AIRDRIE, Alta. – With less than two months of the 2024 season remaining, the elite Cup Series resumes competition this weekend, travelling to Grande Prairie, Alberta, for the PBR Peace Country Invitational.

The two-day event is held at the Bonnetts Energy Centre and will feature more than 25 riders, all of whom are jockeying for crucial national points to ensure their berth to the PBR Canada National Finals in November.

Last season’s event winner, and reigning PBR Canada Champion, Dakota Buttar says the win, which ended in him breaking his collarbone, set up that strong run to take home the Championship a few weeks later.

“It was one of those weekends where I turned out of a rodeo to go to Grande Prairie because I had a good bull. Having that good draw set me up for the weekend, and into the Finals,” Buttar said.

“These last few weeks are do or die for everyone. We are all trying to gather up all the points we can heading toward the Finals.”

For Buttar, Grande Prairie is a town of significance for the Saskatchewan native, the site of his 2020 PBR Canada Championship victory as event restrictions brought the Finals to the Northern Alberta city for a three-night event in front of minimal fans.

“I never really noticed, I guess it’s just one I have had good luck at,” Buttar said. “Everyone has those places where things just seem to go there way a bit more than not. Grande Prairie has always been good to me, and I hope it keeps rolling.”

This weekend is slated to mark the return of season dominators Nick Tetz and Cody Coverchuk, ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively in Canada. Coverchuk is returning to competition following a groin injury and looks to bring the fight back to Tetz, who is returning home following an out with the Arizona Ridge Riders at the PBR Teams event in Fort Worth, Texas.

Buttar will begin the PBR Peace Country Invitational ranked No. 7 in Canada, 543.5 points behind No. 1 Tetz. However, No. 2 Coverchuk is a mere 3 points behind the top spot.

“I imagine they will do what they have been doing all year long, you don’t expect any less from them now,” Buttar said of the Top 2 riders in Canada.

“They are going to be really hungry after sitting out a couple weeks too, I expect them to show up firing on all cylinders.”

Campaigner Dawson Shannon, as well as Tetz, are making their PBR Canada Cup Series return after their wedding days, something that Buttar experienced in 2022. Buttar says it’s important to not let it change the routine that has worked for a guy so far in their careers.

“I don't think much changes really. It’s the same as it was before, you are just not riding for yourself anymore,” he said. “It’s bull riding though, so you can't change much if it's been working.”

For those in the Peace Country who haven’t gotten tickets to experience PBR Canada up close and personal, Buttar urges you to get them soon as riders are hungrier than ever to make sure they close their 2024 seasons out on a positive note.

“The race is tightening up for the PBR Canada title, and this is the last stretch before Finals. Everyone is going to be getting whatever they can get, and it looks like it’s going to be a full roster of guys so it will for sure be a great show.”

Photo courtesy of Covy Moore/CovyMoore.com