PUEBLO, Colo. – The PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) will enjoy its 21st consecutive year in Magic City in 2016, as the Rimrock Auto Arena hosts the Billings Invitational on April 15-17, 2016.
The Top 35 PBR bull riders in the world will once again invade Billings, Montana, the most-visited regular season stop on the BFTS, to go up against the rankest bulls in the nation, as the stars of the PBR vie for their piece of the $140,000 payout.
The toughest men on dirt will face opponents 10 times their size through three days of action-packed 8-second rides and nerve-wracking wrecks. This stop in Billings is the only chance for Montana fans to witness these fearless cowboys doing battle with the most challenging bulls in the business, as the BFTS only makes one stop in Montana during the 2016 season.
Tickets for the Billings Invitational are on sale now and start at $20. They can be purchased at the MetraPark Arena Box Office, all MetraPark outlets, online at metrapark.com or by phone at 406-256-2400.
Montana fans will also have a chance to purchase the newly-created PBR Elite Seats VIP Experience. For only $250, fans will receive premium seats in an exclusive section of the arena immediately next to the bucking chutes and all of the action. They’ll be given the VIP experience of a lifetime, including early entry; a pre-event reception with refreshments, a 60-minute backstage tour by a PBR Host, featuring a PBR 101 presentation and visit with the sports’ rankest bulls; meet-and-greets with the PBR’s exclusive entertainer and Montana man Flint Rasmussen; and the opportunity for photos and autographs from top PBR athletes. These tickets can also be purchased through Ticketmaster or by calling the PBR office at 800-732-1727 for more information.
This past season, onlookers watched up-and-coming North Dakota native Nathan Schaper post the second victory of his BFTS career, going 4-for-4 on the weekend as the PBR celebrated its 20th anniversary in Billings by welcoming more than 20,000 fans to Rimrock Auto Arena over the three-day event.
Schaper is scheduled to defend his title, competing alongside Montana native Matt Triplett, two-time reigning PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney (2013, 2015), three-time PBR World Champion Silvano Alves (2011, 2012, 2014) and 2004 PBR World Champion Mike Lee.
All Top 35 bull riders will get on a bull each in Round 1 on Friday; Round 2 on Saturday; and Round 3 on Sunday. After Round 3 on Sunday, the riders’ individual scores will be totaled and the Top 15 riders will advance to the Built Ford Tough Championship Round for one more ride and a chance at the $30,000 event title.
The Billings Invitational is the 14th stop on the 2016 BFTS schedule. The season will conclude at the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas on Nov. 2-6 at the new Las Vegas Arena when the 2016 PBR World Champion, the bull rider who earns the most points during the 2016 season, will be crowned and receive the coveted World Championship belt buckle and a $1 million bonus.
The BFTS is televised every week on CBS, CBS Sports Network – the home of the PBR 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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