CHICAGO – For the 14th time in history, PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) premier Unleash The Beast will compete in the Windy City bucking into Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, with Tractor Supply Co. PBR Chicago.
For two nights only, more than 30 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.
The upcoming Tractor Supply Co. PBR Chicago will be just the sixth event of the new individual season as riders vie for early points in the race to be crowned the 2024 PBR World Champion.
When the PBR last travelled to Allstate Arena in January 2023, Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) won his second consecutive Unleash The Beast event, going a perfect 3-for-3 to claim the victory at Tractor Supply Co. PBR Chicago.
The two-time PBR World Champion was one of 22 riders to convert in the opening round of competition. He tied for the 14th-best score when he covered Reinstate Hank (Phenom Genetics/Basham/Sankey Pro Rodeo) for 83.5 points.
Leme then catapulted to second on the event leaderboard when he rode Knuckle Head (K-C Bucking Bulls/TCB Ranch) for a Round 2-winning 87 points.
In the championship round, Leme remained in perfect time with Cliff Hanger (Cord McCoy/Pioneer Bulls/McCoy Rodeo), matching the powerful animal athlete jump-for-jump en route to the whistle for 88.25 points. Leme’s score, coupled with the final rider out bucking off, clinched the victory.
Leme also finished second in the tour stop’s accompanying 15/15 Bucking Battle. The silver finish was earned compliments of his 88-point score atop The Right Stuff (Diamond Willow/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger).
Leme left Allstate Arena having earned 182 Unleash The Beast points. After travelling to the event ranked No. 10 in the race for the 2023 PBR World Championship, he surged eight positions to No. 2.
The tour stop’s 15/15 bucking battle was won by Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas) who rode Roc Wit It (K-C Bucking Bulls) for 89.75 points.
As the season progressed, both Leme and Kasel remained prime contenders for the 2023 PBR World Championship. When the dust settled, however, both came up short with Leme finishing No. 2 in the title battle, and Kasel No. 5.
In recent history, the Windy City event was instrumental to one rider’s campaign that etched his name in the PBR record books.
Marking his second consecutive victory on the premier series, Jess Lockwood (Volborg, Montana) won the event inside Allstate Arena in 2019 allowing him to further his stronghold on the No. 1 rank and setting him on a path that led him to becoming the youngest two-time World Champion in PBR history to end the season.
Additionally, Lockwood’s win in Chicago in 2019 made him the first rider since two-time PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney (Statesville, North Carolina) in 2007 to win the first two events of the season.
Other past Prairie State event winners include: Austin Meier (2006), Adriano Moraes (2008), Dustin Hall (2008), Robson Palermo (2011), Billy Robinson (2013), Marco Eguchi (2014), Silvano Alves (2015), Wallace Vieira de Oliviera (2016), Rubens Barbosa (2017), Cooper Davis (2018), Daylon Swearingen (2020) and Stetson Lawrence (2022).
The bull riding action for Tractor Supply Co. PBR Chicago begins with Round 1 at 7:45 p.m. CT on Friday, January 12, followed by Round 2 and the championship round at 6:45 p.m. CT on Saturday, January 13. All competing bull riders will get on one bull each in Rounds 1-2. Following Round 2 Saturday evening, 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 are on sale now, and start at $20, taxes and fees not included. Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, Rosemont.com/allstate and PBR.com, or by calling PBR customer service at (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, and more. For more on elite seats, visit https://pbr.com/elite-seats-unleash-the-beast, or call (800) 732-1727
For more information about the PBR and to see the full 2024 PBR Unleash The Beast schedule, visit PBR.com.
Photo courtesty of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
