Australian Sensation Callum Miller Sweeps Round 1 and 5/5 Bucking Battle at Season-Launch PBR Canada Cup Series Event in Lethbridge

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – As the 2021 season for the elite PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Canada Cup Series got underway Friday night in Lethbridge, Alberta, at ENMAX Centre, there was no rider more dominant than Callum Miller (Warwick, Queensland). Sweeping both Round 1 and the 5/5 Bucking Battle accompanying the PBR South Country Co-op Showdown, presented by VisitLethbridge.com, Miller earned a combined 27 national points to crack the Top 10 in the race for the 2021 PBR Canada Championship and $50,000 bonus.

As the first rider to reach the requisite 8 in Round 1, Miller covered Finning JB Muley (Flying Four Bucking Bulls) for 84 points.

While four additional riders would also post scores in the opening round, including two who matched Miller, the early effort was enough to net the 26-year-old the co-win for the first Cup Series round of the 2021 season.

In addition to earning 12 national points for the qualified ride, Miller also punched his ticket to the 5/5 Bucking Battle that accompanied the main event.

Facing Hanna Motors Wilford (Skori Bucking Bulls) in the special round, Miller was once again poised, matching the bull jump-for-jump en route to an event-best 88-point score.

The victory in the first 5/5 Bucking Battle of the 2021 Cup Series earned Miller an additional 15 national points.

The golden finishes allowed Miller to gain ample ground in the national standings as he attempts to become the first Australian in league history to win the PBR Canada Championship.

After travelling to Lethbridge ranked No. 16, Miller is now inside the Top 10, the No. 9 rider in Canada, 77.66 points behind No. 1 Nick Tetz (Calgary, Alberta).

As the main event continues inside ENMAX Centre with Round 2 Saturday evening, Miller will next face off against Edge of Tomorrow (Vold Rodeo/Robinson).

Two-time PBR Canada Champion Zane Lambert (Ponoka, Alberta) and Albertan standout Brock Radford (De Winton, Alberta) also tied for the Round 1 win alongside Miller at the PBR South Country Co-op Showdown, presented by VisitLethbridge.com.

Lambert brought the raucous Lethbridge crowd to its feet when he rode Gandy (Skori Bucking Bulls) for 84 points, while Radford delivered a matching score aboard Beer Buzz (Wilson Rodeo).

For Radford, his out with Beer Buzz was a rematch and avenged a buckoff from 2020 when the bovine athlete bucked him off at the Glen Keeley Memorial Bull Riding in a quick 3.19 seconds.

While both Lambert and Radford advanced to the evening’s 5/5 Bucking Battle, neither were able to log their second qualified ride of the night, dispatched by Irish Rebel (Wilson Rodeo) and Muzzle Blast (X6 Ranch Bucking Cattle), respectively.

Lambert and Radford each earned 12 national points and rose in the national standings.

Lambert entered the event No. 9 in the nation, and is now tied for No. 6, 72.16 points behind the No. 1 rank. Seeking his first event win of the 2021 season, Lambert will next climb aboard Bob Rock (Skori Bucking Bulls) in Round 2.   

For Radford, he surged from unranked to now being tied for the No. 17 position, 108.66 points removed from the top-ranked rider.  

The 26-year-old will face his second familiar opponent of the event in the second round when he goes head-to-head against Grey Tower III (Vold Rodeo/Robinson). Having met three times prior, Radford has made the whistle twice, including for 88 points in their most recent showdown in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan in 2020.

Fourth in Round 1 was Lonnie West (Cadogan, Alberta), collecting 6 national points for his 83.5-point ride on Shameless (Vold Rodeo/Prescott).

Despite earning a position in the 5/5 Bucking Battle, West was unable to compete due to a nagging injury.

Advancing in West’s position was Chad Hartman (Lancer, Saskatchewan), who capitalized on his second chance. Rising to the occasion in the special round, Hartman covered Finning Twitch (Flying Four Bucking Bulls) for 85 points to finish second and earn 12 national points.

Rounding out the Top 5 in Round 1 was Logan Biever (Claresholm, Alberta) in fifth.

Making the 8 atop Smash (Skori Bucking Bulls) for 81.5 points, Biever earned 4 national points to leave ENMAX Centre Friday evening the No. 13-ranked rider in Canada.

Biever will next attempt Hot Tamale (Two Bit Bucking Bulls) in Round 2.

PBR Canada Cup Series action from Lethbridge, Alberta, and ENMAX Centre will conclude on Saturday August 28, starting at 7:30 p.m. MDT, with Round 2 and the championship round.

PBR Canada Cup Series
PBR South Country Co-op Showdown, presented by VisitLethbridge.com
ENMAX Centre – Lethbridge, Alberta
(Round 1-Round 2-Round 3-Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Zane Lambert, 84-0-0-84.00-12 Points.
(tie). Brock Radford, 84-0-0-84.00-12 Points.
(tie). Callum Miller, 84-0-0-84.00-12 Points.
4. Lonnie West, 83.5-0-0-83.50-6 Points.
5. Logan Biever, 81.5-0-0-81.50-4 Points.
Nick Tetz, 0-0-0-0.00
Cody Coverchuk, 0-0-0-0.00
Jared Parsonage, 0-0-0-0.00
Dakota Buttar, 0-0-0-0.00
Ashton Sahli, 0-0-0-0.00
Griffin Smeltzer, 0-0-0-0.00
Garrett Green, 0-0-0-0.00
Micheal Ostashek, 0-0-0-0.00
Aaron Roy, 0-0-0-0.00
Cole Young, 0-0-0-0.00
Weston Davidson, 0-0-0-0.00
Riley Gagnon, 0-0-0-0.00
Shay Marks, 0-0-0-0.00
Dayton Johnston, 0-0-0-0.00
Tim Lipsett, 0-0-0-0.00
Chad Hartman, 0-0-0-0.00
Cawl Braithwaite, 0-0-0-0.00
Nicholas Klinck, 0-0-0-0.00
Blake Smith, 0-0-0-0.00

PBR Canada Cup Series
PBR South Country Co-op Showdown, presented by VisitLethbridge.com – 5/5 Bucking Battle
ENMAX Centre – Lethbridge, Alberta
Event Leaders (Round 1- Event Aggregate-Event Points)
1. Callum Miller, 88-88.00-15 Points.
2. Chad Hartman, 85-85.00-12 Points.
Logan Biever, 0-0.00
Zane Lambert, 0-0.00
Brock Radford, 0-0.00