Built Ford Tough Top 50: PBR Canada Launches 5/5 Bucking Battles in 2020

NEW YORK CITY – In 2016, the PBR Canada Monster Energy Tour launched as the first unified, cross-country, televised bull riding series in Canada’s history.

RELATED: Monster Energy Tour Launches in 2016

After four seasons of incredible feats of athleticism by both riders and bulls, in 2020 the league heightened the stakes with the addition of the 5/5 Bucking Battle.

Showcased at each two-day Monster Energy Tour event, the 5/5 Bucking Battle pits the Top 5 riders from the Canadian national standings, against the Top 5 bovine athletes at the event, offering both a separate purse and national points.

For the national points, the first-place rider receives 15 points, while second earns 12, third collects nine, fourth nets six, and fifth receives four.

While the points schedule is fixed, the payout is structured based on how many riders deliver 8-second efforts.

If three or more riders reach the whistle, the money is awarded as: 1^st - $2,500; 2^nd - $1,500; and 3^rd – $1,000. However, should fewer than three riders record qualified rides, the remaining money is redistributed amongst those riders who did record a score. If two riders cover their draw, the top scorer earns $3,000, while the runner-up collects $2,000. If only one rider reaches the 8-second whistle, he will collect the full $5,000.

The first 5/5 Bucking Battle was held at the 2020 Monster Energy Tour season-launch event in Calgary, Alberta in late January.

Featuring three riders who were preparing to represent Team Canada at the 2020 PBR Global Cup USA, the first quintet of match-ups was:

Garrett Green vs. VJV Whiskey Hand

Brock Radford vs. Cool Bricks

Aaron Roy vs. Kubota’s Summer Warrior

Jared Parsonage vs. Uptown Funk

Dakota Buttar vs. Hannah Motors Homeboy

Recording what would be the high-marked ride of the entire event, Radford made the 8 aboard Cool Bricks for a massive 89 points to win the first-ever 5/5 Bucking Battle.

RELATED: Brock Radford Wins First-Ever 5/5 Bucking Battle at Monster Energy Tour’s Calgary Classic

The special round inside the Nutrien Western Event Centre also featured rides recorded by Buttar and Parsonage. Buttar covered Hannah Motors Homeboy for 86 points to finish second, while Parsonage rode Uptown Funk for 79 points to finish third.

Fewer than two months later, at the next stop on the PBR Canada Monster Energy Tour, the 5/5 Bucking Battle returned in Lethbridge, Alberta, for the South Country Co-Op Showdown.

With Green, Radford, Roy, Parsonage and Buttar again the five riders slated to compete in the special round, a rivalry was beginning to brew between one rider and one bull.

For the second edition of the 5/5 Bucking Battle, Radford was again set to face off against X6 Ranch’s Cool Bricks.

Roy would also attempt a familiar bull, albeit for the first time in a 5/5 Bucking Battle.

Drawing Skori Bucking Bulls’ Tom Petty, the three-time PBR Canada Champion found himself in a rubber match, attempting the bull for the third time in his career.

After Roy was bested on the Touring Pro Division in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan in early 2019 by the bull in a quick 2.5 seconds, he responded with a score aboard Tom Petty later that season, marked 84.5 points en route to his victory in Staveley, Alberta at the Glen Keeley Memorial PBR.

For the remaining three riders competing in the Lethbridge 5/5 Bucking Battle, Buttar would look to cover VJV Whiskey Hand, while Green would attempt Vertigo Spy, and Parsonage would face Spooky Lukie.

In similar fashion to Calgary, three riders recorded qualified rides, however, the winner was decided on review, as the packed crowd inside the ENMAX Centre waited on the edge-of-their-seats to see if what would be the high-marked ride of the round was indeed a qualified ride.

Earnign the thumbs-up from the judges, Green was marked 88.5 points atop Vertigo Spy to win the 5/5 Bucking Battle.

RELATED: Green Dominates 5/5 Bucking Battle in Lethbridge

In second was Radford, again making the 8 aboard Cool Bricks, this time for a score of 88 points.

Buttar rounded out the Top 3, finishing third with an 86-point trip on VJV Whiskey Hand.

While the 2020 season is currently amidst an unprecedented hiatus, fans can relive all the action from both 5/5 Bucking Battles today on RidePass. Tune-in to the action at RidePass.com or via the mobile app.

The 5/5 Bucking Battles will also be featured in the opening night TSN telecast. Stay tuned to PBRCanada.com for the most up-to-date broadcast schedule.