Cowboys Eye Big Payday at Pendleton Whisky Xtreme Bulls Finale
The top bull riders in ProRodeo will embark on Pendleton, Ore., Sept. 12-13 for the annual Pendleton Whisky Xtreme Bulls Finale.
The event will feature the top 24 cowboys in the PRCA Xtreme Bulls Standings as well as the winners of both the Albuquerque (N.M.) and Lewiston (Idaho) Xtreme Bulls standalone events.
Seven-time PRCA World Champion Bull Rider Sage Kimzey will not have the opportunity to defend his PRCA Xtreme Bulls Tour title after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury on June 10.
Kimzey finished the 2021 Xtreme Bulls Tour by earning $102,517, but it was Matt Palmer that stole the show at last year’s Finale.
The 23-year-old from Claremore, Okla., rode four consecutive bulls over two nights to claim the 2021 Pendleton Whisky Xtreme Bulls Finale title. All told, he walked out of Happy Canyon Arena with $12,741.
It will be a new cowboy looking to leave their mark at the premier bull riding event this season. Two-time Wrangler National Finals qualifier Josh Frost sits atop the Xtreme Bulls Standings headed into the Finale with $63,310, just $4,600 in front of Jeff Askey in the No. 2 spot.
Also, in the field is five-time PRCA World Champion and current PRCA | RAM World Standings bull riding leader Stetson Wright. It’s one of the few titles that Wright has never captured in his five-year ProRodeo career.
“I’ve never won the Xtreme Bulls Finale, so this is something I’ve been looking forward to all year,” said Wright. “I feel like I’ve put myself in a good spot and you get to get on four of the rankest bulls in the world. So, what more could you ask for.”
There will be a total of four go-rounds, with each cowboy getting on two bulls per performance. The top score in the average at the conclusion of the event will be crowned the Pendleton Whisky Xtreme Bulls Finale Champion. Wright said he believes it’s a format that fits him well.
“I really like it. I mean I’m getting on a bunch of horses and bulls anyway at all these rodeos,” he said. “So, this is kind of normal to me. I normally get on two everyday anyways. This works out good for me and I’m excited for it.”
You can watch the Pendleton Xtreme Bulls Finale nightly on The Cowboy Channel or stream it live on the PRCA on The Cowboy Channel Plus App at 11 p.m. ET.
Courtesy of PRCA