“God has blessed me in every way,” said Lee following the win. “I’ve been doing rehab for my [right] knee [bruised during the 2007 PBR World Finals] and I feel really good right now. The best way to start the season is with an event win!”

During the first round of competition Lee placed 13^th when he scored 84.75 points on Lil’ J owned by Tino Martinez. He faced off against another Martinez bull in second round action when he scored 86 points aboard Far West. With the combined score of 170.75 points, Lee entered the Built Ford Tough Championship Round in fourth place. He brought the Gwinnett Center to its feet when he earned 90.25 points aboard Diamond S Bucking Bulls’ Hot Stuff in the final round. Lee’s 90.25 points topped all the scores for the weekend and as such added $1,000 to Lee’s pocketbook as the Cabela’s World’s Foremost Ride for this event.

“It’s great to come to an event like this and ride such great bulls,” commented Lee. “In this sport half depends on the bull’s performance and I was blessed to draw great this weekend.”

The Copenhagen Bull Riding^sm Invitational championship is the seventh win of Lee’s stellar bull riding career. He’s the fourth leading money earner of all time in the sport with $2,287,646 in PBR bucks. He also remains the only man to have won the PBR World Championship and the PBR World Finals event in the same year (2004).

Lee nudged two outstanding Brazilian cowboys for the Copenhagen Bull Riding^sm Invitational event title. The only three-time PBR World Champion, Adriano Moraes (Cachoeira Paulista, Sao Paulo, Brazil) and dancing superstar Paulo Crimber (Olimpia, Sao Paulo, Brazil) tied for second place with 258 points.

Who will capture the PBR World Championship title in 2008?  Join us January 4-6 for the VERSUS Invitational from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The action airs on NBC on Sunday, January 6. Preliminary round and final round competition will air on VERSUS Saturday, January, 5 and Sunday, January 6 at 8 p.m. ET. Local times may vary so check your local listings for additional television information. 

Non-stop bull riding action continues as the PBR’s Built Ford Tough Series rocks a different city every weekend from now through May 3^rd. All of the exhilarating rides and harrowing wrecks will air on VERSUS each Saturday and Sunday evening. Be sure to check www.pbrnow.com for upcoming cities, ticket information and complete broadcast times.

Injury Report:
No injuries to report.

BEHIND THE CHUTES:

Enterprise Rent-A-Car's "Ride with the Best" Bonus:
As the winner of the seventh round of the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals, Wiley Petersen (Fort Hall, Idaho) was eligible for the Enterprise Rent-A-Car "Ride with the Best" bonus money on Saturday. Petersen was successful aboard Boyd/Floyd Bull Company’s Hot Pistol, thus claiming the $5,000 bonus. As the Copenhagen Bull Riding^sm Invitational first round winner, Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.) was eligible to compete for the Enterprise Rent-A-Car “Ride with the Best” bonus money on Sunday. Lostroh was successful aboard Hebert/K@Tohana.LLC’s Thrillville, winning the $5,000 bonus. As the winner of the second round of the Copenhagen Bull Riding^sm Invitational, Greg Potter (Queensland, Australia) will be eligible for the bonus during the first round of the VERSUS Invitational in New York City.

Ford Truck Moment of Truth Bonus:
Chris Shivers (Jonesville, La.) led the event going into the Built Ford Tough Championship Round but did not win the Copenhagen Bull Riding^sm Invitational event title; therefore he did not claim the $30,000 Ford Truck Moment of Truth bonus. The bonus will grow to $35,000 next weekend at the VERSUS Invitational in New York City. The bonus grows by $5,000 each week if it is not claimed. Once claimed, it returns to $5,000.

Ford Super Duty Challenge:
As the Copenhagen Bull Riding^sm Invitational event winner Mike Lee (Decatur, Texas) has qualified for a chance to compete at the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals, against all other 2008 Built Ford Tough Series event winners, for $50,000 toward the purchase of a 2009 Ford Super Duty Truck. The Ford Super Duty Challenge contestant who finishes the highest in the event aggregate during the 2008 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals will win the Ford Super Duty Challenge.

Salem NationaLease Bull of the Event:
The Game owned by Brandon Gasper was the high marked bull of the event with a score of 45.5 points, and was awarded $1,250 as a part of Salem NationaLease's exciting bonus program. The program awards $1,250 to the top bull of the event as determined by the PBR judges' bull scores.

Cabela's World's Foremost Ride:
Mike Lee (Decatur, Texas) recorded the highest marked ride of the event when he topped Diamond S Bucking Bulls’ Hot Stuff for 90.25 points during the Built Ford Tough Championship Round of the Copenhagen Bull Riding^sm Invitational. In doing so, he earned a $1,000 bonus.

The rider who achieves the highest score at each BFTS regular season event, excluding the PBR World Finals receives a bonus of $1,000 for the acccomplishment. The PBR athlete who achieves the highest marked qualifying ride during the entire 2008 BFTS regular season, excluding the PBR World Finals event will receive $25,000, while second and third place finishers will be awarded $10,000 and $5,000, respectively. The bull rider that achieves the highest marked ride through the course of the entire 2008 PBR BFTS World Finals will earn an additional $10,000.

 Copenhagen Bull Riding^sm Invitational Event Results:
ROUND ONE: 1) Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.) 88.5 points on Tino Martinez’s Dark Side, $2,730; 2) Wiley Petersen (Fort Hall, Idaho) 87.75 points on Boyd/Floyd Bull Company’s Hot Pistol, $1,950; 3) Kasey Hayes (Liberal, Kan.) 86.75 points on Boyd/Floyd Bull Company’s El Gato, $1,170; 4/5/6) Travis Briscoe (Edgewood, N.M.) 86.5 points on Tommy Shrader/Anchor Bull Company’s Dip Dog; 4/5/6) Luke Snyder (Raymore, Mo.) 86.5 points on Boyd/Floyd Bull Company’s Hornet; 4/5/6) Chris Shivers (Jonesville, La.) 86.5 points on West/Adams’ Ranger. 

ROUND TWO: 1) Greg Potter (Queensland, Australia) 88.5 points on Woodruff/XS Ranch’s Red Chester, $2,730; 2) Chris Shivers (Jonesville, La.) 88 points on Diamond S Bucking Bulls’ Big Iron, $1,950; 3) Brian Canter (Randleman, N.C.) 87 points on Hebert Bucking Bulls’ Start Me Up, $1,170; 4/5) Mike Lee (Decatur, Texas) 86 points on Tino Martinez’s Far West; 4/5) Valdiron de Olivero (Aparecida de Goiania, GO, Brazil) 86 points on Robinson/Larry the Cable Guy’s Atta Boy.

BUILT FORD TOUGH CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND: 1) Mike Lee (Decatur, Texas) 90.25 points on Diamond S Bucking Bulls’ Hot Stuff, $2,730; 2/3) Paulo Crimber (Olimpia, Sao Paulo, Brazil) 87.75 points on Hebert Bucking Bulls’ Shane, $1,560; 2/3) Adriano Moraes (Cachoeira Paulista, Sao Paulo, Brazil) 87.75 points on Tino Martinez’s Buckwheat, $1,560; 4) Brian Canter (Randleman, N.C.) 87.5 points on Boyd/Floyd Bull Company’s Lost in Paradise; 5) Travis Briscoe (Edgewood, N.M.) 85 points on Robinson/Tedesco/Larry the Cable Guy’s Booger Butt.

OVERALL EVENT: 1) Mike Lee (Decatur, Texas) 261 points, $28,919; 2/3) Adriano Moraes (Cachoeira Paulista, Sao Paulo, Brazil) 258 points, $11,375; 2/3) Paulo Crimber (Olimpia, Sao Paulo, Brazil) 258 points, 11,570; 4) Brian Canter (Randleman, N.C.) 257.5 points, $6,415; 5) Travis Briscoe (Edgewood, N.M.) 251.75 points, $4,403.

BUILT FORD TOUGH WORLD STANDINGS: (The PBR World Champion is based on total Built Ford Tough Series points earned through the season)
1) Mike Lee (Decatur, Texas) 726 points, $35,212.48; 2) Paulo Crimber (Olimpia, Sao Paulo, Brazil) 633 points, $16,836.71; 3) Adriano Moraes (Cachoeira Paulista, Sao Paulo, Brazil) 623 points, $11,375; 4) Brian Canter (Randleman, N.C.) 617.5 points, $10,019.25; 5) Travis Briscoe (Edgewood, N.M.) 551.75 points, $4,403; 6) Robson Palermo (Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil) 486 points, $2,497; 7) Chris Shivers (Jonesville, La.) 444.5 points, $3,720; 8) Kody Lostroh (Longmont, Colo.) 399 points, $8,825; 9) Wiley Petersen (Fort Hall, Idaho) 322 points, $7,550; 10) Luke Snyder (Raymore, Mo.) 258.25 points, $6,114.48.

About PBR:
More than 100 million viewers tune in each year to the PBR on FOX, NBC, VERSUS and on a host of foreign networks across the globe.  With approximately 500 hours of prime time programming annually PBR ranks among the most prolific sports on air, in addition to attracting over one and one half million live event attendees each year with its multi-tiered event structure which includes the marquee Built Ford Tough Series presented by Wrangler, the Copenhagen Bull Riding^sm Challenger Tour, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tour, and the Discovery Tour, designed specifically for entry level contestants. The PBR is headquartered in Pueblo, Colo., and has over 1,200 PBR bull riders competing in more than 300 PBR sanctioned competitions in the United States, Australia , Brazil , Canada , and Mexico.

For additional information on the Professional Bull Riders, Inc., please visit www.pbrnow.com or call 719.242.2800.