Tight Standings Make for Exciting Bubble Watch During Finals Weeks of PBR Canada’s 2024 Regular Season

AIRDRIE, Alta. – PBR Canada’s 2024 regular season is heading into its final phase, and with hundreds of points on the line, the riders on the bubble are looking to solidify their position for the richest bull riding event in Canada – the PBR Canada National Finals inside Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, on Nov. 8-9.

With Nick Tetz and Cody Coverchuk holding a monstrous lead on the field, it's the back half of the roster that will be shuffling around over the next month-and-a-half.

With three PBR Canada Cup Series events, including one Major in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and a Touring Pro Division event remaining, riders are eyeing that Top 18 cutoff.

As we look at the bubble spots, Brazil’s Gilmar Santana is currently No. 13. The PBR Canada rookie showed up on the scene with friend and travelling partner Alison Trindade early this year and had immediate success. Winning two events in May, the Koye Larson Memorial in Brooks, Alberta, and 8 Seconds at the Ridge at the Elk Ridge Resort in Saskatchewan, the 27-year-old was poised for a solid season.

Battling injury and shifting his focus towards the semi-professional ranks of bull riding in Canada, Santana has competed at fewer PBR Canada events this summer. But after he went 1-for-2 in Kindersley, Saskatchewan two weeks ago, fans must keep an eye on the Brazilian talent.

2020 PBR World Finals event winner and Rookie of the Year Boudreaux Campbell holds the No. 14 rank. The Crockett, Texas native, and member of the Missouri Thunder in the separate PBR Teams league made his way north of the border for two events in Ontario, taking home the win at the Cup Series event in Ottawa. That victory rocketed him into a comfortable position in the standings, but his focus has been the PBR Camping World Team Series events, and he will be one rider who will need to make a trip to Canada to guarantee his qualification to the year-end event.

Jordan Hansen occupies the No. 15 spot in the standings. With only 11 PBR Canada events under his belt, and a win at the coveted Glen Keeley Memorial Bull Riding last month, Hansen is a rider to watch. With a shift in the Canadian Professional Rodeo season, moving its finals up one full month, Hansen’s consistency across the final four events of the year should be ensuring he qualifies for the National Finals.

Sundre, Alberta’s Wyatt Gleeson sits No. 16. Gleeson admits to focusing on the rodeo side of the sport in 2024, but off the back of an early season win in Marwayne, Alberta he entered a total of 17 events, and has prioritized the PBR Canada Cup Series events.

Gleeson suffered a broken free arm just a month and a half ago but turning up to some late-season events to keep an eye on the competition, Gleeson is expected to make a run and solidify his spot in Edmonton.

Garrett Green, the 32-year-old Meeting Creek, Alberta resident, is currently No. 17 in the standings. Green has competed in 13 events and placed at half of them. One of the most consistent riders when he is healthy, Green has been resting up the past few weeks and one can only expect him to be attacking these final four events to ensure he is no longer a bubble concern in 2024.

Australia’s Cody Fraser is No. 18, holding down the final qualifying spot. The level-headed Olds, Alberta resident has been grinding his way through the schedule. The son of Australia bull riding legend Scott Fraser, there isn’t a rider who tries harder on the back of a bucking bull. Last season was his first full season of PBR Canada competition, winning right off the back in Marwayne, Alberta. This season has been a bit tougher for the 26-year-old, but his placements in his 25 entries this season have kept him in the conversation.

The 18th spot is the final qualifying position for the PBR Canada National Finals. Two Australian invites and a past Champion invite make up the coveted 21 spots for the PBR Canada National Finals.

Outside looking in are a group of riders who have been pushing hard all season. No. 19 overall is 2022 PBR Canada Rookie of the Year Cauy Schmidt and behind him is Saskatoon, Saskatchewan’s Stefan Tonita at No. 20.

Schmidt is expected to be at all four remaining events, while Tonita will be unsure as his schooling in Wyoming may impact the remainder of his 2024 Canadian season.

Perennial favorite Brock Radford is also on the outside looking in, sitting in the No. 21 position in the standings. Struggling with some injuries in 2024, Radford turned up to the PBR event in Armstrong, British Columbia, and made a great effort that evening. As a veteran amongst the PBR Canada ranks, there isn’t a rider more intensely focused when he enters, and you cannot count Radford out of the National Finals.  

The bubble watch in 2024 is incredibly exciting for fans. With three PBR Canada Cup Series events on the docket, some of these riders are a Top 3 placement, or win away from being able to stamp their ticket to National Finals with just 317 points separating the current No. 3 and No. 18 rider in Canada.

Some notable riders deeper in the standings, but far from counted out are No. 26 Chad Hartman, No. 28 Lonnie West and No. 30 William Barrows.

Hartman took some time off through the late summer but entered the Dakota Buttar Invitational in Kindersley, Saskatchewan.

West is returning from injuries but has turned it on at the right time. With only four events under his belt since his return, he has finished runner up twice. West has been a favourite for bull riding titles across many associations in Canada and it’s expected to see him work his way into qualifying for the National Finals.

Lastly is Barrows. Foremost, Alberta’s Barrows was near the top of the PBR Canada in July of last season, but suffered serious injury in Kelowna, British Columbia. Now healthy and back in competition, Barrows is aiming his efforts at qualifying and will be taking on the remaining events with focus and determination to show his 2023 form.