PBR Canada’s Elite Monster Energy Tour Invades The Okanagan For First Time on July 7

KELOWNA, British Columbia – For the first time, PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Canada’s elite Monster Energy Tour will buck into Kelowna, British Columbia, on Saturday, July, 7, at Prospera Place with the Okanagan PBR Challenge, presented by Mac’s, Circle K and Noralta Lodge.

The bull riding action begins at 7:00 p.m. PT. All riders will attempt one bull each in Round 1. The Top 10 will then advance to the Championship Round for one more ride and a chance at the event title. In addition to competing for points towards the Canadian national standings, riders will also have the opportunity to earn world points in an effort to earn a berth onto the elite 25^thPBR: Unleash The Beast.

In 2017, PBR Canada held its first ever event in the British Columbia city as part of the Touring Pro Division. 

With this year’s event part of the cross-Canada, nationally-televised Monster Energy Tour, riders will be vying for an increased amount of world points. While Touring Pro Division events award the overall winner 60 points, the winner of this season’s Okanagan PBR Challenge on the Monster Energy Tour will earn 120 points. 

As part of the Monster Energy Tour, riders will also now have the opportunity to earn added prize money, with the stop collectively awarding $20,000.

The Monster Energy Tour regularly features Canada’s elite, alongside some of the league’s top international athletes, squaring off against the rankest bucking bulls from both Canada and the United States. Fans will witness exhilarating 8-second rides and wrecks throughout the action-packed event as the PBR’s courageous riders face off against their 2,000-pound opponents.

At last season’s Touring Pro Division event, Brock Radford (De Winton, Alberta) won the stop, his second of a historic four consecutive event wins, as the only rider to deliver a perfect 2-for-2 performance. Radford, who double entered, also finished sixth at the event.

Cole Young (Fairview, Alberta) and Tim Lipsett (Lumsden, Saskatchewan) tied for second, with Lipsett, another double entry, also recording a fourth place finish. The all-Canadian Top 5 was rounded out by Todd Chotowetz (Major, Saskatchewan).

This year, reigning PBR Canada Champion, Zane Lambert (Westbourne, Manitoba) is anticipated to compete, as well as home province hopefuls Jackson Scott (Kamloops, British Columbia) and Jake Gardner (Dawson Creek, British Columbia), in addition to Matt Triplett (Columbia Falls, Montana), one of the PBR’s consistently top-ranked riders. 

Tickets for the one-day event go on sale Friday, February 16 at 10 a.m. PT. They range in price from $40 to $70, standard fees may apply, and can be purchased at the Prospera Place box office, online at SelectYourTickets.com, and by phone at (250) 762-5050.