The 25th PBR: Unleash The Beast, Ak-Chin Invitational hosted a record sold-out crowd for this year’s competition from March 23-24 at Gila River Arena in Glendale. This event showcases top athletes from the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) association.
PBR athlete Eduardo Aparecido from Gouvelandia, Brazil won the overall competition, going 3-for-3 and executing a 90.75-point ride in the championship round. Aparecido earned 590 world points, moving him from number 8 to number 5 in the world standings.
The 2017 Rookie of the Year, Jose Vitor Leme from Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil, finished second with a 3-for-3 performance, including an 87-point ride in the final round.
The top bull riders will continue to compete, ultimately vying for a spot in the 25th PBR World Finals, held from November 7-11 in Las Vegas.
While PBR action was the main event during the hugely successful Ak-Chin Invitational, it wasn’t the only game in town. Other fun included a meet and greet with top PBR athletes held at the UltraStar Multi-tainment Center at Ak-Chin Circle, a memorial team roping event held in Wickenburg, and fan pre-parties held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the Westgate entertainment district.
Pre-parties featured live music, vendors, and a beer garden, along with the chance for visitors to take photos with a live bull. The “Rodeo Days” event for younger kids happened Friday morning at Tanger Outlets Westgate. Kids got the opportunity to ride a pony, pet a goat, and do a Wild West craft. The entire weekend offered fun for rodeo fans of all ages!
In addition to hosting record crowds and showcasing thrilling bull riding action, the Ak-Chin Invitational also benefited the community. PBR graciously donated $2,000 to the Ak-Chin Indian Community during the weekend’s final awards ceremony.
If you missed this year’s Ak-Chin Invitational, you can see some of the action on www.cowboylifestylenetwork.com. Stay tuned for more information on upcoming PBR events. We will bring you live coverage of the action!
CLN Community & Event Sponsor
You must be logged in to post a comment.