the aggregate. Buttar and Swearingen both also recorded 8 second efforts, however had their events end early due to injury, suffering separated ribs in Round 4 and a concussion in Round 5, respectively. For Marks, who made his debut in Round 4 as an alternate, and Kolbaba, however, neither recorded a qualified ride inside T-Mobile Arena. Of the contingent, while Mellers did not qualify for the PBR World Finals, he will enter the Saskatoon event having ridden in Australia the past two weekends, including the most recent 2019 PBR Australia Finals where he finished 14^th.

LET’S TALK TOP CONTENDERS – While each of the 20 competing riders at the 2019 PBR Canada Finals have a mathematical pathway to the 2019 PBR Canada Championship and accompanying $50,000 bonus, the Top 5 will all travel to Saskatoon within 1,000 points of another. Let’s take a look back at the seasons for the top contenders:

No. 1 Jared Parsonage: Holding the nation’s No. 1 ranking for the majority of the season, Jared Parsonage first ascended to the top spot after winning the first-ever Canadian Monster Energy Tour event in Lethbridge, Alberta in early March. Following a back-and-forth battle with now No. 5 Jordan Hansen throughout the spring, the 26-year-old reassumed the No.1 position following his second Monster Energy Tour event win of 2019, in Halifax, Nova Scotia on June 1. While Dakota Buttar briefly surpassed him in September on the heels of a strong summer run, Parsonage used back-to-back fifth-place efforts on the Monster Energy Tour in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and Edmonton, Alberta, to conclude the regular-season as the top rider in Canada. Regarded as one of the nation’s most consistent riders, Parsonage went 36-for-62 (58.06%) on home soil in 2019, recording two event wins and an additional 14 Top-5 finishes. Parsonage most recently competed at the first-ever PBR World Finals of his career, leading the Canuck contingent in going an impressive 4-for-6 to finish eighth in the aggregate.  Entering the 2019 PBR Canada Finals he has gone 8-for-10 at his past three events, holding a four-out ride streak on home soil.

No. 2 Dakota Buttar (-32.49): As Jared Parsonage’s top challenger, Dakota Buttar’s dominance in Canadian competition began on June 8, delivering a supreme 2-for-2 performance to win his debut event in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The event marked the Kindersley man’s first of the season on Canadian soil and also served as a rebirth to Buttar’s 2019 season previously thought to be over after sustaining a shoulder injury in April on the elite Unleash The Beast in Billings, Montana. Buttar then went on an unchallenged run throughout the summer months, winning a league-best five Touring Pro Division stops to briefly hold the nation’s No. 1 ranking for the first time in his career. During the regular-season he went an impressive 25-for-39 (64.1%). Much like Parsonage, Buttar will also compete at the PBR Canada Finals after qualifying for the prestigious PBR World Finals for the fourth time. Buttar, now a three-time Glen Keeley Award winner, went 1-for-4. His event ended early due to separated ribs sustained in Round 4.

No. 3 Shay Marks (-452.49): Shay Marks will be competing at the PBR Canada Finals for the first time since 2016 after reconstructive shoulder surgery in mid-2017 relegated him to the sidelines until this January. In an explosive return to PBR action, Marks won his first event back, victorious at the season-launch Monster Energy Tour event in Winnipeg, Manitoba in January, momentarily garnering him the No. 1 position in the standings. Since, the Albertan has logged 16 additional Top-10 efforts, going 24-for-70 (34.29%) in Canada. Also venturing stateside, Marks made his PBR World Finals debut in 2019, competing in the fourth and fifth rounds as an alternate.

No. 4 Daylon Swearingen (-689.57): For young gun Daylon Swearingen, 2019 was a banner year. Finishing third in the prestigious Rookie of the Year Race, the New Yorker concluded the season a career-best No. 13 in the world. Becoming a near regular on the Unleash The Beast in late Spring, Swearingen was propelled into the Top 35 due large in part to his success on Canadian soil. Going a combined 9-for-16 (56.25%) in Canada in 2019, Swearingen rode to two event wins, both on the Monster Energy Tour, and four additional Top 3 efforts across the eight events he entered. At his first event of the season north of the United States, the now 20-year-old finished second in Winnipeg in late January to rise to No. 3 in Canada and No. 47 in the world. After getting shutout at the Iron Cowboy Major in Quebec when he returned to Canada three months later, Swearingen used an event win in London, Ontario, followed by back-to-back runner-up results in Moncton, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia to climb to No. 2 in Canada and No. 18 in the world. After making two additional summer trips to the Great White North to ride in Medicine Hat, Alberta, where he was third, and at the iconic three-day stop at Ranchmans in Calgary in late-June and early-July, Swearingen was stateside for the elite Unleash The Beast until he returned to Canada on Oct. 26 to compete at the final-regular season Monster Energy Tour event in Edmonton. Winning the stop, Swearingen climbed to No. 4 in the nation after slipping to No. 5. Fresh off a 2-for-5 showing at the first PBR World Finals of his career, Swearingen has also qualified for the NFR. He is the youngest athlete in history to qualify for both the PBR World Finals and NFR in the same season.

No. 5 Jordan Hansen (-995): Of the Canadian Top 5, Jordan Hansen, who has qualified for his second consecutive NFR, is the lone rider to have not competed at the PBR World Finals. Apart from the 2019 PBR Global Cup USA and a two trips stateside for the Unleash The Beast (Tacoma – March) and Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (Denver – January), Hansen competed near exclusively on home soil with the PBR in 2019. Holding the No. 1 ranking in the nation several times throughout the winter and spring, credited to his Touring Pro Division wins in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and Monster Energy Tour victory in Calgary, Hansen went 20-for-33 (60.61%) in Canada in 2019. In addition to his three event wins, Hansen, recorded eight more Top-10 results.

RADFORD MAKES MOVES IN YORKTON – At the final regular-season event of 2019, Brock Radford made moves. Double-entering both nights of action in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, the Alberta man lit up the leaderboard, finishing second, tied for fourth, tied for seventh and tied for eleventh, to earn a cumulative $5,638.33, 299.58 Canadian and 40 world points. Maintaining his No. 6 ranking, Radford rose within 1,018.74 points of No. 1 Jared Parsonage as he looks to leave Saskatoon as the PBR Canada Champion after coming heart-breakingly close the past two seasons where he concluded the year No. 2 in the nation. His recent success comes amidst a strong second-half surge for Radford. Sidelined for the entirety of the first half of 2019 after undergoing knee surgery to repair a torn ACL/MCL initially sustained in August 2018 at a CPRA event in Jasper, Radford did not attempt his first bull in the PBR for the 2019 season until July 4. While he was unable to make the 8 at the renowned event in Calgary at the Ranchmans Cookhouse and Dancehall, following a 15^th-place finish at the Calgary Stampede, his subsequent PBR event, Radford steadily began to climb the national standings. Recording four Top-10 finishes in July, three in August and a runner-up effort in Grande Prairie, Alberta on October 5, Radford ascended from unranked to No. 7 in the national standings before the Monster Energy Tour returned for its final two regular-season events of 2019 in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and Edmonton, Alberta. Offering augmented national points, Radford made his mark in Abbotsford, finishing one point shy of claiming the second Monster Energy Tour event win of his career. Going a perfect 2-for-2, including tying for the championship round win with an 87.5-point trip on Vold Rodeo’s Grey Eyes, Radford netted 265 Canadian points, rising to No. 6 in Canada.

Edmonton, however, was not as bountiful. Despite riding Finning JB Muley for 81.5 points, Radford did not advance to the championship round, nor did he claim any national points. Throughout 2019, Radford has gone 24-for-44 (54.55%) in Canada.

ROY ENDS 2019 REGULAR-SEASON WITH A W – One man will attempt his Round 1 bull inside the SaskTel Centre having won the last event he entered – Aaron Roy. On the hunt for his record-setting fourth PBR Canada Championship, Roy emerged victorious at the final regular-season event of 2019, winning the Yorkton Grain Millers Harvest Showdown, part of the nation’s Touring Pro Division. As one of just three riders to go a perfect 2-for-2 across the two-day event, the 32-year-old first rode Fire in the Hole for 82 points, tying for the seventh-best score in Round 1. Roy then continued the momentum in the championship round, recording the high-marked ride of the event, covering VJV Whiskey Hand for 87 points. The victory netted Roy, who is the first, and only, Canadian to ever win more than $1 million in the PBR, $5,185, in addition to 275 Canadian and 60 world points. He climbed from No. 12 to No. 9 in the national standings, inching within 1,529.99 points of No. 1 Jared Parsonage. The event win was the second of 2019 for Roy who previously won the prestigious Glen Keeley Memorial PBR for the first time in his career.

HOME PROVINCE HOPEFULS – Of the 20 riders set to compete inside the SaskTel Centre, 13 are Canadian, including four home province hopefuls. Among the contingent of Saskatchewan-natives set to compete, are the Top 2 Canadians from the national standings: No. 1 Jared Parsonage (Maple Creek) and No. 2 Dakota Buttar (Kindersley). Of note, Parsonage and Buttar were also the top Canadians in the world standings in 2019. Now three-time Glen Keeley Award winner Buttar finished the season No. 29, while Parsonage concluded the year No. 39. The duo is joined by three-time Canadian Champion and eight-time World Finals qualifier Aaron Roy (Yellow Grass) looking to make further history with an unprecedented fourth national title. Roy is currently No. 9 in Canada, 1529.99 points behind Parsonage. The remaining Saskatchewan native is No. 13 Todd Chotowetz (Major).

TEAM CANADA – With the next date for the Global Cup set for AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Feb. 15-16, 2020, the contingent set to represent the Maple Leaf is nearly half complete. Featuring a new coaching duo of Canadian Champions Scott Schiffner and Tanner Girletz, three slots and the alternate position remain to be filled on the seven-man team. During Round 2 of the 2019 PBR World Finals, Canadian No. 1 Jared Parsonage, No. 2 Dakota Buttar and No. 5 Jordan Hansen were among the initial selections. With both Schiffner and Girletz set to be on-hand for the 2019 PBR Canada Finals, they will have yet another opportunity to evaluate some of the nation’s top talent, including No. 3 Shay Marks, No. 6 Brock Radford, No. 7 Jake Gardner, No. 9 Aaron Roy and No. 10 Jackson Scott, while also observing their existing picks.

PAST PBR CANADA CHAMPIONS – Set to ride at the 2019 PBR Canada Finals are two former Champions, both looking to make further history. Three-time PBR Canada Champion Aaron Roy enters the event No. 9 in the nation, 1529.99 points behind the top ranking, while two-time PBR Canada Champion Zane Lambert is No. 11 and 1,659.57 points back. Roy and Lambert are the only two multi-time Canadian Champions in league history. While a fourth title for Roy would be unprecedented, should Lambert claim the coveted honor, he would be tied with Roy for most Canadian Championships. The complete list of past Canadian Champions is:

2018                 Cody Coverchuk

2017                 Zane Lambert

2016                 Ty Pozzobon

2015                 Tanner Byrne

2014                 Stetson Lawrence

2013                 Zane Lambert

2012                 Aaron Roy

2011                 Tyler Thomson

2010                 Aaron Roy

2009                 Beau Hill

2008                 Aaron Roy

2007                 Tyler Pankewicz

2006                 Scott Schiffner

PAST EVENT WINNERS – In addition to being the only two Canadian Champions competing at the 2019 PBR Canada Finals, Aaron Roy and Zane Lambert are also the only two past Canadian Finals event winners set to ride this season inside the SaskTel Centre. While Roy won the season-culminating event in 2014, Lambert is the lone rider to win the event in multiple years, let alone in back-to-back campaigns. After winning the event for the first time in his career in 2016, Lambert emerged victorious again in 2017 en route to his second national title. The complete list of past Canadian Finals event winners is:

2018                 Cody Coverchuk

2017                 Zane Lambert / Edgar Durazo

2016                 Zane Lambert

2015                 Brady Oleson

2014                 Aaron Roy

2013                 Scott Schiffner

2012                 Ty Pozzobon

2011                 Dusty Ephrom/Harve Stewart

2010                 Mike Lee

2009                 Guilherme Marchi

2008                 Jock Connolly

2007                 Vince Northrup

2006                 Brian Canter

A STREAK CONTINUES – In PBR Canada history, one man has qualified for, and competed at, all thirteen editions of the event - Zane Lambert. Continuing the streak, the two-time PBR Canada Champion has further etched his name in the record books, qualifying for the 2019 edition of the event, his 14^th qualification, as the No. 11-ranked rider in the nation, 1659.57 points behind No. 1 Jared Parsonage. Last season, Lambert traveled to Saskatoon ranked No. 8 in the nation, 983.33 points behind then-No. 1 Lachlan Richardson. After an impressive fourth-place finish at the Finals, including a 90-point ride in the championship round, Lambert ended the 2018 season No. 5 in Canada.

FAMILIAR WATERS – On the first night of action at the 2019 PBR Canada Finals, fans will witness 11 rematches across both Round 1 and Round 2. In Round 1, of the five riders set to face familiar foes, just one, Shay Marks has previously made the 8. In their one meeting on record, the Alberta man covered Broken Trigger for 79.5 points in the second round of the debut Monster Energy Tour event in Lethbridge. Of the remaining quartet, Jackson Scott took his draw the furthest. Squaring off at the final regular-season event of the year, Scott was bested by Josiah’s Fire in 5.28 seconds. For Dayton Johnston, he’ll attempt Bull of the Year contender Rhythm & Blues for the second time. As one of the bovine athlete’s Top 5 scores from 2019, marked 44 points, Johnston was bucked off in 3.36 seconds earlier this year in Cluny, Alberta. The remaining Round 1 rematches are:

Jake Gardner vs. Snap Shot (3.6 seconds – 42 points – 2019 Ranchmans TPD)

Jake Lockwood vs. Sick Rhymes (1.66 seconds – 44 points – 2019 Elnora, Alberta TPD)

In Round 2, which will include six rematches, both Gardner and Marks will attempt their second consecutive familiar opponent, both for the third time in their careers. For Gardner, who has drawn Hanna Motors Homeboy, he was bested by the Skori Bucking Bulls’ athlete twice in 2018. After getting bucked off in 1.7 seconds in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Gardner took him to 4.22 seconds at the year’s PBR Canada Finals. For Marks, he has attempted Spookie Lukie twice in 2019. After the bull got the better of him in 2.46 seconds at the Elnora, Alberta Touring Pro Division event, Marks was again beat this October at the last regular-season Monster Energy Tour event in Edmonton, Alberta, this time in 5.88 seconds. Of the group, Cody Casper is the lone rider to have previously covered his bull. The American rider reached the 8 aboard White Tie at the prestigious Glen Keeley Memorial for 86 points in Round 1. Two riders will also reattempt 2019 PBR Canada Bull of the Year contenders. Logan Biever has redrawn Firebeatz, while Thor Hoefer II will again face off against Uptown Funk. Biever was bested in 6.63 seconds at this winter’s Monster Energy Tour event in Calgary, while Hoefer’s buckoff was delivered in 4.22 seconds at the last regular-season event of 2019 in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. The remaining Round 2 rematch is:

Jared Parsonage vs. Double Major (4.55 seconds – 41.5 points – 2017 PBR Canada Finals Saskatoon)

BULL PEN: BULL OF THE YEAR & CANADIAN FINALS – After a rider vote determined the recipient of the honor in past seasons, in 2019, the PBR Canada Bull of the Year will be determined mathematically by the bulls’ performances throughout the season. To be eligible for the 2019 PBR Canada Bull of the Year honor, a bull most have logged a minimum five outs at PBR events on Canadian soil. The 2019 PBR Canada Bull of the Year will be the bovine athlete with the best average score of his top five regular-season outs and high-marked trip at the 2019 PBR Monster Energy Canadian Finals, presented by Dakota Dunes Casino. In addition to receiving the coveted buckle, the Bull of the Year will also be presented with a $3,500 bonus. The bovine athletes in Saskatoon will also be competing for the 2019 PBR Canada Bull of the Finals honor and accompanying $1,000 bonus. Each of the 73 bulls set to buck inside the SaskTel Centre are eligible for the award to be presented to the high-marked bull of the event.

Of the Top 12 contenders for the coveted Bull of the Year Honor, No. 1 Homegrown has a razor-thin, 0.4-point lead over both No. 2 Happy Camper, who enters the season-culminating event attempting to become the first-ever two-time PBR Canada Bull of the Year, and Uptown Funk. Concluding the season with a league-best 44.5-point average, Homegrown will make his second consecutive PBR Canada Finals appearance on the heels of his PBR World Finals debut. Homegrown recorded 18 outs across all levels of competition in 2019, ridden just twice. He was first covered by Joao Ricardo Vieira for 87 points at the Unleash The Beast stop in Billings, Montana in April. PBR Canada title contender Dakota Buttar then reached the 8-second whistle on Homegrown, marked 87.5 points on the Touring Pro Division in Coronation, Alberta in August. Among his Top 5 scores on Canadian soil in 2019, the Eno Bucking Bulls’ athlete was twice marked a career-high 45 points. Homegrown first recorded the marks in June in Falher, Alberta when he dispatched Logan Biever in 5.47 seconds. He repeated the top score in August in Stavely, Alberta, for besting Nick Tetz in a swifter 3.99 seconds.

Close behind, within 0.4 points and tied for second in the bull standings alongside Uptown Funk, Happy Camper is on the verge of making history as first-ever two-time PBR Canada Bull of the Year. The two-time Monster Energy Tour Bull of the Event in 2019 concluded this season’s campaign with a 44.1-point average. Happy Camper bucked six times in PBR Canada competition in 2019, led by two 44.5-point marks. He first recorded the score at the first-ever Monster Energy Tour event in Lethbridge, Alberta for his 3.22-second trip with Jake Lockwood to be the top-marked bovine and repeated the score at his return to competition this September at his home event in Magrath, Alberta after besting Brock Radford in 3.81 seconds. While not reflected in his season average, Happy Camper made two trips stateside in 2019, including his third consecutive selection to the PBR World Finals.

Uptown Funk, along with Happy Camper, also concluded the season with a 44.1-point average. The fierce bovine was the Monster Energy Tour Bull of the Event two times – in Halifax, marked 43 points for his 3.44-second buckoff of two-time PBR Canada Champion Zane Lambert, and in Abbotsford, scored 43.5 points when he was ridden by Biever for 87 points. Uptown Funk also posted two massive 45-point-plus trips in 2019. After recording his then career-best out in July in Manor, Saskatchewan, scored 45 points for his 5.55 seconds of work with Coy Robbins, Uptown Funk shattered his own personal best just one month later. In August, bucking in Stavely, Alberta, the Vold Rodeo bovine was marked 45.5 points for sending Michael Ostashek to the dirt in a quick 2.12 seconds.

The complete list of contenders for this year’s PBR Canada Bull of the Year honor are:

No. 1 Homegrown

No. 2 (tie) Uptown Funk

Happy Camper

No. 4 Firebeatz

No. 5 (tie) Grey Eyes

OMB Legal Issues

No. 7 (tie) Catch My Drift

Tom Petty

Grey Tower III

One for the Money

Rhythm & Blues

No. 12 Buck Nasty

Finning Lil Shorty

After joining Homegrown and Happy Camper stateside in making their debut at the PBR World Finals in early November, No. 7 Catch My Drift and No. 12 Finning Lil Shorty will now set their sights on a national title.  Catch My Drift trails the No. 1 ranking by 0.8 points, while Finning Lil Shorty is within 0.9 points.

On the Monster Energy Tour, No. 7 One for the Money concluded the year with a league-best three Bull of the Event honors: Quebec (44 points), Moncton (43.5 points) and Halifax (43 points).  No. 4 Firebeatz also earned the regular-season honor once on the nation’s premier tour, topping the bull pen at the final event of 2019 in Edmonton, Alberta. The Foley Bucking Bulls’ athlete was marked 43.5 points when he was ridden by Lambert for 87 points. One for the Money and Firebeatz trail the top ranking by 0.8 and 0.5 points, respectively.

HAPPY CAMPER AIMS FOR RECORD BOOKS – Since the first PBR Canada Bull of the Year was crowned in 2006, no bovine athlete has claimed the coveted title twice. This year, however, reigning PBR Canada Bull of the Year Happy Camper will look to write his name in the history books as the first to accomplish the feat. After a dominant season in 2018 that included his year-end honor, in addition to three Monster Energy Tour Bull of the Event honors, including being the top-marked bull at the Canadian Finals, Happy Camper continued his championship-contending ways in 2019. After beginning the year with back-to-back Bull of the Event honors on the Monster Energy Tour in Lethbridge and Calgary, Alberta. Happy Camper made his regular-season Unleash The Beast debut in Billings, Montana. Earning two trips, after being ridden by Junio Quaresima for 86.75 points in Round 1, the Two Bit Bucking Bulls’ athlete made swift work of Cannon Cravens in Round 3, dispatching the Oklahoman in 3.32 seconds. Round-to-round, Happy Camper’s score improved, first marked 42.25 points, then 43.5 points. Following one additional out on home soil in Nipawin, Saskatchewan, Happy Camper had his season nearly derailed when he lost his toecap. Sidelined for 110 days, the beloved bull made his return to competition at the Two Bit Ranch in Magrath, erupting for a season-best 44.5 points for the second time. After bucking at the final regular-season Monster Energy Tour event of 2019 in Edmonton, marked 43 points for his 3.22 seconds of work with Jackson Scott, Happy Camper most recently bucked at the World Finals, ridden by Luciano de Castro for 88 points. Tied for second alongside Uptown Funk in the Bull of the Year race, Happy Camper ended the season with a 44.1-point average. He trails No. 1 Homegrown by 0.4 points. In addition to making history should he be crowed Bull of the Year, Happy Camper would join elite company if he repeated as the Bull of the Canadian Finals. Only two other bulls have recorded the top score at the season-culminating event twice: Unabomber (2008-2009) and VJV Slash (2010-2011). 

BULL PEN: FINALS FLARE – Of the 100-plus bulls chosen to buck by PBR Livestock Director Cody Lambert at the 2019 PBR World Finals, 10 hailed from Canada. Of those 10, seven will make their triumphant return to competition at the PBR Canada Finals. Those bulls are: Two Bit Bucking Bulls’ Happy Camper and Catch My Drift, Wild Hoggs’ Tykro Pound Sand and Vold Rodeo’s Come on Over, Big City Nights, Eno Bucking Bulls’ Homegrown, Flying Four Bucking Bulls’ Finning Lil Shorty. From Coronation, Alberta, current No. 1 contender in the Canadian Bull of the Year race Homegrown led the contingent earning two trips. Marked 43.75 points in both outs, Homegrown first dispatched Ryan Dirteater in 6.65 seconds in Round 3, before besting Derek Kolbaba in a close 7.58 seconds in Round 5. Happy Camper made his third consecutive appearance at the event, bucking in Round 3 to earn a 43-point score. Another multi-time qualifier, Tykro Pound Sand was marked 41.75 points in Round 5. The additional bull scores, all earned by bovine athletes making their first appearance at the event, were: Finning Lil Shorty for 42.75 points in Round 3; Catch My Drift for 42.5 points in Round 4; and Come on Over for 40.25 points in Round 4. Big City Nights also made the trip to Las Vegas, however did not leave the chutes after Brady Fielder earned a re-ride due to behavior in Round 4. All seven of these bulls are slated for the championship round.

THIS WEEKEND’S FORMAT –This 2019 PBR Monster Energy Canadian Finals, presented by Dakota Dunes Casino, will feature a field of 20 riders as qualified via the national standings. On Friday, November 22, to begin the event, all entered riders will attempt one bull each in Round 1 and Round 2. The riders will then draft their Round 3 bulls in an order determined by their second round finishes. On Saturday, November 23, all entered riders will attempt one last bull in Round 3 in an effort to punch their ticket to the championship round where the Top 10 will attempt one final bull in an effort to win the event title and PBR Canada Championship. The 2019 edition of the event marks the second consecutive year the Finals have played host to this format after it debuted in 2018. One rider has the chance to win a maximum 2,250 Canadian points, with 250 to be awarded to each round winner and 1,250 to the top rider in the aggregate. While they will count towards the 2020 standings, 270 world points will be awarded to the event winner.

NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN: 2019 C-MET THUS FAR – This weekend in Saskatoon, the 2019 Canadian Monster Energy Tour will come to a close. With a $50,000 bonus on the line for the 2019 PBR Canada Champion, and $17,500 set to be presented to the Canadian Finals event winner, the battle to be the No. 1 ranked rider in the nation has been fierce, with the Top 3 within 443 points of one another, and No. 1 Jared Parsonage and No. 2 Dakota Buttar separated by a mere 32.49 points. This weekend in Saskatoon, one rider has the chance to earn a maximum 2,250 Canadian points. Let’s take a look back:

Winnipeg: The 2019 PBR Canada Monster Energy Tour season launched on January 26 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with the competition starting with a bang form the first out. Competing for the first time since 2017 after undergoing reconstructive shoulder surgery, Shay Marks went a flawless 2-for-2 to capture his first event win on the tour. Tying for the win in both rounds of action, the performance netted the Albertan a massive 510 Canadian points and skyrocketed him to the No. 1 ranking in Canada, overtaking the previously top-ranked rider Jordan Hansen. The stop also featured a break-through performance from Daylon Swearingen, who finished second, who is now solidly ranked inside the world’s Top 35 and a contender for the year’s Rookie of the Year title. 

Lethbridge: After a one month break, the Monster Energy Tour traveled to Lethbridge, Alberta for the first time in history with a two-day event on March 1-2. As the only rider to go a perfect 3-for-3, Jared Parsonage won the second Monster Energy Tour event of his career inside the ENMAX Centre. Collecting 535 Canadian points, Parsonage overtook Shay Marks for the nation’s No. 1 ranking, leaving the Alberta event with a 90.83-point lead.

Calgary: Three short weeks later, the tour was back in action with yet another two-day event, this time in Calgary on March 22-23. While Parsonage remained atop the standings, carrying a 175.83 point lead over then No. 2 Shay Marks into the event, a new rider left the Nutrien Western Event Centre atop the standings. Going a perfect 3-for-3, and the lone rider to cover all his draws, Jordan Hansen won the first Monster Energy Tour event of his career at the Calgary Classic. The victory awarded him 575 Canadian points and allowed him to surge from No. 5 in the nation to No. 1 with a 119.17-point lead over No. 2 Parsonage. While Parsonage rode at the stop, he tied for 10^th, only earning 42.5 points.

Quebec: Turning its focus to the Eastern provinces, the Monster Energy Tour next travelled to Quebec for the third edition of the Canadian Iron Cowboy, the lone international Major, on May 4. With Derek Kolbaba winning the event for the second time in his career, earning a monstrous 680 Canadian points, he went from unranked to No. 3 in the nation. Among the Canadian hopefuls, Zane Lambert was the top finisher, concluding the stop third to net 50 national points. As a result of the event, which featured both No. 1 Jordan Hansen and No. 2 Jared Parsonage failing to make the 8, the top positions in the national standings remained unchanged.

London: The very next weekend in London, however, the drama continued. Prior to the tour making its return to the Ontario city, Jared Parsonage reclaimed the nation’s No. 1 ranking after finishing second the night prior to the event on the Touring Pro Division in Nipawin, Saskatchewan. The win earned Parsonage a clutch 117.5 national points, leading him to overtake No. 2 Jordan Hansen by 45 points leading into the fifth Monster Energy Tour event of 2019. In London, backed by a Round 1 win, Daylon Swearingen earned his third event win of the 2019 season to collect 450 Canadian points and catapult from No. 19 to No. 4 in Canada. The event also featured a runner-up finish by Shay Marks, earning him 200 Canadian points, and allowing him to advance from No. 4 to No. 3 in the nation, inching within 200 points of No. 1 Parsonage.

Moncton: At the next stop in Moncton, things continued to get interesting. Another American contender, Michael Lane, captured the event win, sling-shotting him to No. 9 in the nation. Daylon Swearingen delivered yet another impressive performance, finishing second to collect 340 Canadian points. He rose from No. 4 to No. 2 in the national standings, within a mere 17.08 points of the top spot. Shay Marks also collected points for his sixth-place result. Earning 95 Canadian points, Marks left the event No. 4 in the nation, closing within 105 points of No. 1 Jared Parsonage.

Halifax: Making his return to the Monster Energy Tour in Halifax on June 1, Jared Parsonage left his mark. While he briefly surrendered the No. 1 ranking the night prior to Jordan Hansen who tied for the win on the Touring Pro Division stop in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Parsonage was determined to leave the Nova Scotia event back atop the rankings. As the only rider to go 3-for-3, Parsonage captured his second Monster Energy Tour event win of 2019 in Halifax, erasing Hansen’s 190-point lead, and propelling him back to the No. 1 ranking. Garnering him 550 Canadian points, Parsonage left Scotiabank Centre with a 202.08 point lead over the No. 2 contender. Hansen was also overtaken by Daylon Swearingen who finished second at the stop. Earning 390 Canadian points, Swearingen reclaimed the No. 2 ranking, backed large in part by his Round 1 win.

Abbotsford: Following a fourth-month hiatus, in Abbotsford, Garrett Green won the first Canadian Monster Energy Tour event of his career, dominating both rounds of competition en route to claiming the event title. After winning Round 1 with an 84.5-point trip on Mogely, the Albertan remained perfect when the tied for the championship round victory with 87.5 points aboard OMB Legal Issues. In addition to collecting $6,472.54 and 170 world points, Green also earned a crucial 530 Canadian points, allowing him to crack into the Top 10 in the nation. The event in British Columbia also featured Top 5 outings from Brock Radford and Jared Parsonage. Finishing second in the aggregate by a point, Radford collected 265 Canadian points. The perfect 2-for-2 performance propelled Radford one position in the national standings, rising from No. 7 to No. 6. Perhaps the most significant performance was the 2-for-2 effort that left Parsonage fifth, garnering him 80 Canadian points. While he remained No. 2 in the nation, he inched within 42.52 points of then No. 1 Dakota Buttar who was stateside competing on the elite Unleash The Beast in Nampa, Idaho.  

Edmonton: At the final regular-season event of the year, Jared Parsonage reclaimed the No. 1 ranking he had held the majority of the season. Again delivering a 2-for-2 performance that left him fifth, the Maple Creek man cruised past Dakota Buttar, who went 0-for-1 inside the Edmonton EXPO Centre, to conclude the stop 32.49 points out front. American rookie Daylon Swearingen was the event’s top rider, collecting 460 Canadian points for his second Monster Energy Tour win of 2019. He climbed from No. 5 to No. 4 in the Canadian national standings courtesy of the performance. The event also featured a break-through performance by two-time Canadian Champion Zane Lambert who climbed from No. 17 to No. 11 courtesy of his third-place result. Canadian No.5 Jordan Hansen also finished inside the Top 5, concluding the event fourth to net 140 Canadian points.

NEXT UP – The 2020 PBR Canada Monster Energy Tour will begin on January 24-25 in Calgary, Alberta for the two-day Calgary Classic at the Nutrien Western Event Centre. Action will get underway at 7:30 p.m. MT.   

PROVIDING PROTECTION – The bullfighters on hand for this weekend’s event in Saskatoon are Tanner Byrne, Ty Prescott, and Brett Monea. In making his Monster Energy Tour debut, Byrne will also make history as the first-ever former qualifier to also fight bulls at the PBR Canada Finals.

BROADCAST COVERAGE – Fans will be able to watch the action in its entirety live via PBR’s new streaming digital platform RidePass. Coverage of the 2019 PBR Monster Energy Canadian Finals, presented by Dakota Dunes Casino, will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday, November 22, and Saturday, November 23. The event will also be broadcast on TSN2 on Tuesday, December 3 at 11:00 p.m. ET and Wednesday, December 4 at 12:30 p.m. ET.  

SASKATOON COMPETITORS BY COUNTRY

Australia (1) – Lane Mellers

Brazil (1) – Marcos Gloria

Canada (13) – Logan Biever, Dakota Buttar, Todd Chotowetz, Jake Gardner, Garrett Green, Jordan Hansen, Dayton Johnston, Zane Lambert, Shay Marks, Jared Parsonage, Brock Radford, Aaron Roy, Jackson Scott

United States (5) – Cody Casper, Thor Hoefer II, Derek Kolbaba, Jake Lockwood, Daylon Swearingen

BREAKDOWN BY PROVINCE –

Alberta – Logan Biever, Garrett Green, Jordan Hansen, Dayton Johnston, Zane Lambert, Shay Marks, Brock Radford; British Columbia –Jake Gardner, Jackson Scott; Saskatchewan – Dakota Buttar, Todd Chotowetz, Jared Parsonage, Aaron Roy.