Arizona Ridge Riders’ “Every Second Counts” Philanthropic Campaign Raises More Than $50,000 for Local Communities Nationwide
By: Mandi McCary
GLENDALE, Ariz. – As their inaugural 11-event season concluded in Las Vegas with a second-place finish in the PBR Team Series league standings, the Ridge Riders, Arizona’s first-ever professional bull riding team, announced its “Every Second Counts” philanthropic campaign raised $50,050 for its non-profit partners in communities across the country. For every second the Ridge Riders athletes put on the clock, whether or not the qualified eight-second mark (to earn a score) was made, the Teton Ridge-owned team donated $50 per second to its philanthropic partner in that event market.
“After such an incredible first season, being able to celebrate a near-win at the PBR Team Series Championship was no comparison to knowing the lasting impact our team made in the communities we competed in,” said Ridge Riders General Manager Casey Lane. “Strengthening and enriching western culture is a core value of Teton Ridge, so being able to learn from, encourage and support charities that share our beliefs was empowering for our coaches and riders – inspiring them to work harder throughout the season and giving them purpose beyond the arena.”
Through “Every Second Counts,” the Ridge Riders selected a different charitable partner in each market the team visited during the 2022 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series season.
The 11 501c3 partners were selected because they demonstrated shared core values of preserving and protecting areas in need within their communities.
The team’s season premiere partner for the Cheyenne Frontier Days two-day event in July, which opened the 2022 PBR Team Series regular season, was CHAPS Equine Assistive Services. Based in Sheridan, Wyoming, CHAPS was originally established as an adaptive riding program to serve children and adults with special needs. Over the years the program expanded to offer adaptive carriage driving, equine-facilitated psychotherapy and equine-assisted learning to individuals as well as groups of veterans from the Veterans’ Home of WY, Volunteers of America, first responders and more.
Throughout the season the Ridge Riders partnered with a variety of charities including the BoysGrow Agricultural Program in Kansas City, Patriots & Paws in Anaheim, Ropin’ Dreams in Austin, Toby Keith’s OK Kids Korral in Oklahoma City, Lena Pope Child & Family Services in Fort Worth and many more.
Closing out the season in Las Vegas during the three-day PBR Team Series Championship, the Ridge Riders selected Horses4Heroes, a locally-based non-profit dedicated to empowering youth, adults and families through recreational, instructional, and morale-boosting health and wellness programs with emphasis on equine activities.
“This philanthropic campaign has been so fulfilling for our entire team,” said Colby Yates, Team Manager of the Ridge Riders and five-time PBR World Finals qualifier. “Knowing that we were part of something so much larger than just each individual ride and being able to see our hard work help so many people was incredibly motivational.”
As one of the foundational partners of the first team-based league in the extreme sport of bull riding, the Ridge Riders represent one of several sports properties that Teton Ridge has assembled under its sports division’s portfolio, which also includes The American Rodeo and The American Performance Horseman.
A combination of grit, determination and resilience wrapped into one steadfast group of athletes with a strong lineage in western sports, the inaugural Ridge Riders team featured a collection of the world’s top competitors, including Luciano De Castro (Guzolandia, Sao Paulo, Brazil), Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil), Chase Dougherty (Decatur, Texas), Keyshawn Whitehorse (McCracken Spring, Utah), Vitor Losnake (Bauru, Brazil) and more.
To follow the Ridge Riders throughout the off-season and during the 2023 schedule please visit arizonaridgeriders.com, @arizonaridgeriders on Facebook and Instagram, or @AZRidgeRiders on Twitter.
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