Back to All News

Canadian Bull Riders Qualify for PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals

10/26/2011

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan(October 26, 2011) The Professional Bull Riders announced that Canadians Dusty Ephrom, Aaron Roy, and Tyler Thomson will compete in the 2011 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals on Oct. 26-30 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. It was also announced that Dickies® DuraBullfighter Jesse Byrne has been selected by the Top 40 bull riders in the world to work his fourth straight World Finals.

Riders qualify for the World Finals based on money earned throughout the season on the nationally-televised Built Ford Tough Series, the Touring Pro Division (the PBR’s developmental league), and international events in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico.

The 2011 PBR World Champion will be crowned on Oct. 30, receiving the coveted World Champion buckle and a $1 million bonus courtesy of Ford Trucks. The richest bull riding event in the world, the World Finals has a total purse of $2.2 million.

It is the fourth straight qualification for Roy, who is from Asquith, Saskatchewan. The 24 year old, who is ranked 14th in the BFTS standings, is the all-time Canadian money leader with $586,994. He has won the Glen Keeley Award, which is presented to the Canadian rider who earns the most money during the BFTS season, each of the last three years. The award is named in honor of Glen Keeley, a Canadian rider fatally injured on Mar. 24, 2000 at the PBR event in Albuquerque, N.M. The PBR also retired Keeley’s back number - 68.

It is the first trip to the World Finals for Thomson, who is from Black Diamond, Alberta, and Ephrom, who is from Arcola, Saskatchewan. Ephrom received his invitation by being the top earner in PBR Canada while Thomson qualified by ranking 33rd in qualifier dollars with $58,866.

Byrne, who is the only Canadian selected to work the PBR World Finals, has also been chosen to work the PBR Canada Finals each of the past five years. The 25 year old is the son of Ryan Byrne, who is the only Canadian bullfighter selected to work the National Finals Rodeo.

The 2011 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals are Oct. 26-30 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Bull riding begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The World Finals officially begin on Tuesday, Oct. 25 with the inaugural PBR Legends Reunion at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, which was the site of the first five PBR World Finals from 1994-98. The event begins at 4 p.m. with the Founders Forum, and continues until 9 p.m. with the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals Kickoff Party. Each Legends Reunion ticket package contains tickets to the Founders Forum, Alumni Meet & Greet, Heroes & Legends Ceremony, and the Built Ford Tough World Finals Kickoff Party, as well as a commemorative Legends Reunion ball cap and an autograph book. For more information please click here.

Tickets for the World Finals and the Legends Reunion are on sale at the Thomas & Mack Center box office, www.UNLVTickets.com, and by telephone at (866) PBR-SHOW. There is a special $150 ticket that includes the Legends Reunion and Rounds 1 and 2 of the World Finals, a savings of $170.

The 2011 PBR World Finals will be televised live in HD on VERSUS at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and on NBC at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday. DIRECTV will have the first-ever 3D broadcast of bull riding at 4 p.m. ET on DIRECTV’s 3D channel, n3D™ (channel 103).

18. Aaron Roy, Asquith, Saskatchewan $108,993.30
33. Tyler Thomson, Black Diamond, Alberta $58,866.51
Dusty Ephrom of Arcola, Saskatchewan

###

About Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Canada:
Dollars earned at Canadian events counts towards qualification to the elite PBR Canadian Cup National Finals.  Upon the conclusion of the Finals, the bull rider with the most regular season and Finals points is crowned the PBR Canadian National Champion.  Money won at all Canadian events counts toward qualifying on the prestigious PBR Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS).  At the end of the BFTS season, the top-ranked PBR Canada rider will compete at the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas, NV.  For more information on PBR Canada, go to www.pbrcanada.com, or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pbr.canada and Twitter at http://twitter.com/PBRCanada.  
About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR):
The PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. More than 100 million viewers annually watch over 400 hours of primetime PBR programming on VERSUS, NBC, CBS and networks around the world. The PBR has awarded over $100 million in prize money and 20 riders have earned over $1 million, including Justin McBride with $5.5 million - the most of any western-sports athlete in history. The PBR was nominated as 2010 Sports League of the Year at the Sports Business Journal Sports Business Awards, alongside the National Football League, National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Nearly two 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/TeamPBR and http://twitter.com/TEAMPBR.