professionalbullriders

Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR)U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. Challenger Tour

Friday, November 10, 2006 - 1st Performance

Saturday, November 11, 2006 - 2nd Performances

Professional Bull Riders, Inc. is an international professional bull riding organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. PBR events are televised on VS, FOX and NBC. More than 800 cowboys, from the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Australia, and Mexico hold PBR memberships.

The organization began in 1992 through the efforts of 20 professional bull riders, who each contributed $1000. Since that time, the organization has grown to include four tours which collectively stage over 100 events a year. Prize money has exploded from $250,000 in 1994 to over $10 million in 2006.

Total viewership, including event attendees and the television audience, grew 51.93 percent between 2002 and 2004. In 2004, 16.4 million fans watched or attended a PBR event.

Rodeo legend Ty Murray runs the PBR as President, along with CEO Randy Bernard.

The PBR publishes its own magazine, Pro Bull Rider, six times a year.

On November 5, 2006, Brazilian Adriano Moraes became the first 3-time PBR World Champion at the finals in Las Vegas.

2007 Season U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. Challenger Tour Events

The PBR's U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company Challenger Tour is comparable to baseball's minor league. It offers up-and-coming bull riders the opportunity to compete in PBR sanctioned events while earning money to qualify them for the elite Built Ford Tough Series.

Once the season begins, the World's top 45 bull riders have five Built Ford Tough Series events at which they will compete to secure their positions. After the fifth event, the bottom five riders ranked based on points, are dropped from the Built Ford Tough Series. The top five U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company Challenger Tour riders, based on Challenger, Enterprise and Discovery Tour money earned, are then allowed to move into those five positions.

After this first cut, the elimination process then takes place after each fifth Built Ford Tough Series event. A rider that has been dropped from the BFTS must compete in the Challenger Tour, hopefully earning enough money to regain a BFTS roster position.

Worth an estimated $1.5 million in prize money, approximately 30 plus U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Challenger Tour events are anticipated for the 2007 season. The PBR's U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company Finals are held each October in Columbus, Ohio.