PBR Canada Slides into Spring with Strong Schedule

AIRDRIE, Alta. – The PBR Canada season is about to roll into its spring run, giving bull riders dozens of opportunities to earn points and position themselves for a spot at the 2026 PBR Canada National Finals in Edmonton, Alberta.

With only 18 qualifying positions up for grabs inside Rogers Place, and unrivalled prize money on the line across more than 40 nights of competition through the summer, the race is about to heat up in a hurry.

Calgary, Alberta's Nick Tetz has a sizeable lead after victories in the first two PBR Canada Cup Series events of 2026, with the rest of the field jockeying for position. 

First on deck is the annual Touring Pro Division stop in Marwayne, Alberta, on April 10.

The Marwayne PBR is held in a small town in the heart of rodeo country in Vermilion County, and the event is run by former bull riders and contractors who know exactly what it takes to put on a great bull riding. Year after year, the committee packs Marwayne Arena and delivers an atmosphere that feels bigger than the building itself.

In 2025, Cauy Schmidt took home the win, the second of his career, and it proved pivotal in his eventual qualification for the 2025 PBR Canada National Finals. Schmidt sealed the victory aboard Foley Bucking Bulls' standout bucker Pyper, scoring 89 points in the championship round to top the field.

Two-time PBR Canada Champion Dakota Buttar, who won in Marwayne back in 2015, says it's one of the best early stops on the schedule and one where the committee does a great job keeping the competition well-rounded from top to bottom.

"Justin Volz and his team put that event on, and it is always such a good kick-off for when the schedule starts to get really busy," Buttar said.

"They always bring a great pen of bulls from Foley and Skori Bucking Bulls, with a few others. They absolutely pack that little arena. It feels like the fans are right on top of you."

Two weeks later, the bulls and riders of PBR Canada will head to a brand-new event in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, on April 25.

From 2017 to 2019, Moose Jaw hosted a PBR Canada Touring Pro Division event inside Temple Gardens Centre. This time around, the event will be overseen by the same production team that builds PBR Canada Cup Series events — adding an extra layer of consistency and polish to the return of top-tier bull riding in the city.

Bringing PBR Canada back to "Canada's Little Chicago" is an exciting win for the industry as a whole, delivering world-class competition to southern Saskatchewan. For Buttar, who won the event in 2019, riding in his home province always carries a little extra meaning.

"I love all events in Saskatchewan, they all feel like home for me," Buttar said. "Shorter drives and waking up in my own bed goes a long way for me.

"Knowing the event is put on by Jason and his 3D Bull Riding team means you are going to see that same level of production you see at our big tour events all across Canada. I think that Temple Gardens Centre will be packed, and I would get your tickets sooner rather than later."

Those two spring stops lead directly into one of the most important weekends on the calendar: the PBR Mazergroup Chute Out in Brandon, Manitoba, with two nights of PBR Canada Cup Series competition on May 1-2.

For riders chasing a National Finals berth, and for fans wanting to see the best of the best, the Brandon events is a major measuring stick. Nearly every PBR Canada Champion has won at least one PBR Canada Cup Series event during their title season.

For Buttar, who finished second last season in Brandon, the two-night format brings its own energy. With three bulls across two days, there's pressure to be sharp early and stay sharp.

"I always like going back to buildings I've had some luck at," he said. "The PBR Canada Cup Series is second to none in Canada, so every time I head to a tour event, I'm excited. The tour events are pretty important to being able to set yourself up for a strong Finals.

"When the crowd is loud and into it, it just makes us all ride better, rise to the occasion."

From there, the schedule opens up in a big way, with one to two events nearly every weekend through August. For fans, it's a chance to see the PBR up close across the country. For the riders, it's a full-speed push toward Edmonton and a chance to earn their way into the Finals race for the $100,000 champion's bonus awarded each November.