PUEBLO, Colo. - The Professional Bull Riders is pleased toannounce that Dillinger will be the 2012 recipient of the Brand ofHonor, an award presented each year to a bull for exemplaryperformance. Dillinger will be honored along with MikeWhite and Ross Coleman, who are beinginducted into the PBR Ring of Honor, as part of the PBR Heroes& Legends Celebration on Oct. 23 at South Point Hotel, Casino& Spa in Las Vegas. The celebration will also include thepresentation of the Sharon Shoulders Award and the Jim ShouldersAward.
"We always say, 'We have two great athletes in every ride, onewith two legs and the other with four,' and some of the mostrecognized names in PBR history are the four-legged athletes," saidPBR Chairman and CEO Jim Haworth. "Dillinger was one of the firstbulls to have that recognition, and we are happy to honor him withthe Brand of Honor."
Owned by Herrington Cattle Co., Dillinger was the firstback-to-back and two-time World Champion Bull in 2000 and 2001. Oneof the most-recognized athletes, the black bull with the white faceretired in 2002 after sustaining a leg injury.
"We say we've never had a back-to-back champion, but that is onlyin the human category," said PBR Founder and Livestock DirectorCody Lambert, who was inducted into the Ring ofHonor as a member of the inaugural class in 1996. "Dillinger wontwo years in a row, and he was battling with Little Yellow Jacket,Blueberry Wine, and Mossy Oak Mudslinger when injury took him outof the game. He was a lot bigger than those bulls, weighing about1,800 pounds in his prime.
"He had the same tools that they had with lots of speed andagility with power added in. All great athletes come in differentsizes and shapes or even different species, but they all have onething in common and that's competitive desire. Dillinger broughtthat on every trip."
Dillinger had a career buckoff rate of 85.11 percent in Built FordTough Series events. He was only ridden seven times in 47 outs,including four round wins, and his average bull score was 46.83. Heis a member of the www.ProBullStats.com Hallof Fame, and ranks first with an average mark of 46.888.
Dillinger was ridden for 96.5 points by two-time PBR WorldChampion Chris Shivers at the 2001 PBR Built FordTough World Finals, which is the highest score in World Finalshistory, and tied for the highest score in the PBR record books.Dillinger was part of five of the 50 highest scores in PBR history,including 95.5 points for Jim Sharp at Fort Worth,Texas, in 2002; 95 points for 2002 PBR World Champion EdneiCaminhas in 2001 at Columbus, Ga., 94.5 points forCaminhas at the World Finals in 2000, and 94.5 points forCorey Navarre at the World Finals in 2001. He wasa part of three of the Top 10 scores in World Finals history.
Chris Shivers rides Dillinger for 96.5 points at the 2001 WorldFinals.
The inaugural recipient of the Brand of Honor in 2011 was LittleYellow Jacket, who became the second two-time World Champion Bullwinner, and the only three-time winner, capturing the honor in2002, 2003 and 2004.
South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa is the Official Host Hotel ofthe PBR Legends Reunion. The special event on Oct. 23-24 will againofficially begin the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals. Fans willhave an opportunity to meet their favorite riders, as every riderwho has competed since the PBR began has been invited to LasVegas.
PBR Founders and Ring of Honor members who are confirmed to attendinclude Clint Branger, CodyCuster, Jerome Davis, DavidFournier, Cody Lambert, ScottMendes, Ty Murray, AaronSemas and Sharp.
PBR World Champions scheduled to attend and who will participatein a special interactive session with fans are CodyHart (1999), Shivers (2000 and 2003), Caminhas (2002),Mike Lee (2004), Guilherme Marchi(2008), Kody Lostroh (2009), RenatoNunes (2010) and Silvano Alves (2011).For more information on the PBR Legends Reunion, including anup-to-date list of confirmed attendees, please visit Reunion.PBR.com.
The PBR Ring of Honor was created in 1996 to recognize those whohave had the most profound impact on bull riding, both in and outof the arena. The 36 members share a common bond of courage,strength and victory. They have shown their dedication and support,while playing a significant role in helping professional bullriding become what it is today. Honorees include the greatJim Shoulders, PBR founding fathers Murray andLambert, three-time PBR World Champion AdrianoMoraes, two-time PBR World Champion JustinMcBride, and PBR World Champions TroyDunn and Michael Gaffney. The Ring ofHonor, the PBR's equivalent of a Hall of Fame, is more than afellowship: Each inductee is presented with a ring handcrafted ofdiamonds and gold bearing the PBR logo, the recipient's name andthe year he was honored.
The PBR will host a golf tournament to benefit Special OlympicsNevada on Oct. 23 from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. The PBR Heroes & LegendsCelebration Reception will be held from 6-7 p.m. at South Point LasVegas, and will be immediately followed by the PBR Heroes &Legends Celebration from 7-8:30 p.m. The ceremony will include theinduction of the 2012 Ring of Honor members, and the presentationof the Brand of Honor, the Jim Shoulders Lifetime AchievementAward, and the Sharon Shoulders Award. The South Point Arena andEquestrian Center will play host to the ABBI Back Seat BuckersFinals with performances at 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Following the BackSeat Buckers performances, South Point Las Vegas will play host tothe PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals Kickoff Party.
Past riders will join the competitors in the 2012 World Finals forthe Ultimate PBR Bull Rider Meet & Greet on Oct. 24 from 11a.m.-1 p.m. at South Point Las Vegas. Prior to the Meet & Greetfrom 10-11 a.m., fans will have the opportunity to hear PBR WorldChampions talk about what it is like to earn the belt buckle thatevery bull rider dreams of obtaining.
The Brand of Honor and the Jim Shoulders Award were each presentedfor the first time in 2011. The Brand of Honor is awarded to a bullfor exemplary performance, while the Jim Shoulders Award recognizesa non-bull rider who has made a significant contribution to thesport.
"All great athletes come in different sizesand shapes... but they all have one thing in common and that'scompetitive desire. Dillinger brought that on everytrip."
Created by the PBR Board of Directors in 2009 to honor women whohave made a difference in the life of a bull rider and contributedto the sport, the Sharon Shoulders Award honors its namesake forher support and encouragement of her late husband, Jim Shoulders,the celebrated cowboy and bull rider who was inducted as a memberof the first class in the PBR Ring of Honor in 1996.
PBR Legends Reunion ticket packages are now available for $175, asavings of $150. The package includes tickets to the PBR Heroes& Legends Reception, the PBR Heroes & Legends InductionCeremony, the ABBI Back Seat Buckers Finals, the PBR Built FordTough World Finals Kickoff Party, the PBR World Champions Forum andthe PBR Ultimate Meet & Greet. The package also includes VIPaccess to the PBR World Finals Pre-Party at the Cox Pavilion, andtickets for Rounds 1 and 2 of the PBR World Finals on Oct. 24 and25.
Fans that have already purchased tickets for the PBR World Finalscan purchase a PBR Legends Reunion add-on package for $100, asavings of $155. The package includes tickets to the PBR Heroes& Legends Reception, the PBR Heroes & Legends InductionCeremony, the ABBI Back Seat Buckers Finals, the PBR Built FordTough World Finals Kickoff Party, the PBR World Champions Forum,the PBR Ultimate Meet & Greet and VIP access to the PBR WorldFinals Pre-Party at the Cox Pavilion.
Legends Reunion ticket packages can be purchased now at the Thomas& Mack Center box office, www.UNLVTickets.com, and bytelephone at (866) PBR-SHOW.
The World Finals are where the PBR World Champion will be crownedand awarded the coveted championship buckle and a $1 million bonus.The richest bull riding event in the world, the World Finals has atotal purse of more than $2 million.
The World Finals are Oct. 24-28 at the Thomas & Mack Center.Bull riding begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday andSaturday and at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. Tickets are available now atthe Thomas & Mack Center box office, www.UNLVTickets.com, and bytelephone at (866) PBR-SHOW.
South Point Las Vegas is offering special room rates of $65 and$105 until Aug. 31. To redeem the special rate, please telephone(866) 791-7626 and use the code FAN1021, or click here.
PBR Legends Reunion Tentative Schedule
Tuesday, Oct. 23
7 a.m.-2p.m. PBR Celebrity Golf Classic benefiting Nevada Special Olympics(separate cost)
4-5:30p.m. ABBI Back Seat Buckers Finals - Section 1
6-7p.m. PBR Heroes & Legends Celebration Reception (Refreshments/Horsd' Oeuvres)
7-8:30p.m. PBR Heroes & Legends Celebration
9-10:30p.m. ABBI Back Seat Buckers Finals - Section 2
Wednesday, Oct. 24
10-11a.m. PBR World Champions Forum at South Point Las Vegas
11 a.m.-1p.m. Ultimate PBR Bull Rider Meet & Greet
4-6p.m. PBR World Finals Pre-Party at the Cox Pavilion
6p.m. Round 1 of PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals
Thursday, Oct. 25
4-6p.m. PBR World Finals Pre-Party at the Cox Pavilion
6p.m. Round 2 of PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals
About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc.(PBR)
The PBR is the world's premier bull riding organization. This yearmarks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the PBR. In just twodecades, the dream of 20 bull riders has become a global sportsphenomenon that is televised worldwide. More than 100 millionviewers annually watch primetime PBR programming on networks aroundthe world including CBS, CBS Sports Network, NBC, and NBC SportsNetwork. The PBR has awarded over $100 million in prize money and25 riders have earned over $1 million, including Justin McBridewith $5.5 million - the most of any Western-sports athlete inhistory. Nearly 2 million fans attend Built Ford Tough Series andTouring Pro Division events each year. For more information on thePBR, go to www.pbr.com, or follow onFacebook at www.facebook.com/PBR,Twitter at http://twitter.com/PBR, andYouTube at http://www.YouTube.com/PBR.