SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas – No matter the sport, a world championship is the most coveted honor athletes can achieve.
World champions wear that moniker with pride, and rightly so.
This weekend at the Texas Heritage National Bank PBR Challenge presented by Priefert Ranch Equipment, the reigning world champions will represent their respective associations beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center.
The weekend festivities are expected to feature Professional Bull Riders champ Guilherme Marchi, a Brazilian who lives in Keller, Texas; Professional Bullfighters Daisy Protection Bullfight titlists Andy Burelle of Ardmore, Okla., and Dusty Tuckness of Meeteetse, Wyo.; and American Bucking Bull Inc. Classic champ Crosswired from D&H Cattle Co./Wiggins.
On top of that, the list of bull riders includes PBR champions Ednei Caminhas and Mike Lee; Championship Bull Riding champions Clayton Baethge and Bonner Bolton; and International Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association champs Cord McCoy and Austin Meier.
“We’re going to feature the very best in the world in all three phases of our competition here in Sulphur Springs,” said Jim McLain, who co-produces the PBR Challenge with Emory ranchers Jay Weddle and Donny Gowin of Superior Genetics. “It’s almost unheard of that you would get all three world champions in the same venue at the same time.
“This is a great deal for the Texas Heritage National Bank PBR Challenge, for the presenting partner, Priefert, and for the fans of east Texas who are going to get to see these great champions in action right here in Hopkins County.”
More than half the bull riders in the field are in the top 40 of the standings, meaning they’re part of the association’s televised premier tour, the Built Ford Tough Series.
“I’d say more than 70 percent of the bull riders who have entered this event have been to the finals,” McLain said.
The format for the top-caliber cowboys will be the same as all other PBR Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tour events, where Friday’s riders will compete in the first go-round, then the top eight from that long go-round will qualify for the championship round. The same will happen with a different group of cowboys on Saturday night.
“This is a good way to get more contestants packed into one weekend of bull riding,” McLain said. “It’s a good format, and the highest two-ride total for the weekend will be crowned our champion.”
It’s also a precursor, of sorts, to the 2009 PBR World Cup, which is scheduled for next week in Brazil. World Cup bull riders from Brazil and the United States are scheduled to compete this weekend. In Sulphur Springs, Brazil will be represented by Marchi, Valderon de Oliveira and Robson Polermo, while Team USA will have Ryan McConnel, Ryan Dirteater (the U.S. alternate) and Austin Meier.
“This is really going to be something special, something the fans will be telling people about for years,” McLain said. “I’m really excited about the level of competition in all three associations that will be in east Texas on Friday and Saturday nights.”
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