Strong Showing in Oregon Sets Tone for Ashton Sahli’s 2025 Campaign

AIRDRIE, Alta. – Ashton Sahli found the perfect way to shake off the rust before the PBR Canada season kicks into high gear — head south for a PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event and contend for a win.

Competing alongside fellow Canadian rider Tanner Eno, Sahli went 2-for-3 at the stop in Eugene, Oregon, finishing third overall. The performance earned him a solid payday and, more importantly, a confidence boost ahead of the heart of the 2025 season.

“I spent most of the winter working up here,” Sahli explained. “I was busy doing that and got sick of it. I figured I’d better switch back into bull riding mode before things really pick up. We're just getting fired up up here, but I thought I may as well enter one down there, get on some bulls and sharpen the tools.

“I like to stay busy. I’m not one to just sit around at home. I like working, but obviously bull riding is my game—and it’s my goal. To be a bull rider and be the best I can be. When you’re out working in the bush for a couple months, it sure makes you hungry. You want to stay on your bulls when you show up at an event. That’s the biggest thing for me.”

Sahli was climbing the standings at the end of 2024, leading the first night of the PBR Canada National Finals. While he wasn’t in contention for the overall title, the $50,000 event bonus was on the line. However, an injury on the final day of the season, left fans—and the PBR Canada community—wondering what might have been for the talented 24-year-old.

This past weekend’s Velocity Tour event in Oregon marked Sahli’s first trip south since last winter. Competing in the U.S. comes with a learning curve—not knowing the stock or many of the other riders—but a few familiar faces like Eno and eventual event winner Callum Miller, helped Sahli to focus on his job.

“Being a guy from Canada, you’re kind of the outsider. None of the contractors or judges know you, but a couple of the riders do—the ones who come up to our events. It’s always nice to have someone from home to enter with. It brings a bit of comfort,” Sahli said.

“Callum’s been down there and riding really well. He flicked a switch, and it was good to see ‘Chips’ again—I hadn’t seen him in a while. He ended up walking away with the win, and that was good to see. You always want to win first, but it still feels good when a good buddy gets it done.”

The weekend didn’t start perfectly for Sahli. His first matchup against Lock ’N Load ended in a 2.66-second buckoff. But the best bull riders know that buckoffs happen—and you can’t dwell on it.

“Friday night I had a really good bull. I thought I’d get along with him, but I stubbed my toe. That was 100% on me. I’ve learned the last couple of years that dwelling on those kinds of things doesn’t help—especially at a two- or three-day event,” he said.

“You’ve got to throw it out the window, trust the process, believe in yourself, and show up the next day with a clear mind ready to do your job.”

With only two regular season Velocity Tour events left—and neither entered—Sahli says qualifying for the Velocity Tour Finals in Corpus Christi, Texas, May 2-3 is out of reach this year. Still, he’s grateful for the success in Eugene and focused on the bigger picture.

“I kind of missed the boat on that,” he laughed. “There are only two Velocity events left. If I’d made the businessman decision and entered the others, I probably could have been in the conversation. But really, I just wanted to get on some bulls, get rolling, and be ready to go full tilt here all summer. My plan is to give it everything I’ve got in Canada.”

That Canadian season will be busy, with more than 40 events and hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line. For Sahli, one event stands out on the calendar.

“My favourite bull riding up here is the Cody Snyder Charity Bullbustin’. It’s five days of bucking bulls, loud music, fireworks and big money. It’s right in the heat of July—it’s the best time of year. That one’s always a highlight on my schedule.”

Snyder’s event is scheduled for the Grey Eagle Resort and Casino July 1-5 in Calgary, Alberta, and boasts sold-out crowds for five straight days on the beautiful Tsuutina Reserve in the city’s west side. 

As for the rest of the competition in 2025, with three standout Brazilians joining a deep field of championship-level Canadian riders, Sahli knows he has to focus on what he can control.

“Our bull ridings in Canada have really kicked into a new gear the last couple years,” Sahli said. “The guys are showing up and staying on—they’re riding a lot of bulls. But I try not to think too much about what everyone else is doing. At the end of the day, it’s just me and the bull I’ve drawn. That’s the task. If I show up, do my job, and stay in my lane, it’ll work out in the end.”