SAN ANTONIO, Texas (July 27, 2010) - The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) returns to Texas on Saturday, July 31 and Sunday, August 1 for the U.S. Air Force Invitational in San Antonio. The world’s top 40 bull riders take over the AT&T Center for two nights only in week 22 of 30 in the race for the World Finals title. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $10, and can be purchased online at www.Ticketmaster.com, in person at the AT&T Center box office or by calling (800) 745-3000.
The U.S. Air Force Invitational will feature PBR fan favorites such as current world leader Renato Nunes (Buritama, SP, Brazil); No. 2 in the world standings Austin Meier (Kinta, Okla); Brazilian Valdiron de Oliveira (Aparecida de Goiania, GO, Brazil); and PBR superstar J.B. Mauney (Mooresville, N.C.). Representing Texas will be former World Champion Mike Lee (Decatur, Texas), along with fellow Texans McKennon Wimberly (Cool, Texas) and Stormy Wing (Dalhart, Texas). This event is brought to you locally by Blue-Emu and Troy-Bilt.
The invitational consists of three rounds of competition. Scores from rounds one and two are combined, with the top 15 riders advancing to the Built Ford Tough Championship Round after intermission on Sunday. In the end, the cowboy with the highest total score on three bulls will be declared the winner.
As part of the U.S. Air Force Invitational, fans can participate in the PBR Fan Zone on Saturday, July 31 from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the AT&T Center. There will be interactive displays from sponsors such as the U.S. Air Force, Ford and more. Big Green Egg will be hosting a Cowboy Cook-off from 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., featuring cowboy chefs Guilherme Marchi, Ryan McConnel and Shorty Gorham along with special guest judges Justin McBride and previous BGE cowboy chef winner, McKennon Wimberly. There will also be a fishing and hunting seminar at the Bass Pro Shops San Antonio with PBR commentator and fishing enthusiast Clint Adkins on Saturday, July 31 from 1:30 p.m.-3:00p.m. For more information on the Fan Zone and all Bass Pro events, please go to www.pbr.com.
The PBR is having the deepest title race in history. In the first half of the season there were nine lead changes, with six different riders on top of the standings, including Nunes, who is ranked first for the second time after his victory in Pueblo, Colo., in May. The first 21 events have produced 15 different winners, including Meier, who has won a season-leading four events and enters San Antonio ranked second, only 1,585.5 points behind Nunes.
For more information on Professional Bull Riders, please visit www.pbr.com or contact Sara Broun at (719) 242-2800 (sbroun@pbrnow.com).
Join PBR on Facebook www.facebook.com/TeamPBR and Twitter www.twitter.com/teamPBR
About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR)
More than 100 million viewers tune in each year to the PBR on VERSUS, NBC, CBS and television networks around the world. With approximately 400 hours of prime-time programming annually, the PBR ranks among the most prolific sports on air. The PBR attracts nearly two million live event attendees each year with its marquee Built Ford Tough Series and the PBR Touring Pro Division. More than 1,200 PBR bull riders compete every year in approximately 300 PBR sanctioned competitions in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico. The PBR was nominated as 2010 Sports League of the Year at the Sports Business Journal Sports Business Awards alongside the National Football League, National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. For more on PBR, please visit www.pbr.com, www.teampbr.com, www.pbr.tv, www.myspace.com/teampbr, www.twitter.com/teampbr or www.pbr.com/worldfinals/.
