PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals return to Las Vegas
For the 19th year in a row, the world’s top bull riders and the fiercest bucking bulls return to Las Vegas for the richest bull riding event on the planet, the 2012 Built Ford Tough World Finals on Oct. 24-28 at the Thomas & Mack Center.
PUEBLO, Colo. - For the 19th year in a row, the world's top bullriders and the fiercest bucking bulls return to Las Vegas for therichest bull riding event on the planet, the 2012 Built Ford ToughWorld Finals on Oct. 24-28 at the Thomas & Mack Center. TheWorld Finals have a total purse of $2.2 million, including a $1million bonus to the 2012 PBR World Champion, who also receives thecoveted World Champion buckle.
The World Finals will consist of six rounds of competitionfeaturing the Top 35 bull riders in the world, and the best bulls.The first five rounds feature all of the riders against thetoughest bulls. The scores from the five rides will be combined,and the Top 15 riders will advance for an additional round ofcompetition, following the completion of Round 5 on Sunday, Oct.28. The rider with the highest total score for the six rounds willearn the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals Event title and$250,000.
The World Champion will be the rider with the most Built FordTough Series points accumulated during the regular season and theWorld Finals. There are a potential 5,500 points available at theWorld Finals, so mathematically any of the Top 14 riders headinginto Las Vegas has the opportunity to win the title.
Bull riding begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, andSaturday, and at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. Tickets are available at theThomas & Mack Center box office, www.UNLVTickets.com, and bytelephone at (866) PBR-SHOW.
The BFTS leader heading into Las Vegas is defending worldchampion Silvano Alves. Alves, who is looking tobecome the first back-to-back champion in PBR history, leadssecond-ranked Valdiron de Oliveira by 505 points,and third-ranked L.J. Jenkins by 1,145.25 points.2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi is 1,531.50points behind in fourth place, and J.B. Mauney is1,567.50 points back in fifth place.
The World Finals field includes six former PBR World Championswith Alves, Marchi, Renato Nunes (2010),Kody Lostroh (2009), Mike Lee(2004), and Chris Shivers (2000 and 2003). It willbe the last chance for fans to watch Shivers, who announced that hewill retire following the World Finals.
In addition to the Top 35 money earners, the top-ranked ridersfrom PBR Australia (David Kennedy), PBR Brazil (Eduardo AparecidoSilva), PBR Canada (Zane Lambert), and PBR Mexico (CarlosContreras) were extended an invitation to compete in the first tworounds. If the International invitees are in the Top 15 in theaverage after Round 2, they will be allowed to compete in Round 3.As long as they remain in the Top 15, they can continue tocompete.
The PBR also announced the five alternates for the World Finals,who will be allowed to compete if riders seeded in the Top 35cannot. The alternates are Jared Farley, Billy Robinson, JoryMarkiss, Shane Proctor, and Dakota Beck.
The World Finals officially begin at 2 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 22,with a press conference to be held on Fremont Street in front ofthe Golden Nugget. The event will include a proclamation by LasVegas Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman, the Top 10 bull riders in theworld, and a bull weigh-in. The riders will then sign autographsfrom 3-4 p.m. in the Golden Nugget.
The PBR will host a golf tournament to benefit Special OlympicsNevada on Tuesday, Oct. 23, from 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at Bear's BestLas Vegas, 11111 W. Flamingo Road. Cost is $375 per person or$1,500 per team. To register, please telephone (702) 795-7772.
The PBR Heroes & Legends Celebration Reception will be heldon Oct. 23 from 6-7 p.m. at South Point Las Vegas, and will beimmediately followed by the PBR Heroes & Legends Celebrationfrom 7-8:30 p.m. The ceremony will include the induction of 2012Ring of Honor members Mike White and Ross Coleman, and thepresentation of the Brand of Honor to Dillinger, the Jim ShouldersLifetime Achievement Award to Tom Teague, and the Sharon ShouldersAward to Jackie Dunn. Legends Reunion ticket packages can bepurchased at the Thomas & Mack Center box office, www.UNLVTickets.com, and bytelephone at (866) PBR-SHOW.
The PBR Fan Zone & Marketplace has something for everyone,including sponsor displays, Flint Rasmussen's "Outside the Barrel"show, Wool Warriors, Chris Shivers' Mini Bull Riding, live music onthe Cooper Tires Stage, and more. Located in the south parking lotat Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, the PBR Fan Zone &Marketplace is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 23,Wednesday, Oct. 24, Thursday, Oct. 25, and Friday, Oct, 26, andfrom 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27.
Purina Mills will present the NHRA Ride a Reiner program from 11a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday atthe PBR University Arena at the Mandalay Bay Fan Zone andMarketplace. Purina Mills and NRHA will offer test rides to PBRspectators. For those who have some riding experience, "Ride aReiner" will give them the opportunity to enjoy a dizzying spin oreven a sliding stop on a well-trained reining horse.
Award-winning singer/songwriter Easton Corbin will openChampionship Sunday on Oct. 28, taking the stage at 11a.m.,immediately followed by Round 5 and the Built Ford ToughChampionship Round at 11:30 a.m.
CBS Sports Network will broadcast Round 1 at 9 p.m. ET on Oct.24, and Round 2 at 9 p.m. ET on Oct. 25. NBC Sports Network willbroadcast Round 3 at 9 p.m. ET on Oct. 27, and Round 4 at 9 p.m. ETon Oct. 27. NBC will broadcast Round 5 and the Built Ford ToughChampionship Round at 4 p.m. ET on Oct. 28.
Follow Jack Carnefix on Twitter @JackCarnefix.