PBR coming back to the Hat

The PBR is coming back to Medicine Hat.

A press release Tuesday announced that the Professional Bull Riders Canadian tour will stop at Canalta Centre for a one-night event June 22, 2019. Thunderbuck in the Badlands will be the first bulls-only event in the city since Cody Snyder’s Bullbustin ended a four-year run at the Medicine Hat Arena in 2005.

“This is the perfect time to introduce a livestock event to Canalta Centre,” said Canalta Centre general manager Tammy Sweeney in the release. “We are especially excited that it will bring a whole new demographic of people into this wonderful building with the optimism of many more events of this calibre to come!”

Aside from top riders and bulls, the PBR boasts a slick show with lighting effects and music. The Medicine Hat event will be part of the PBR’s Touring Pro Division, with riders getting one chance to stay on for eight seconds, then the top 10 advancing to a final round.

Canalta marketing and sales manager Lorelle Halderman is organizing the event through her company, Blazing Brand Marketing and Productions. She said she got the idea from her involvement in PBR in the United States.

“It’s remarkable to have seen the excitement, fan base and popularity of the events grow phenomenally in North America... we definitely need the PBR in Medicine Hat, so I put the wheels in motion,” she said it the release. “And it is a show — the pyrotechnics, the high quality production and the professionalism of the event staff will leave fans wanting more.” Meadow Lake, Sask. rider Cody Coverchuk won the PBR Canadian Championship this past weekend in Saskatoon thanks to a final-round 86 aboard Homegrown Saturday night. Tickets go on sale Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. at both the Canalta box office and Ticketmaster with prices ranging from $20 to VIP tables seating eight for $600. There will be a pig roast party ($35 for adults, $25 for kids) and an after-party, and some proceeds will go to the Blair Stroh Cowboys for Kids charity.