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Greatest Show On Dirt Returns to Tamworth

09/09/2010

2010 PROFESSIONAL BULL RIDERS NATIONAL FINALS
TAMWORTH, NSW
NOVEMBER 26 & 27, 2010

Greatest Show On Dirt Returns to Tamworth

The greatest show on Australia’s bull riding calendar, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) National Finals, returns to Tamworth on November 26 & 27, bringing with it all the action,glamour and fanfare of the toughest sport on dirt.

To be held over two nights on Friday, November 26 and Saturday, November 27 at Tamworth’s world-class livestock events facility, the Australian Equine and Livestock EventsCentre (AELEC), the 2010 PBR National Finals will pit five of the world’s top-ranked professional bull riders from the United State’s elite Built Ford Tough Series against 25 of Australia’s bravest athletes.

With more than $40,000 in prize money up for grabs, including $5,000 bonuses for the 2010 PBR Australia Champion and the 2010 PBR Australia Champion Bucking Bull, the 2010 PBR National Finals is one of the richest and most prestigious bull rides in the nation.

The 2010 PBR National Finals is also the culmination of the most successful and highprofile season of bull riding Australia has seen. Earlier this year PBR Australia brought ten of the hottest international cowboys down under for the PBR World Challenge Series. The series saw the top bull riders on the planet compete for more than $150,000 in prize money over three events in Townsville, Brisbane and Sydney.

“We’re really excited to be bringing the PBR National Finals back to Tamworth,” said PBR Australia President and 1998 PBR World Champion Troy Dunn. “The people of the Tamworth region got a real taste of the PBR experience last year and we expect a capacity crowd on both nights this November.

“Not only will we bring the best bull riders in the world and the best bucking stock in Australia to Tamworth,” Dunn continued, “we put together a great night’s entertainment for sport fans of all ages.”

2009 PBR Australia Champion David Kennedy from Kyogle, NSW heads the star-studded line up of locally based cowboys from across the nation. Twenty-five-year-old Kennedy won his first PBR Australia title in Tamworth last year, with the victory giving him a leg up onto the PBR Built Ford Tough Series in the US. Kennedy spent several months earlier this year competing in the States, before returning home to spend time with his family and concentrate on retaining his Aussie title.

Kennedy currently heads the PBR Australia standings from Queenslander Jim Rowsell, with the New England region’s very own Chris Lowe hovering close behind in fifth position. Twenty-five-year-old Lowe from Uralla, NSW has a genuine shot at claiming the PBR Australia champion’s buckle this November and igniting the passion of his local crowd.

Several of Australia’s US-based Aussie riders will also return home for a crack at the title. Leading the charge is Goulburn’s Ben Jones, who recently picked up his first PBR Built Ford Tough Series win after twelve years of trying. Jones claimed victory at the PBR event in Nashville, Tennessee, taking home $45,000 in prize money and sealing a career ambition.

Jones will be joined by fellow in-form Aussie Brendon Clark, from Morpeth, NSW. Clark had struggled to regain his rhythm, more than twelve months after sustaining a lifethreatening injury, until his engagement this July to sweetheart Allison Renz set him on a record PBR winning streak with four consecutive PBR Touring Pro victories.

Before any of these pro bull riders can lay claim to a piece of the $40,000 prize money, however, they’ll have to overcome a pen of the rankest bulls ever assembled in our wide brown land. Queensland stock contractor Bomber Baillie will provide the star of the pen, 2009 PBR Champion Bucking Bull, Wild Thing. A big, athletic beast who puts in a supreme effort every time the chute gate opens, Wild Thing dominated all comers in 2009 on his way to PBR glory.

Another burly bovine marching toward a possible 2010 PBR Australia championship buckle is the big white Queensland bruiser That’s Gold. Owned by the father and son team of Trevor and Tony Dunne, That’s Gold was voted bucking bull of the event at this year’s PBR Troy Dunn International in Townsville and PBR World Challenge in Brisbane, making short work of some big name cowboys along the way.

With the nation’s fiercest beasts and the world’s toughest athletes combined with rock concert-style music, lighting and pyrotechnics, monster video screens for instant replays and the wall-to-wall excitement of a PBR show, the 2010 PBR National Finals is one sporting event not to be missed.

2010 Professional Bull Riders National Finals
Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC)
503 Goonoo Goonoo Rd, Hillvue (Tamworth), NSW
November 26 & 27, 7.30pm
Tickets from: Tourism Tamworth on 02 6767 5300 or www.visittamworth.com
Ticket Prices: Platinum $80, Gold $60, Silver $40, Bronze $20
Tickets on sale: Monday, September 13