Crown Center
braces for the Toughest Sport on Dirt
The
Professional Bull Riders debut in Fayetteville Oct. 4 -5
PUEBLO, Colo. (Sept. 23, 2013) – The world’s best bull
riders and the best bucking bulls in the country will come together in
Fayetteville, N.C., on Oct. 4-5 for the Professional Bull Riders Fort Bragg
Wounded Soldier Foundation Invitational, part of the 2013 Built Ford Tough
Series.
Find out what's happening in Fort Braggfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
It’s the PBR’s first visit to Fayetteville and one of the
last regular season events of the 2013 BFTS season. With the PBR Built Ford
Tough World Finals just three weeks later, the Top 35 riders in the world will
be hanging tough as they jockey for position in the PBR world standings. Not
only is a total purse of $140,000 available in Fayetteville, valuable points
needed to become the overall PBR World Champion are also at stake.
Tickets start at only $15 and are on sale now at the Crown
Center Box Office, online at www.ticketmaster.com
or by phone at (800) 745-3000. The bull riding action starts at 8 p.m. each
evening and will give fans more than two hours of adrenaline-filled,
dirt-flying rides and wrecks as the PBR’s courageous cowboys risk it all
against their opponents, who can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds. It will be the
most breath-taking, edge-of-your-seat excitement Crown Center has ever seen.
Find out what's happening in Fort Braggfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The event is open to the general public; however, net
proceeds will go to the Fort Bragg Wounded Soldier Foundation, whose mission is
to provide for the needs of our combat veterans deployed in Iraq and
Afghanistan. One hundred percent of the dollars generated will be spent locally,
serving the Ft. Bragg soldiers and their families. More than 1,200 wounded troops
and family members have been invited to the Crown Center to enjoy the
event.
“We’re looking forward to our first-ever event in Fayetteville,”
said PBR Chairman and CEO Jim Haworth. “I know that the excitement of
performing for the great fans in Fayetteville, along with the honor of
supporting and entertaining our fighting men and women, will combine to produce
some of the best bull riding of the year.”
The weekend’s lineup will include the likes of five former
PBR World Champions: Silvano Alves (2012, 2011), Renato Nunes, (2010), Kody
Lostroh (2009), Guilherme Marchi (2008) and Mike Lee (2004); North Carolina’s
own J.B. Mauney, the No. 2 man in the race for the PBR World Championship; fan
favorites Luke Snyder and L.J. Jenkins; and young guns Chase Outlaw, Jory
Markiss and Douglas Duncan. The competition is sure to be fearless and intense
with each man fighting with a determination unmatched and unseen in any other
sport.
The
riders will take on one bull each on Friday and Saturday. Following Saturday’s Round 2, the riders with
the 10-15 highest cumulative scores on two bulls will advance to the Built Ford
Tough Championship Round where they will compete with one more bull. The
overall event winner will be the rider with the highest combined score from all
three rounds.
Karen Long, general manager of the Crown Center expressed
the arena and city’s anticipation.
“We are excited to finally bring professional bull riding to
Fayetteville, North Carolina. This event will be enjoyed by long-time fans
and first-time attendees alike! The number of phone calls to the Crown Center
inquiring about the PBR indicates significant interest in the event. We
are especially proud that the event’s proceeds will benefit the Ft. Bragg
Wounded Soldier Foundation as the Crown Center enjoys a long-standing and
supportive relationship with our military members and their families. Ticket
sales have already been brisk for this Oct. 2013 event, so we recommend that everyone
purchase their tickets early to ensure good seats for this thrilling
show.”
The Built Ford Tough Series makes 27 stops this season
culminating with the Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas on Oct. 23-27.
The Finals will crown the 2013 PBR World Champion, who will receive the coveted
championship buckle and a $1 million bonus.
The PBR is celebrating 20 years of competition in 2013. Its
Built Ford Tough Series is televised every week on CBS, CBS Sports Network and
networks around the world. BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR under a
multi-year agreement with David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based
production company led by 34-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award winner David
Neal, who serves as executive producer.
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About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR)
The PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. This year marks
the 20th anniversary of the founding of the PBR. In just two decades, the dream
of 20 bull riders has become a global sports phenomenon that reaches more than
half a billion households in 50 nations and territories worldwide. Its
primetime programming, produced by 34-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award
winner David Neal, airs domestically on CBS and CBS Sports Network. More than
2.5 million fans attend live events each year. The PBR has awarded more than
$120 million in prize money and 25 riders have earned more than $1 million,
including Justin McBride with $5.5 million – the most of any western-sports
athlete in history. For more information on the PBR, go to PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR,
Twitter at Twitter.com/PBR and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.