Game Notes – Brandon

BUCKING INTO BRANDON – This weekend, for the fourth consecutive season, PBR Canada’s elite Cup Series will buck into Brandon, Manitoba. The PBR Mazergroup Chute Out, the third elite tour event of the season, will be held at Westoba Place at the Keystone Centre on May 23-24. The Brandon event will begin Friday, May 23 and Saturday, May 24 at 7 p.m. CT.

RELATED: Click here for the complete Brandon Game Notes.

THIS WEEKEND’S FORMAT – The PBR Mazergroup Chute Out will feature three rounds of bull riding and is a Tier 1 Challenger Series Global event. Each rider will get on one bull in Round 1 on Friday and Round 2 on Saturday. Round 1 will be set by a random draw, Round 2 will be determined by draft. 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.

LET’S RECAP TPD ACTION – Since the last bull bucked at the most recent Cup Series event in Lethbridge, Alberta, three Touring Pro Division events have been held on Canadian soil. Here is a look back at those events:

Marwayne: In Marwayne, Alberta, 2022 PBR Canada Rookie of the Year Cauy Schmidt rode in dominant form, delivering a perfect 2-for-2 performance to win the Touring Pro Division’s 14^th Annual Marwayne PBR. The win vaulted Schmidt from unranked to then No. 12 in the race for the 2025 PBR Canada Championship and accompanying $100,000 bonus. Schmidt first put points on the board when he tied for the Round 1 win, covering World Wide for 86 points. The young Albertan then cemented the event win, the second of his career, when he conquered Pyper for an event-best 89 points in the championship round. The golden finish garnered Schmidt a crucial 60.5 national points as he rose from unranked to No. 12 in the standings. He was propelled within 125 points of the No. 1 ranking. Jake Gardner registered a flawless 2-for-2 outing of his own, finishing third at the Marwayne Agriplex and overtaking the No. 1 rank in the Canadian standings. Gardner rode Shut Up & Ride for 83 points in Round 1, before going the distance on MoBamba for 88 points in the final round. Netting 31.5 national points, Gardner climbed from No. 3 to No. 1 in Canada, leading then No. 2 Nick Tetz by 15.5 points.

Brooks: In Brooks, Alberta, for the Touring Pro Division’s Koye Larson Memorial PBR, Jake Gardner went a perfect 2-for-2 to win the event and further his stronghold on the No. 1 rank in the race for the 2025 Canadian Championship. Gardner got off to a fast start, tying for the Round 1 win when he covered Kraken for 87 points. The charismatic British Columbia native then cemented the win with a matching 87-point ride in the championship round, making the requisite 8 on MoBamba. Gardner’s win was coupled with a seventh-place effort courtesy of a double-entry. His second Top 10 finish was headlined by an 84-point ride atop Rock Steady in Round 1. Gardner was denied a perfect 4-for-4 sweep when he was tossed by Whiskey Moon in 4.41 seconds in the final round. Earning 69.5 points, Garnder extended his lead atop the Canadian standings, leading then No. 2 Dakota Buttar by 77 points. Buttar finished sixth at the Koye Larson Memorial PBR to leapfrog an injured Nick Tetz for the No. 2 rank. Two-time PBR Canada Champion Buttar went 1-for-2, riding Rich N Famous for 84 points in Round 1 to collect 14 national points.

Camrose: In Camrose, Alberta, Cody Coverchuk showed up and showed out, going a perfect 2-for-2 to win the Touring Pro Division’s Rose City Invitational, surging to No. 2 in the nation. Coverchuk began the event in fast form, finishing second in Round 1 when he rode Night Fury for 84 points. The two-time PBR Canada Champion then clinched the event win in the championship round when he bested More or Less for 86.5 points. Garnering 115.5 national points, Coverchuk surged from No. 5 to No. 2 in the race for the 2025 PBR Canada Championship and accompanying $100,000 bonus. He now trails No. 1 Jake Gardner by 39.5 national points. Gardner was shutout in Camrose. He was bucked off by Jet Black (Skori Bucking Bulls) in 3.4 seconds in Round 1.

PAST BRANDON EVENT WINNERS – When the Cup Series last travelled to Brandon in May 2024, Weston Davidson went a perfect 2-for-2 to win the event inside Westoba Place at the Keystone Centre. Davidson first struck in Round 1, delivering the fourth best score when he covered Busta Rhymes for 84 points. In the final round, the reserved Saskatchewan man then went head-to-head with Halo’s Flyin’ Cadillac. In what proved to be a perfect pairing, Davidson remained in perfect time with the powerful animal athlete, reaching the requisite 8 with ease for 86 points. The score not only won him the championship round, but also clinched Davidson the event win. The win was part of a career-year for Davidson. He registered an accompanying 10 Top 10 finishes and concluded the season No. 7 in the race for the 2024 PBR Canada Championship. Davidson will look to defend his title this weekend, first taking on Affairs In Order in Round 1.

2024 Weston Davidson
2023 Aaron Roy
2022 Blake Smith

FAMILIAR WATERS – Round 1 of the PBR Mazergroup Chute Out will feature three rematches. Those riders facing familiar opponents are:

• Jared Parsonage will look to remain perfect against Upstairs Basement. The two first danced in October 2023 during the Cup Series event in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan as Parsonage made the requisite 8 for 84.5 points. Last season the two met in August at the 2024 Glen Keeley Memorial in Stavely, Alberta. Parsonage again made the whistle, marked 83 points.
• Coy Robbins will climb aboard Day Thuggin for the second time in his career. They first went head-to-head last July at the Touring Pro Division event in Lacombe, Alberta, with Robbins delivering a qualified ride for 83 points.
• Garrett Green will attempt to even the score against Shallow Creek. During the July 2023 Touring Pro Division event in Calgary, Alberta, the bovine athlete tossed Green in 2.84 seconds to earn a 40-point bull score.

NEXT UP – Following a two-week break, the 2025 PBR Canada Sup Series will next travel to London, Ontario, and Canada Life Place for the PBR London Classic on Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7. Action will get underway nightly at 7 p.m. ET.   

PROVIDING PROTECTION – The bullfighters on hand for this weekend’s event in Brandon, Manitoba, are Jesse Byrne, Tanner Byrne and Logan Kadlec.

 

BRANDON COMPETITORS BY COUNTRY

Australia (1) – Cody Fraser

Brazil (4) – Franciso Costa, Ednelson Martins, Rafael Parra, Gilmar Santana

Canada (21) – Willam Barrows, Liam Bishop, Dakota Buttar, Cody Coverchuk, Weston Davidson, Jake Gardner, Garrett Green, Jordan Hansen, Dayton Johnston, Griffin Koester, Eric O’Flynn, Jared Parsonage, Micheal Ostashek, Austin Paley, Brock Radford, Coy Robbins, Aaron Roy, Ashton Sahli, Dawson Shannon, Tanner Skene, Lonnie West

United States (1) – Gavin Knutson

BREAKDOWN BY PROVINCE –

Alberta – William Barrows, Liam Bishop, Garrett Green, Jordan Hansen, Dayton Johnston, Griffin Koester, Micheal Ostashek, Austin Paley, Brock Radford, Coy Robbins, Ashton Sahli, Dawson Shannon, Lonnie West;  British Columbia – Jake Gardner, Eric O’Flynn; Saskatchewan – Dakota Buttar, Cody Coverchuk, Weston Davidson, Jared Parsonage, Aaron Roy, Tanner Skene.