The Calgary Stampede is now a Professional Bull Riders-sanctioned event.

Posted Tuesday, November 14, 2006

These headlines from the Edmonton Sun caught my attention real fast. The CFR was the focus of the weekend and I was really surprised to see this story. ( http://www.edmontonsun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2006/11/12/2326719-sun.html ). A quick call to the PBR confirmed that yes over the weekend they had finalized the sanctioning of the bull riding section of the Calgary Stampede. All money won, including the $100,000 bonus will count towards the PBR qualifier standings. What this means is that while the event will not fit into any of the specific tours of the PBR and will give no points toward the premier tour, the Built Ford Tough Series, or its million dollar bonus it will count towards qualifying for the 2007 PBR World Finals in Las Vegas. The Cheeseburger Invitational in Hawaii and the new World Cup to be held in Australia in June will also fit in this relatively new category for the PBR. These events raise the bar for the amount of money available to the athletes in the sport plus making competing at