Game Notes – Lethbridge

LET’S GO LETHBRIDGE – This weekend, for the sixth consecutive season, PBR Canada’s elite Cup Series will buck into Lethbridge, Alberta. The PBR South Country Co-op Showdown, presented by VisitLethbridge.com, the second elite tour event of the season, will be held at ENMAX Centre on March 1-2. The Lethbridge event will begin Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. MST.

RELATED: Click here for the complete Lethbridge Game Notes. 

THIS WEEKEND’S FORMAT – The PBR South Country Co-op Showdown, presented by VisitLethbridge.com, will feature three rounds of bull riding and is a Tier 1 Velocity Global event. Each rider will get on one bull in Round 1 on Friday and Round 2 on Saturday. The 10 bull riders with the best combined scores will then advance to the championship round on Saturday, where they will attempt one final bull in an effort to be crowned the event champion. This weekend, one rider will have the chance to earn 140 national points in the main event, in addition to ride score points. Following Saturday night’s Round 1, the Top 5 riders from the opening round will attempt five of the event’s top bulls. Featuring both a separate purse, and national points, $2,500 will be available, with the winner set to collect 15 national points.

5/5 BUCKING BATTLE – In 2024, at all two-day PBR Canada Cup Series events, the opening night of competition will feature a 5/5 Bucking Battle. Pitting the Top 5 riders from the event’s opening round against the five best bucking bulls at the event, the special round will feature both a separate purse, and national points. The national points will be awarded as: 1^st – 15; 2^nd – 8; and 3^rd – 7. The money will payout as: 1^st - $1,250; 2^nd - $750; and 3^rd – $500. The bulls slated to buck in the 5/5 Bucking Battle in Grande Prairie are:

Last Rights (Vold Rodeo/Prescott)
Wild Time (Vold Rodeo)
Grey Dawn (Vold Rodeo)
Disco Daze (X6 Ranch Bucking Stock/Legend Rodeo Stock)
Easy E (X6 Ranch Bucking Stock/Legend Rodeo Stock)

PAST LETHBRIDGE EVENT WINNERS – When the Cup Series last travelled to Lethbridge in March 2023, then reigning PBR Canada Champion Nick Tetz delivered a perfect 3-for-3 effort to defend his event victories in the city from the year prior. Tetz got off to a quick start, winning Round 1 courtesy of an 86.5-point ride atop Sure Shot. The reserved Albertan continued his momentum in Round 2, recording his second score when he covered Tractorlands Freakshow for 83.5 points. With the first pick in the championship round bull draft, Tetz renewed his rivalry with Sure Shot from Round 1, electing to go head-to-head with the bovine athlete for the second time that weekend. Replicating his earlier success, Tetz matched the powerful bull jump-for-jump en route to the 8-second whistle for 86 points to clinch the victory. The golden finish garnered Tetz 140 national points. Unranked prior to the tour stop, Tetz vaulted to No. 2 in the national standings.

2023 Nick Tetz
2022 Nick Tetz
2022 Nick Tetz
2021 Zane Lambert
2020 Garrett Green
2020 Brock Radford/Ty Ellis
2020 Dakota Buttar
2019 Jared Parsonage

FAMILIAR WATERS – Round 1 of the PBR South Country Co-op Showdown, presented by VisitLethbridge.com, will feature three rematches. Those riders facing familiar opponents are:

• Nick Tetz will look to remain perfect against Lord Fear. In July 2022, Tetz rode the bull for 88.5 points at a Touring Pro Division event in Calgary, Alberta.
• Chad Hartman will attempt to reverse his fates aboard Red Coat. At the October 2022 Cup Series event in Medicine Hat, Alberta, the powerful bovine athlete tossed Hartman in 2.62 seconds.
• Eric O’Flynn will have his rivalry with Jam It renewed. In November 2023 at the final Touring Pro Division event of the season in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Jam It upended O’Flynn in 1.84 seconds.

Round 2 of the PBR South Country Co-op Showdown, presented by VisitLethbridge.com, will feature four rematches. Those riders facing familiar opponents are:

• Chad Hartman will attempt his second familiar opponent when he settles in atop Sugar Jacked. In May 2023 at the Cup Series event in Brandon, Manitoba, the bull bested Hartman in 3.23 seconds.
• Jordan Hansen will look to improved to a flawless 2-for-2 against Lil’ Hooch. In October 2023, Hansen rode the bull for 83.5 points during the opening round of the Cup Series event in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
• Stefan Tonita will attempt Look At This Dude for the third time in his career. After being bucked off by the bull in August 2022 in 6.75 seconds at the Touring Pro Division event in Gleichen, Alberta, Tonita was tossed again by Look At This Dude, this time in 3.11 seconds at the September 2022 Cup Series stop in Lethbridge, Alberta.
• Weston Davidson will face the final rematch of Round 2 having drawn High & Low. In July 2023 at the Touring Pro Division event in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, Davidson covered High & Low for 83 points.

NEXT UP – The 2024 PBR Canada Sup Series will next travel to Brandon, Manitoba, and Keystone Centre for the PBR Mazergroup Chute Out on Saturday, May 25. Action will get underway at 7 p.m. CST.   

PROVIDING PROTECTION – The bullfighters on hand for this weekend’s event in Lethbridge, Alberta, are Tanner Byrne, Ty Prescott and Brett Monea.

 

LETHBRIDGE COMPETITORS BY COUNTRY

Australia (1) – Cody Fraser

Canada (25) – William Barrows, Dakota Buttar, Cody Coverchuk, Tyler Craig, Weston Davidson, Tanner Eno, Wyatt Gleeson, Elijah Gordon, Garrett Green, Jordan Hansen, Chad Hartman, Wyatt Laughlin, Orrin Marshall, Keaton Martz, Micheal Ostashek, Jared Parsonage, Eric O’Flynn, Brock Radford, Coy Robbins, Aaron Roy, Ashton Sahli, Marshall Senger, Chanse Switzer, Nick Tetz, Stefan Tonita

Paraguay (1) – Fabien Dueck

United States (1) – Dakota Louis

BREAKDOWN BY PROVINCE –

Alberta – William Barrows, Tyler Craig, Tanner Eno, Wyatt Gleeson, Garrett Green, Jordan Hansen, Wyatt Laughlin, Keaton Martz, Micheal Ostashek, Brock Radford, Coy Robbins, Ashton Sahli, Nick Tetz,; British Columbia – Elijah Gordon, Eric O‘Flynn; Saskatchewan – Dakota Buttar, Cody Coverchuk, Weston Davidson, Chad Hartman, Orrin Marshall, Jared Parsonage, Aaron Roy, Marshall Senger, Chanse Switzer, Stefan Tonita.