PUEBLO, Colo. - The Professional Bull Riders announced that the following riders have been promoted to the nationally-televised PBR Built Ford Tough Series: Chad Besplug, Markus Mariluch, Chase Outlaw, Lachlan Richardson, Billy Robinson, Nathan Schapper, and Harve Stewart.

Richardson is the 19-year-old sensation who won in his very first BFTS event last weekend in Uncasville, Conn. The native of Gresford, Australia was the only rider to cover all four of his bulls to win the Mohegan Sun Invitational presented by Cooper Tires. He earned $38,900 for the victory, and jumped up to 31st in the BFTS season standings. He's already ranked second in the PBR Australia standings, and his win in Connecticut shot him to second in the world Rookie of the Year standings.

Besplug, Mariluch, Richardson, Robinson, and Schapper were promoted because they rank among the Top 5 riders on the PBR Touring Pro Division based on money earned, while Outlaw and Stewart qualified on BFTS Points. With over $85,000 already earned in 2012, though, Outlaw leads the Rookie of the Year race.

Riders who were cut from the BFTS are Matt Bohon, Reese Cates, Dusty Ephrom, Kasey Hayes, Cord McCoy, and Skeeter Kingsolver.

Riders with five injury exemptions are Pete Farley, Chance Roberts, Tyler Thomson, and McKennon Wimberly; Pistol Robinson has four injury exemptions; David Kennedy and Shane Proctor have two injury exemptions; and Ryan McConnel has one.

This weekend, for a record 17th year in a row, the PBR will bring the nationally televised Built Ford Tough Series to Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark in Billings, Mont., for the Stanley Tools and Security Invitational. The 17 appearances are the most total appearances and consecutive appearances than at any other city.

Tickets begin at $10 and are available at the MetraPark box office, www.MetraPark.com, and by telephone at (406) 256-2422 or (800) 366-8538. Tickets can also be purchased at the Rimrock Mall customer service counter, and at Cellular Plus stores. Bull riding will begin at 8 p.m. on Friday, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

The BFTS features the world's best and highest-paid bull riders competing against the fiercest bucking bulls on the planet. The TPD allows established veterans and newcomers alike the opportunity to compete against some of the world's best bucking bulls.

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 35 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.

Billings will feature the fifth of nine scheduled PBR 15/15 Bucking Battles. CBS will broadcast the special event in its entirety at 1 p.m. ET this Saturday, May 5 (please check local listings). The special round, which has an additional purse of $21,000, replaces the usual first short round. BFTS points are doubled in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle, with the winner receiving 200 points and second place receiving 180 points, continuing on a graduated scale to 20 points for 10th place. Points and money earned in the PBR 15/15 Bucking Battle do not count toward the event result, but they do count toward the BFTS season standings, and qualification for the Built Ford Tough World Finals.

Round 1 will be broadcast in its entirety live on YouTube at the Professional Bull Riders Channel this Friday, May 4, at 10 p.m. ET. CBS Sports Network will broadcast action from Round 2 at 10 p.m. ET this Saturday, May 5, with an encore airing at 2 a.m. ET on Sunday, May 6. CBS Sports Network will broadcast action from Round 3 and the Built Ford Tough Championship Round at 6 p.m. ET this Sunday, May 6. There will be encore airings on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET, and on Monday, May 7, at 9 p.m. ET.

The Stanley Tools and Security Invitational is the 17th stop on the BFTS, which opened the 2012 season on Jan. 6-8 with capacity crowds at Madison Square Garden in New York. The BFTS will make 28 stops in 23 states before the Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas on Oct. 24-28, 2012. The World Finals are where the PBR World Champion will be crowned and awarded the coveted Championship Buckle and a $1 million bonus. The richest bull riding event in the world, the World Finals has a total purse of more than $2 million.

The BFTS is televised every week on CBS, CBS Sports Network, NBC, NBC Sports Network, and YouTube. BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR under a multi-year agreement with David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company led by 34-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award winner David Neal, who serves as executive producer.