Huge PBR event in Cairns
Best international and Aussie riders compete
THE countdown is on to Cairns’ biggest ever professional bull-riding showdown, with a slew of world-class Australian and international names confirmed for the 2018 PBR Monster Energy Tour Cairns Invitational on June 2.
Taking place at Cairns Convention Centre, the Cairns Invitational will attract big-name Mexican riders including 20 year-old young gun Francisco Garcia Torres, Jorge Valdiviezo, who was the first Mexican rider to make the US PBR Built Ford Tough Series, and another of that country’s top riders, Alvaro Alvarez.
Valdiviezo, who is continuing his recovery from a shoulder injury that knocked him out of the PBR Global Cup opening leg in Canada last year, is also the second Mexican in history to compete in the PBR in the US.
Montana’s Matt Triplett will stack up alongside the Mexican contingent to fly the American flag in Cairns.
Triplett is a former world title contender, and is back in fine form after sitting out most of 2017 due to an injury that saw two four-inch screws inserted into his shoulder.
Some of Australia’s best bull-riding athletes will compete in Cairns, including world number 26 Nathan Burtenshaw, who will make his return to competition following collarbone surgery just five weeks ago; the unstoppable Aaron Kleier, current Australian number one, who missed out on first place in Cairns last year by just 0.25 of a point; Australian champion Troy Wilkinson, and; brothers Cliff and Lachlan Richardson.
North Queensland riders Braydon Wellby, Michael Smith, Rohan Markham and Budd Williamson will also be flying the flag for their home state, vying for top honours.
PBR entertainer and crowd favourite Brinson James will also fly in from the USA for the Cairns Invitational. The son of US rodeo entertainment legend Hollywood Harris, James will keep the crowd entertained in between the bull-riding rounds.
“Cairns has always been one of our favourite stops on the PBR tour – and this year we’re expecting the biggest and best event yet,” said PBR Australia general manager Glen Young.
“The timing of the event, right before the PBR Global Cup in Sydney, adds pressure to the riders to pull out all stops as it is the final qualifying event for the Global Cup.”
When the tough-as-nails competition ends on June 2, Australia’s PBR Global Cup team will remain in Cairns before travelling to Sydney the following week.
Working with legendary Australian bull rider Troy Dunn, who is Australia’s head coach, the team will go into camp before setting off for Global Cup glory.
“You could liken the camp in Cairns to State-of-Origin camp for the football players,” said Mr Young.
“It’s where all of our team will join together – and focus as a team for Global Cup success.
“Bull riding has always been such an individual sport, so this team event is a new concept for our riders.
“The Global Cup pits the world’s premier bull-riding nations, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the United States of America, against each other in a showdown for the title of ‘Toughest Nation on Dirt’.”