DULUTH, Ga. – For the 18th time in history, PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) elite Unleash The Beast will buck into Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia, holding the PBR Gwinnett Invitational Jan. 21-22.
For two nights only, 35 of the best bull riders in the world will go head-to-head against the sport’s rankest bovine athletes, showcasing the ultimate showdown of man vs. beast in one of the most exciting live sporting events to witness.
During the 2023 season, the PBR will celebrate its 30th anniversary since 20 cowboys broke away from the traditional rodeo with the belief that bull riding could be a standalone sport. Since their trailblazing initiative, the PBR has grown into a global phenomenon awarding nearly $300 million in prize money.
The upcoming PBR Gwinnett Invitational will mark the eighth event of the new individual season. Eventgoers will watch on as riders vie for early points in the race to be crowned the 2023 PBR World Champion.
When PBR last bucked into Duluth in January 2022, Marcelo Procopio Pereira (Rinopolis, Brazil) delivered a career-best performance to win his first elite Unleash The Beast event title, capping his flawless performance inside Gas South Arena with the top ride score of his tenure with the PBR.
Pereira’s march to victory began when he was one of 17 riders to deliver a qualified ride in Round 1, making the 8 aboard GT Flying High (Torres Brothers Bucking Bulls LLC) for 86 points. Pereira then surged from 15th to second on the event leaderboard when he capitalized on re-ride draw Dirty Sancho (Blake Sharp/Koe Wetzel/High Voltage Cattle) in Round 2 for an 86.75-point score.
With the second pick in the championship round bull draft, Pereira opted to go head-to-head with Chiseled (Flinn/D&H Cattle Co.). In a decision that paid dividends, Pereira matched the striking animal athlete jump-for-jump en route to earning the highest-marked score of his career – 91.75 points.
As the only other rider to go a perfect 3-for-3, Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, New York) finished second. The silver finish was his second of 11 Top 10 finishes en route to being crowned the 2022 PBR World Champion.
Clinching the title by winning the prestigious PBR World Finals, Swearingen went a torrid 26-for-60, covering 43.33% of his animal athlete opponents during his 2022 gold buckle campaign.
Swearingen earned $1,697,481.63, including $1,394,000 for his career-first PBR World Championship and World Finals event win. Swearingen, 23, is now 17th in all-time money earned in PBR competition with his career earnings topping more than $2.21 million.
Historically, PBR World Champions have won seven of the 16 PBR premier series events held in the greater Atlanta area. Two-time PBR World Champion Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) was the most recent contender to accomplish the feat, topping the field in Duluth in 2019.
Other past World Champion event winners include: two-time PBR World Champion Chris Shivers (2012), two-time PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney (2011), 2008 PBR World Champion Guilherme Marchi (2010), 2004 PBR World Champion Mike Lee (2008), three-time PBR World Champion Adriano Moraes (2004) and 1999 PBR World Champion Cody Hart (1999).
The bull riding action for the PBR Gwinnett Invitational begins with Round 1 at 6:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 21, followed by Round 2 and the championship round at 1:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 22. All competing bull riders will get on one bull each in Rounds 1-2. Following Round 2 Sunday afternoon, the riders’ individual two-round scores will be totaled, with the Top 12 advancing to the championship round for one more out and a chance at the event title.
Tickets for the two-day event go on sale Thursday, September 1 at 10:00 a.m. ET, and start at $22, taxes and fees not included. Tickets can be purchased online at AXS.com and PBR.com, at the Gas South Arena Box Office or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.
PBR Elite Seats are available for avid fans who want an exclusive VIP experience while enjoying the world’s top bull riding circuit. These tickets, available in three tiers, offer premium seats, personal on-site concierge at the PBR fan loyalty booth, $20 concession voucher, souvenir credential and lanyard.
Available for $240, the PBR Bronze Elite Seats include a post-event photo on the dirt, which will be available for digital download after the event.
Priced at $315 is the PBR VIP Elite Seats and $375 is the PBR Premier Elite Seat, which include a 30th anniversary collectible item, pre-show backstage tour with PBR talent and photo on the dirt in front of the bucking chutes presented in a PBR 30th Anniversary Season branded frame to take home after the show and also available for digital download.
Additionally, the PBR Premier Elite Seats, which will offer the best views in the venue, will also include a 2023 PBR Yearbook.
For more information about the PBR and to see the full 2023 PBR Unleash The Beast schedule, visit PBR.com.
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
