London Classic Win Propels Dakota Buttar to the Top of the Canadian National Standings

AIRDRIE, Alta. – There’s a new No. 1 man in the PBR Canada national standings—and he’s no stranger to that spot.

Two-time PBR Canada Champion Dakota Buttar went a perfect 3-for-3 last weekend at the Cup Series’ London Classic in London, Ontario, earning 251 national points and vaulting into the top spot in the standings as he eyes a record-tying third national title.

Buttar has been an annual fixture in the title conversation every time the series arrives at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, to decide the Championship, and with his usual mid-season consistency, he's poised to make another strong push this year.

The Eatonia, Saskatchewan rider says much of his current success can be attributed to work he’s done on the mental side of bull riding.

"I think the biggest part of it has been having a lot of fun, going and not thinking about a whole lot, just taking the bull for what he is," Buttar said. "I haven’t even been looking at videos or anything. I’ve just been going and doing my job, not worrying about anything else."

"I think everybody is guilty of overthinking at some point. You’ll make problems for yourself that aren’t even there. If you just let your body do what it has to do, it’ll react and make the proper moves."

After dominant outs in the event’s opening rounds, Buttar held the first pick in the championship round in London. With the pick, Buttar selected a familiar opponent in More or Less, a bull he had a perfect 2-for-2 record on coming into the showdown.

Once again, the two clicked.

Buttar matched him move for move, scoring 89 points to clinch the event win, the second time this season he’s ridden the bull to victory.

"He feels great. He’s got lots of up and down, lots of timing, gives a guy time to get a good seat," Buttar explained. "You’re always going to be high 80s on him. If you’ve got him, you’ve got a chance to win every time. That’s what I like about him."

Having already been marked 87 points on More or Less in Red Deer, Alberta, and 88 in Brandon, Manitoba, Buttar joked that the next natural step is a 90-point ride.

"I feel like we’re both giving it our all. Maybe they’ll give us 90 someday if I get on him again," he said. "I think he’s everything you want in a bucking bull. Not much more I can ask for."

"He’s only five, so still pretty young. I didn’t know much about him before Red Deer. I saw a video of Nick Tetz getting on him in the practice pen, and he looked pretty good. That was about it."

While Buttar continues to chase goals in both the PBR and CPRA, he’s learned to manage the ups and downs that naturally come with chasing points across two tours. In the past, a bad ride might weigh on him for weeks. Now, he’s learned to let go.

"I’m just not letting it bother me this year," he said. "In the past, I’d get bucked off and let it carry into the next weekend. Now? Bucked off? Well, I bucked off. I’ve got another one tomorrow."

"There’s a lot more money to be won next weekend. Last weekend is done."

While the title of Champion remains the end goal, Buttar says staying focused on small, attainable goals is the best path forward.

"Everybody wants to be the Canadian Champ. That’s not going to change," he said. "The little goals are taking advantage of these big events, the Cup Series majors like Ottawa and London. They help a guy gain a lot of ground in the standings."

"Right now, I just need to keep taking it weekend by weekend, trying to make the most of every bull I get on. I don’t want to overthink it."

A sold-out crowd at Canada Life Place added to the energy, pushing all the riders to perform.

Four competitors went a perfect 3-for-3, including runner-up Koltin Hevalow, a PBR Teams and Unleash The Beast standout.

"It fires you up even more when the crowd is going nuts," Buttar said. "It makes you want to ride and get them even more fired up."

"It gets everybody going when someone rides. When the crowd is like that, it makes you feel like you can ride anything."

Next up, the PBR Canada Cup Series rolls into Ottawa, Ontario, June 14. 

Buttar encourages fans not just to come for the bull riding, but to witness the showmanship of entertainer Brinson James.

"It’s been an exciting season already. We’ve been riding our bulls in the championship rounds. Lots of rides. Lots of good scores. You don’t want to miss it," Buttar said.

"I see Brinson every weekend and not one show is the same. He still comes up with stuff we’ve never seen before. He blows my mind every time. He’s just so much fun to be around."

The bull riding action for 2025 PBR Canada Cup Series’ Ottawa Classic, begins at 7:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 14 inside the Canadian Tire Centre.

Tickets for the event are still available and can be purchased at the Canadian Tire Centre Box Office and online at Ticketmaster.ca.