Canada’s premier bull rider headlines Expo Centre event
For Saskatchewan’s 26-year-old Buttar, mastery of bucking bulls is in the blood
Dakota Buttar was born into a rodeo family and was destined to become a bull rider.
That he happens to be the best bull rider in Canada has more to do with talent and hard work than destiny, however.
Buttar, 26, of Kindersley, Sask., will be one of the headliners competing at the PBR Canada Edmonton Classic on Saturday (7 p.m.) at the Edmonton Expo Centre.
“My dad was a bull rider and I was brought up with my family going to rodeos,” Buttar said. “So I was always tagging along and I had friends that started riding steers, and I did too, and it kept going from there.
“Just growing up around it you grow a love for the sport. It’s kind of like the same as any sport, the people that do it have a passion for it. I have a passion for it as well. I’m a pretty big fan of the animal athletes as well. It’s pretty amazing how the animals are just as big athletes as we are and that’s something that I love about the sport.”
The Edmonton event is part of the PBR Monster Energy Tour and will be the last chance for competitors to qualify for the Canadian Finals in Saskatoon next month. Buttar has been on the PBR tour since 2014 and is the No. 1 ranked rider in the country and 26th ranked worldwide.
“I’ve rodeoed pretty hard in the past, but these last few years I’ve just done PBR,” Buttar said. “I started with rodeo and then went over to PBR and I’ve been doing PBR full time.
“PBR has a different fan base than the rodeo. It’s louder and has a lot of fireworks and things like that. It’s kind of a younger atmosphere. A lot of people compare it to a rock concert with bucking bulls.”
The PBR started as an offshoot of rodeo, deciding to focus solely on the marquee event. They bring in the biggest and rankest bucking bulls from across the country and see who can stay on for eight seconds in the most stylish way.
It’s not an easy way to make a living, whether on the rodeo or PBR circuit.
“I’m looking forward to Edmonton, it’s the last one of the year that I can get to in Canada, so I’m going to try to make the best of it,” Buttar said. “It’s kind of crunch time for a lot of guys in it. Guys are trying to get to the finals and a lot of guys will be making that last push for a title. It should be good, a lot of guys laying it out on the line and there is a pretty good pen of bulls up there so it’s going to be good to watch.”
A rider is only as good as the bull he draws and competing with each other week in and week out, the two combatants get to know each other well. Each bull has its own personality and tendencies when in the arena.
“I can remember bulls from five years ago and I can’t remember something that I was talking about yesterday,” Buttar said with a laugh. “You get to know them fairly well. They have their personalities and their traits and patterns.
“Drawing a good bull, that’s one of the most important things. It’s the bulls that make our sport. If you have a bad draw, you’re probably not going to get a good score. If you get a good bull and can make the most of it, that’s a big deal.”
Buttar started his PBR career in Canada, but has been spending a lot of his time on the U.s.-based tour of late.
Last season he recorded his first 90-point ride at an event in Columbus, Ohio. He finished No. 17 in the world standings and competed for Team Canada at the Global Cup event, which was held in Australia. The inaugural Global Cup was held in Edmonton at Rogers Place in 2017.
A national champion, Buttar has competed in Edmonton at the Canadian Finals Rodeo.
“I’m looking forward to going back to Edmonton,” Buttar said. “I haven’t been there since the last event. There is no place like home. It’s fun when you can have all your friends come up and watch you and not have to travel too far from home, so I love coming up to Canada.”