WHEELING, W.V. – For the seventh time in league history, PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT) will buck into Wheeling, West Virginia, hosting the fan-attended Wheeling Invitational at WesBanco Arena Oct. 8-9.
For two nights only, some of the best bull riders in the world will battle the sport’s rankest bovine athletes in the ultimate showdown of man vs. beast in one of the most exciting live sporting events to witness.
PBR last traveled to Wheeling in 2019 when Derek Kolbaba (Walla Walla, Washington) went a perfect 3-for-3 across the two-day tour stop to win the eighth PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event of his career.
While his event was capped by an 86-point ride on Roll of the Dice (Sustaire/Barrett Willis Bucking Stock LLC) in the championship round, Kolbaba’s 86-point effort on Black Ice (Rickey West Bucking Bulls) was also the top score in Round 2.
With the win, Kolbaba earned 220 world points and was propelled from No. 35 to No. 18 in the world.
The most recent PWVT event in Wheeling also featured a standout performance by three-time PBR World Champion Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sol, Brazil) who finished second. The veteran Brazilian earned 90 world points to surge from No. 17 to No. 12 in the world.
Other past Wheeling event winners include Eli Miller (2018 – Statesville, North Carolina), Carlos Garcia (2017 – Abingdon, Virginia), two-time PBR World Champion Jess Lockwood (2016 – Volborg, Montana), three-time PBR World Finals event winner Robson Palermo (2015 – Rio Branco, Brazil) and Brenton Chaffin (2014 – Riner, Virginia).
The Wheeling tour stop will tentatively mark the 23rd PWVT event of the year, with PBR’s fastest-growing tour first stopping in cities including Greenville, South Carolina; Lexington, Kentucky; Pensacola, Florida, and Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Thus far in 2021, the race for the 2021 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Championship is off to a fierce start, with the Top 3 riders in the series standings separated by a mere 12 points.
Austin Richardson (Stephenville, Texas) currently holds the No. 1 rank having won one PWVT event while registering two additional Top-10 efforts across four events. The 21-year-old Texan leads No. 2 Paulo Ferreira Lima (Bezerros, Brazil) by a slim 8.67 points, and No. 3 Michael Lane (Tazewell, Virginia) by 11.5 points.
The bull riding action for the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour’s Wheeling Invitational begins at 8:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, October 8, and at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday, October 9 at WesBanco Arena.
On Friday night, all 45 competing riders will attempt one bull each in Round 1. The Top 30 riders will then return for Round 2 on Saturday evening. Following Round 2, the Top 15 in the event will then advance to the championship round where each will attempt one final bull, all in an effort to be crowned the event champion.
Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, July 30, and start at $15, taxes and fees not included. They can be purchased online at WesBancoArena.com, Etix.com or PBR.com, or by calling PBR Customer Service at 1-800-732-1727, or the Etix hotline at 800-514-3849.
For fans who purchased tickets to either of the two previously announced event dates in Wheeling in 2020, those tickets will be honored for the 2021 PBR Neighborhood Ford Store Challenge.
For an enhanced PBR experience, fans can also purchase PBR Elite Experience Add On for $50, which will provide a behind-the-chutes look into the toughest sport on dirt.
The Elite Experience Add On includes a pre-event question and answer session with PBR stars, commemorative lanyard and post-event photo opportunity in the arena. For more information, contact PBR Direct at 800-732-1727.
Throughout the 2021 season, PBR will continue to commit to providing a safe environment for fans, athletes, employees, and crew by working with its venue partners to implement health and safety protocols for live events while following health guidance from local and state officials.