PBR World Finals returns to Las Vegas

The 2010 World Championship PBR Buckle and a $1 million bonus are on the line when the best bull riders and the fiercest bucking bulls in the world visit Las Vegas for the richest bull riding event on the planet, the Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough World Finals on Oct. 20-24 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

“The 2010 Finals are the last chapter of what has been one of the most exciting races in PBR history,” said PBR Executive Chairman Jeffrey Pollack. “The next five days in Las Vegas will feature intense action as the most elite bull riders compete to become PBR World Champion.”

The 2010 PBR World Finals begin Wednesday, Oct. 20, and continue through Sunday, Oct. 24, with bull riding beginning at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. Tickets begin at $21 and can be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center box office, online at www.unlvtickets.com and by telephone at 866-PBR-SHOW.

The 2010 PBR World Finals will be televised on VERSUS at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and on NBC at 1 p.m. Sunday.

The 2010 PBR World Champion will be the rider with the most Built Ford Tough Series points accumulated during the regular season and the World Finals. There are a potential 5,500 points available at the World Finals, so any one of the Top 10 riders heading into Las Vegas has the opportunity to win the title. The 2010 PBR season has been the most competitive ever, with 21 different event winners led by top-ranked Austin Meier of Kinta, Okla., with five victories.

Meier leads the BFTS standings with 10,891.75 points, 241.25 points ahead of second-ranked J.B. Mauney of Mooresville, N.C., and 1,300.75 points ahead of third-ranked Renato Nunes of Buritama, Brazil. The standings lead has changed 11 times during the year, with six different riders ranked first. Meier and Mauney have each been ranked first three different times, while Nunes has been on top twice.

“The goal of every bull rider is to make it to Las Vegas and win the World Championship,” said Meier. “I have worked hard all year to put myself into the position of being the top-ranked rider going into Vegas. I know that every bull I ride counts and makes it harder for the next guy to catch me.

“That’s why I say you have to keep looking forward when you’re in this position,” he added “Don’t worry about the guys that are behind you, because they’re doing their job just like you are when you are trying to catch them. I look forward to the challenge and hopefully securing my first World Championship.”

The Finals will also include four former World Champions: Chris Shivers of Jonesville, La., who won in 2000 and 2003; defending World Champion Kody Lostroh of Longmont, Colo.; and Guilherme Marchi of Leme, Brazil, and Mike Lee of Decatur, Texas, who won in 2008 and 2004, respectively. Lee is ranked sixth and Marchi is ranked eighth, while Shivers is 19th. Lostroh is ranked 27th after having his season limited to only 13 events because of injuries.

The Finals consist of six rounds of competition. The first five rounds feature all of the riders matched against the toughest bulls. The scores from the five rides will be combined, and the Top 15 riders will advance for an additional round of competition, following the completion of Round 5 on Sunday, Oct. 24.

The 2009 Finals produced the closest race in PBR history, as Lostroh edged Mauney by 594 points after riding seven of eight bulls to earn 624 points in the Finals. Mauney became the first person to ride all eight bulls in the Finals and earned 712 points. Lostroh collected $1,601,625 for the season while Mauney earned $742,208, including $250,000 for being the World Finals Event winner.

For more information on the 2010 World Finals please visit www.pbr.com.

World Champion

Each year, the PBR World Champion is determined by the most Build Ford Tough Series Points earned throughout the season.

Year, Champion, Hometown, Money Earned
2009 Kody Lostroh, Longmont, Colo., $1,628,442
2008 Guilherme Marchi, Leme, Brazil, $1,528,696
2007 Justin McBride, Elk City, Okla., $1,835,321
2006 Adriano Moraes, Cachoeira Paulista, Brazil, $1,361,573
2005 Justin McBride, Elk City, Okla., $1,479,231
2004 Mike Lee Decatur, Texas , $1,453,326
2003 Chris Shivers, Jonesville, La., $1,202,477
2002 Ednei Caminhas, Presidente Alves, Brazil, $291,921
2001 Adriano Moraes, Cachoeira Paulista, Brazil, $458,798
2000 Chris Shivers, Jonesville, La., $359,534
1999 Cody Hart, Gainesville, Texas, $357,859
1998 Troy Dunn, Sarina, Australia, $221,791
1997 Michael Gaffney, Albuquerque, N.M., $243,251
1996 Owen Washburn, Lordsburg, N.M., $148,150
1995 Tuff Hedeman, Morgan Mill, Texas, $123,595
1994 Adriano Moraes, Cachoeira Paulista, Brazil, not available

World Finals Event Winner

Year, Winner, Hometown, Money Earned
2009 J.B. Mauney, Mooresville, N.C., $348,000
2008 Robson Palermo, Rio Branco, Brazil, $321,000
2007 Wiley Petersen, Fort Hall, Idaho, $278,450
2006 L.J. Jenkins, Texico, N.M., $288,567
2005 Guilherme Marchi, Leme, Brazil, $298,017
2004 Mike Lee, Decatur, Texas, $313,300
2003 Jody Newberry, Ada, Okla., $265,566
2002 J.W. Hart, Overbrook, Okla., $286,500
2001 Luke Snyder, Raymore, Mo., $264,241
2000 Tater Porter, Kenansville, Fla., $274,738
1999 Ty Murray, Stephenville, Texas, $263,283
1998 Reed Corder, Melvin, Texas, $172,200
1997 Troy Dunn, Queensland, Australia, $158,711
1996 Ronny Kitchens, Kemp, Texas, $130,950
1995 Troy Dunn, Queensland, Australia, $56,975