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PBR Canada tour stops at Civic Centre

Jul 26, 2017 | 12:00 PM

“Snortin Whiskey”, “Painted Prize”, and “Snakes Eyes” – these are just some of the names of the bulls that will be bucking tonight at the fourth annual Professional Bull Riders Classic in the Battlefords.

The Civic Centre will host 27 of the world’s top riders from Canada, the United States, Australia, Brazil, and Mexico, for an event that is on the Canadian Touring Pro Division.

“The points also count for the world title as well, so that’s why you’re seeing the nationals coming too,” Australian professional rider Lachlan Richardson said. He will compete on Wednesday and is currently in third place on the 2017 PBR Canada national standings.

“There’ll probably be more Canadians than anything, but you’ve got the best bulls from Canada here and it’s going to be an action packed night and good for the fans,” he said.

North Battleford native Corey Chmelnyk is putting the event on and is also supplying some of his own bulls from Corey Chmelnyk Bucking Bulls.

He knows what it takes to put on a worthwhile event, and added a rank mini pony competition this year.

“We’re going to be bucking roughly 60 animals tonight,” Chmelnyk said, referring to the main event, plus the junior bull riding at the intermission, and the new pony competition. “Bull riding is the thing [people] wait for at the rodeos and this is all bull riding. This is non-stop with the best riders.

“So it couldn’t get any better. This is about the best you can get. This is the real deal.”

Following the first round of the main event, 10 riders will advance to the championship round.

Some of the riders are fairly local, including Cody Coverchuk from Meadow Lake, Tanner Byrne from Prince Albert, and Justin Lloyd from Tisdale. Coverchuk won the event in Czar Lake, Alta. last Friday and is currently in second on the PBR Canada national standings.

Richardson is the most recent Candian tour event winner, coming out on top in Manor, Sask., this past Saturday.

Coverchuk won over $5,000 for his win and Richardson won over $3,500.

“I’ve been up here the last two months, on and off between here and America,” Richardson said. “I came to the States in 2012 and I come up here every year for a little bit.

“My uncle rode bulls and my older brother and me started at the same time, and we just enjoyed the sport. It became a lifestyle.”

Prehaps the best part of Wednesday’s event is that all proceeds are going to the Battlefords Trade and Education Centre

There will be food and a beer garden as well.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students. Children five and under are free.

 

nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @NathanKanter11