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Bull Riding World #9 Leads International Stars in Tamworth

11/15/2010

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

Bull Riding World #9 Leads International Stars in Tamworth

The greatest show on Australia’s bull riding calendar, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) National Finals, returns to Tamworth on November 26 & 27, and leading the charge are five of the world’s top exponents of this tough, dangerous and extraordinarily entertaining sport.

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 Events Centre (AELEC), the 2010 PBR National Finals pits these five top-ranked professional bull riders from the United State’s elite Built Ford Tough Series against 25 of Australia’s bravest athletes.

The leader of the international pack is world number nine Ryan McConnel from Colgate, Oklahoma in the USA. Twenty-three-year-old McConnel has had an exceptional two years in the PBR Built Ford Tough Series, finishing seventh last year and ninth this year, taking his career earnings past $400,000 in the process.

McConnel will be joined in Tamworth by fellow PBR young gun McKennon Wimberly, along with veterans and seasoned Aussie visitors Luke Snyder, Rocky McDonald and Zack Brown.

Charismatic Mexican Rocky McDonald had a blinding run of hot form in Australia last year, taking out the PBR Troy Dunn International, the PBR Brendon Clark Invitational and the 2009 PBR National Finals in Tamworth. Whilst the PBR Australia title went to Aussie David Kennedy, McDonald had the honour of pocketing more Aussie prize money in 2009 than any other rider. On November 26 and 27, the man in black is back down under intent on making it consecutive event wins in Tamworth.

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. Tickets are still available but selling fast for both nights, so fans are advised to purchase their seats in advance to avoid disappointment.

2010 Professional Bull Riders National Finals
Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC)
503 Goonoo Goonoo Rd, Hillvue (Tamworth), NSW
November 26 & 27, 8.00pm
Tickets from: Tourism Tamworth on 02 6767 5300 or www.visittamworth.com
Ticket Prices: Platinum $80, Gold $60, Silver $40, Bronze $20 (Bronze now sold out)


Five Of The Best:

Ryan McConnel (23, Oklahoma, USA, BFTS Ranking 9)
Hailing from Colgate, Oklahoma twenty-three-year-old Ryan McConnel followed his father’s footsteps into the bull-riding arena. From mutton busting at age five to bull riding at thirteen McConnel has been honing the deft skills he now employs on the ultimate bull riding stage, the PBR Built Ford Tough Series. McConnel is also a keen student of the sport, having watched countless hours of video and dvd footage of his bull-riding heroes, including Australia’s very own Troy Dunn.

McKennon Wimberly (22, Texas, USA, BFTS Ranking 11)
McKennon Wimberly from the aptly named Cool, Texas has also passed the $400,000 mark this year, whilst finishing number 11 in the PBR Built Ford Tough Series. A keen amateur boxer from a family of bull riders, Wimberly ventured down under in May and June this year for the World Challenge Series. Although slow to start the series Wimberly showed his class in Sydney with a two cracking rides to finish the tour.

Luke Snyder (28, Missouri, USA, BFTS Ranking 37)
“Cool Hand” Luke Snyder is a true bull riding ironman. “Titanium Tough” Snyder holds the record for the most consecutive PBR BFTS events, at 275. The streak stretched from Snyder’s major league debut in 2001 through to earlier this year when a serious neck injury finally put him out of action. Along the way the 28-year-old Snyder has ridden through the pain of a torn rotator cuff, a broken wrist, a broken leg and knees that needed to be surgically repaired, as well as several concussions, rib injuries, a serious laceration to his chin and a smashed nose, amongst other ailments.

Zack Brown (31, Texas, USA, BFTS Ranking 45)
In 1999 Zack Brown moved from Hawaii back to California and followed some local lads he had just met to get on a pen of practice bulls. Strangely enough for a young man of such an easy-going nature, Brown instantly became addicted to the rush of bull riding and has been pursuing this love ever since. With close to $1million in prize money Brown has also proved to be a darn fine bull rider, for someone who came to it so late in life. A keen fisherman and surfer, Brown has an affinity with Australia and earlier this year spent four weeks touring the eastern seaboard in a camper van.

Rocky McDonald (31, Col. Juarez, Mexico, BFTS Ranking 48)
Rocky McDonald is one of the true entertainers of world bull riding and he needs no real introduction to Australian fans. 2009 saw the charismatic Mexican hit career best form in Australia and this year he is back to defend his event title in Tamworth. McDonald’s dry wit and charming smile disguise an extremely determined athlete, intent on making the most ofhis bull riding career to build a solid financial future for his family and set an example for his countrymen.