The Morning Line – Lethbridge – Day 1

LETHBRIDGE, Alberta – Like I said last year around this time, I’m glad for winter to be over. Luckily for all of us up here, the PBR event in Lethbridge always means that spring is on the way.

With spring, comes the ramping up of the PBR season here in Canada and 2020 marks the second year now that the Monster Energy Tour rolls through the ENMAX Centre.

Last year, Jared Parsonage was the only man to go 3-for-3 and earned the victory, surging to the No. 1 spot in the Canadian standings.

As one of the five two-day events of this season on the Monster Energy Tour, Friday night features the 5/5 Bucking Battle. The Top 5 riders in the Canadian standings face the Top 5 bulls for $5,000. It just so happens that the first ever winner of the 5/5 from Calgary, Brock Radford, has the same bull he won that event on. Radford will face Cool Bricks once again, but will he win another piece of the $5,000 and 15 Canadian points?

The format this weekend features Round 1 on Friday, Round 2 on Saturday with the Top 10 going to the Championship Round.

RELATED: Click here for the full Friday daysheet

Brock Radford vs. 454 All Business

Ridden six times in 19 outs, All Business from the Two Bit Nation started his PBR career in 2017. He’s a bull that has more to him than meets the eyes. Surprisingly, the highest score so far on this bull comes from his first PBR season, back in 2017 in Québec City against Lachlan Richardson. Radford ranks No. 5 in Canada and has spent some time in the states this winter on the elite Unleash The Beast. My money is on Brock here for a score that’s going to be above 84 and set him up right for the 5/5 Bucking Battle and Round 2 on Saturday night.

Logan Biever vs. 0-458 Carlier Cartel

Biever put out a ton of effort last weekend in Claresholm in the championship round and placed deep in Round 1. Carlier Cartel has yet to be ridden and was marked 46 points at the Calgary Stampede in 2019 against Derek Kolbaba. Biever sure has a nice start to the year so close to home, and looks to continue his momentum tonight. This bull went 2-0 when he was last here in March 2018. A big, black, horned bull, Carlier Cartel looks strong and tough to ride, but Biever will be up for the challenge as always.

RELATED: Lethbridge Game Notes

Jared Parsonage vs. 7-513 Preacher Man

Parsonage has also drawn a Carlier bucking bull, but this one’s been ridden five times in eight outs, one of the more rideable bulls in the pen. Garrett Green, also in the 5/5 Bucking Battle, rode this red, banana horned bull in Elnora last summer for an 83-point score and Radford took him to an 83.5 in Abbotsford last fall. The highest score recorded on this bull so far is an 84.5. Look for much of the same from Parsonage on the path to the repeat.  

Dakota Buttar vs. 225 Big Tymer

These two met last week as a re-ride where the bull won late in the pursuit of the 8-second whistle. For being eight years old, Big Tymer from Vold Rodeo is strong and remains tough to ride as probably the most experienced bull in the pen. In order to win here, Buttar’s going to have to stay on Big Tymer, a bull last rode by 2019 PBR Canada Champion Daylon Swearingen in Québec last May. A key for Buttar, however, is that this bull was ridden here in this arena last March.
Jackson Scott vs. OMB Legal Issues

With six qualified rides in 11 outs on Origin Malting and Brewing Legal Issues, I would say that Scott has the pick of the pen. He’s a bull from Slim Wilson that’s quite often in the championship round. The lowest recorded score is 86.5 points and the highest is 89. Scott is only 22 years-old and getting close the Top 10 in the nation. In 2019 he finished No. 12 in Canada after ending the year No. 35 in 2018. 

Tickets remain available for the 2020 PBR Canada Monster Energy Tour South Country Co-op Showdown and can be purchased from the Enmax Centre website.  

Fans will also be able to watch all the action LIVE on RidePass. The stream will begin on both Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7 at 7:00 p.m.

Stay tuned in to PBRCanada.com and follow the tour on Facebook (PBR Canada), Twitter (@PBRCanada), and Instagram (@PBRCanada) for the latest results, news, stats and more.

Follow Ted Stovin on Twitter @TedStovin.