LAS VEGAS – As Professional Bull Riders (PBR) enters the stretch run of the sport’s most successful season in its history, PBR is adding to the on-the-dirt excitement of its World Finals Week in Las Vegas with an American freestyle bullfighting competition.
A combination of classic American bullfighting with the modern-day acrobatics of parkour, Ultimate Freestyle Bullfighting (UFB) will feature the country’s Top 24 bullfighters competing Oct. 29-Nov. 1 at South Point Arena, in conjunction with the PBR BlueDEF Tour Finals.
“This action-packed sport features some of the bravest bullfighters in the world facing off against the toughest bulls in the country,” said PBR CEO Sean Gleason. “These bullfighters will blend classic techniques with hardcore stunts, wowing fans with sensational acrobatics and social media-worthy moments.”
The bullfighters who made the cut following a nationwide search will come face-to-face with some of the world’s rankest bulls for a piece of the $50,000 payout during the following events:
Round 1: Saturday, Oct. 29 & Sunday, Oct. 30 at 4 p.m.
Round 2: Monday, Oct. 31 at 4 p.m.
Round 3 & Championship Round: Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 2 p.m.
Twenty four bullfighters will start the competition, which will be narrowed down to four finalists (three round winners and a wild card participant who had scored the highest in round three) competing in a championship round.
The four-day event will feature an extreme competition between some of the top bullfighters in the country including Evan Allard, Jon Roberts, Juddsen Napier, Kyle Lippincott and the 2016 Helldorado Days Bullfight Champion Freestyle Bullfighter Tanner Zarnetski.
This invitation-only event will put the bullfighters in the center of the arena with their bovine competitors as they try to engage with the bulls for at least 40 seconds to qualify for a score. Bullfighters will perform compulsory and freestyle moves to earn the highest score possible in order to advance to the next rounds of competition.
Bullfighters will be judged by their composure and self-control, aggressiveness and ability to engage with and control the bull as well as the level of exposure to risk and danger displayed. Bulls will be scored separately based on their level of aggressiveness, speed and quickness, fighting ability, danger factor and intelligence.
Ticket prices are included in the BlueDEF Tour Finals ticket starting at $25 for general admission, $40 for reserved seating and $100 for a three-day reserved seating package. Tickets can be purchase at the South Point Arena Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, www.ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 800-745-3000.