It will be another busy weekend for the Professional Bull Riders Touring Pro Division, with events scheduled in Michigan, South Carolina, Texas, and Wyoming.

The TPD is the development tour of the PBR, allowing established veterans and newcomers the opportunity to compete against some of the world’s best bucking bulls.

“The early season has been very competitive, and we’ve seen some new riders emerge as well as some veterans making their return,” said PBR Senior Vice President of Competition Jay Daugherty. “We’re getting close to making the first cut, and everyone is working really hard to get into the Top 5 for the opportunity to move up to the BFTS.”

The Dickies® Northwest PBR TPD presented by Murdoch’s will return to the Casper Events Center in Casper, Wyo., on Saturday, Jan. 29, at 7:30 p.m. For each $27 and $52 ticket purchased, the PBR is offering a $5 discount and will donate $5 to the Wyoming High School Rodeo Association scholarship fund. To receive the discount and support the WHSRA scholarship fund, please go to www.CasperEventsCenter.com and enter WYPBR11. The code can also be used for tickets purchased at the Casper Events Center box office and by telephone at (800) 442-2256. Wyoming riders scheduled to compete include Casper’s own Stuart Domingue, Seth Glause of Rocksprings, Cody Jensen of Cheyenne, and Tyler Willis of Wheatland.

The TPD returns to The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Mich., on Saturday, Jan. 29, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets begin at $15 and are on sale now at Palacenet.com, The Palace Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations. Tickets may also be ordered by telephone at (800) 745-3000.

The North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, S.C., will host the TPD on Friday, Jan. 28, and Saturday, Jan. 29. Bull riding begins at 7:30 p.m. each night. Tickets are on sale at the North Charleston Coliseum box office and Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.Ticketmaster.com, and by telephone at (800) 745-3000.

Cowboys Dancehall in San Antonio will host the TPD at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 28. Tickets will be available at the door.

The TPD gives riders the opportunity to compete in PBR-sanctioned events while earning money to qualify for the nationally-televised Built Ford Tough Series, which is comprised of the Top 40 bull riders in the world. Every five events on the BFTS, the Top 5 riders (based on money earned) from the TPD are allowed to move into the BFTS.

The BFTS will be at Conseco Fieldhouse for the Jack Daniel’s Invitational in Indianapolis, Ind., on Saturday, Jan. 29, and Saturday, Jan. 30. The 2011 BFTS season concludes with the Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas on Oct. 26-30, where the 2011 PBR World Champion will be crowned and awarded a $1 million bonus.

Leading the way into Indianapolis is top-ranked 2010 PBR Rookie of the Year Silvano Alves of Pilar do Sul, Brazil, who won last week in Anaheim, Calif. Valdiron de Oliveira of Aparecida de Goiania, Brazil, is in second place in the season standings followed by Ben Jones of Goulburn, Australia.

The action from Indianapolis, Ind., will be televised in HD on VERSUS at 9:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 29, and on NBC at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 30. Play-by-play broadcaster Craig Hummer will be joined by nine-time World Champion and PBR co-founder Ty Murray. Erin Coscarelli, a regular contributor to FOX Sports and ESPN, will be doing dirt-level interviews. Beginning in 2011, all Built Ford Tough Series telecasts will be produced for the PBR by David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company led by 30-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award winner David Neal, who will serve as executive producer and creative lead.

2011 Touring Pro Division Leaders

1. Elton Cide, Populina, Brazil, $92,570
2. Pete Farley, Kempsey, Australia, $27,303
3. Edimundo Gomes, Atibaia, Brazil, $24,968
4. Douglas Ferreira, Conchal, Brazil , $21,220
5. Valdiron de Oliveira, Aparecida de Goiania, Brazil, $20,627
6. Fabiano Vieira, Perola, Brazil, $16,716

Editor’s Note: Valdiron de Oliveira is already competing on the Built Ford Tough Series, so Fabiano Vieira would be the fifth rider to qualify at this time.

Professional Bull Riders Touring Pro Division Event Results:

Augusta TPD
Jan. 21-22 at Augusta, Ga.

1. Justin Koon, Grapevine, Ark., 177 points
2. Cord McCoy, Ada, Okla., 175 points
3. Chance Roberts, Jewett, Ill., 172.5 points

Reading TPD
Jan. 21-22 at Reading, Pa.

1. Derek Creswell, Weatherford, Okla., 170 points
2. Chad VanAmburg, Archdale, N.C., 168 points
3. (tie) Devin Hager, Farmington, Pa., 85.5 points
   (tie) Toby Stover, Mill Hall, Pa., 85.5 points

Travis County TPD
Jan. 22 at Austin, Texas

1. Elton Cide, Populina, Brazil, 176 points
2. Fabiano Vieira, Perola, Brazil, 159.5 points
3. Dusty LaBeth, Louisburg, Kan., 88 points

Town Fair Invitational TPD
Jan. 21-22 at Bridgeport, Conn.

1. Devon Weaver, Harrisburg, Pa., 177 points
2. Trinity Dunkelberger, Gerrardstown, W.Va., 166 points
3. Anderson Alemcar, Jacksonville, Fla., 164 points

Wrangler PBR Classic TPD
Jan. 14-15 at Spokane, Wash.

1. Jeston Mead, Ashland, Kan., 173 points
2. Chon Miranda, Ruidoso Downs, N.M., 165.5 points
3. Cheyne Olney, Toppenish, Wash., 89.5 points.

St. Lucie County Fairgrounds TPD
Jan. 15 at Ft. Pierce, Fla.

1. Douglas Ferreira, Conchal, Brazil, 177 points
2. Wagner Luciano, Brazil, 174.5 points
3. Cord McCoy, Ada, Okla., 173.5 points

Toledo TPD
Jan. 14-15 at Toledo, Ohio

1. Josh Faircloth, Randleman, N.C., 176.5 points
2. Chance Roberts, Jewett, Ill., 175 points
3. Bronson Butcher, Muskogee, Okla., 165 points

About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR)
The PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. More than 100 million viewers annually watch over 400 hours of primetime PBR programming on VERSUS, NBC, CBS and networks around the world. The PBR has awarded over $100 million in prize money, and 20 riders have earned over $1 million, including Justin McBride with $5.5 million – the most of any western-sports athlete in history. 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. Nearly 2 million fans attend Built Ford Tough Series and Touring Pro Division events each year. For more information on the PBR, go to www.pbr.com, or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TeamPBR and http://twitter.com/TEAMPBR.