“The World Cup in Brazil will showcase the sport of professional bull riding as no other country has ever done,” Randy Bernard, CEO of the Professional Bull Riders, stated. “It will be the largest attended event in the history of the PBR, and I am very confident each country’s teams will rise to the occasion.”

The Barretos International Rodeo is the largest bull riding event in all of Brazil, drawing over 80,000 attendees per night in over 10 days. In its 54th year, the 2009 Barretos International Rodeo will be held from August 20-30, 2009 with the World Cup being held on the last three days---August 28, 29, and 30.

Five of the best PBR bull riders from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and 2008 World Cup winner, the United States, will gather at Barretos’ Parque do Peao for the PBR’s premier international event. 2009 looks to be a showdown between Brazil and the United States as each has taken one World Cup event title home to their respective countries.

“As both Brazil and the U.S.A. have won one title, we will definitely be the two countries to watch for. We (Team Brazil) are very disappointed that we did not ride to our potential in Mexico, but we will be ready next year in front of our home country crowd,” three-time PBR World Champion and Captain of Team Brazil 2008 Adriano Moraes commented.

“We could definitely see it come down between the U.S. and Brazil next year. They are the biggest threat and will have home country advantage. They will be sure tough to beat, but every other country will be up for the challenge,” J.W. Hart, Captain of Team U.S.A. 2008, said.

For more information on the 2009 PBR World Cup, please contact Katharine Sherrer at 719.242.2800 or katharine@pbrnow.com.

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About the 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 400 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 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 compete in more than 300 PBR sanctioned competitions in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico.