CASPER, Wyo. – For the fourth time in history, PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour will buck into Casper, Wyoming, returning to the Ford Wyoming Center on April 2, 2022, with the PBR Casper Invitational.
For one night 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’s Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour last traveled to Casper in 2020, holding a quartet of events to conclude the regular season.
As action got underway inside the Ford Wyoming Center veteran rider Wallace Vieira de Oliveira (Goiania, Brazil) delivered a dominant 2-for-2 performance to win the first event in Casper, collecting a critical 38 world points. The victory was crucial in Oliveira’s march to his third career PBR World Finals qualification, propelling him from No. 63 to No. 45 in the world standings.
Young gun Kyler Oliver (Roy, Utah) achieved an important career milestone on the second night of action in the Cowboy State, riding to his first-ever victory on the PBR’s expansion series. Oliver’s win, which elevated him from No. 87 to No. 56 in the world standings, was also key to helping him reach the year-end World Finals.
After Brazilian rookie Andre da Cruz de Souza topped the field during the third iteration of the PBR Casper Invitation in 2020, 11-time PBR World Finals qualifier Valdiron de Oliveira (Balcimo, Brazil) delivered a flawless 2-for-2 performance to capture his first event victory since August 2016 at the final Velocity Tour event in Casper.
Other past PBR Casper Invitational event winners include Allisson de Souza (2018 – Taubate, Brazil) and Keyshawn Whitehorse (2019 – McCracken Springs, Utah).
The PBR’s return to Casper comes on the spurs of one of the fiercest races for the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour in history.
While Michael Lane (Tazewell, Virginia) held the No. 1 position in the standings the majority of the season, he was surpassed during the last out of the year as Adriano Salgado (Batatais, Brazil) used a runner-up finish at the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals to surge to the top ranking in the standings.
The Brazilian newcomer Salgado finished a slim 26.5 points ahead of No. 2 Lane, who was unable to compete at the year-end event due to injury.
The Casper tour stop will tentatively mark the 22nd Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event of the year, with PBR’s fastest-growing tour first stopping in cities including Portland, Oregon; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Jacksonville, Florida; and North Charleston, South Carolina.
The bull riding action for the 2022 PBR Casper Invitational begins at 7:00 p.m. MST on Saturday, April 2 at the Ford Wyoming Center.
On Saturday evening, all 40 competing riders will attempt one bull each in Round 1. Following the opening round, the Top 10 will then advance to the championship round where they will attempt one final bull, all in an effort to be crowned the event champion.
Tickets for the one-day event go on sale Monday, January 24 at 10:00 a.m. MST, and start at $15, taxes and fees not included. Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets early, with all price levels increasing $5 on event day.
Tickets can be purchased online at FordWyomingCenter.com and PBR.com, at the Ford Wyoming Center Box Office, or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727. Tickets will be available online only until Wednesday, January 26 at 10:00 a.m. MST.
PBR Elite Seats are available for $175 for avid fans who want an exclusive VIP experience while enjoying the world’s top bull riding circuit. These tickets offer the best seats in the venue, a question-and-answer presentation with some of the top bull riders and stock contractors in the world, $10 concession voucher, souvenir credential and lanyard, and pre-event photo opportunity from the dirt.
For an enhanced PBR experience, fans can purchase add-on PBR Premium Experiences which will include the Elite Experience on Saturday, April 2.
The Elite Experience, available for $50, will include a Q&A session with a select group of the league’s top riders, bullfighters and stock contractors, photo opportunity, and commemorative credential and lanyard.
