The Morning Line: PBR Canada National Finals Round 1
By: Tanner Bryne
EDMONTON, Alta. – Tonight, the 2023 PBR Canada National Finals, presented by Command Tubular Products, get underway in Edmonton, Alberta, at Rogers Place.
After 41 events this season, it all comes down to four rounds of action inside the home of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers.
This first round of matchups was very hard to select five from. I think we’re going to have anywhere upwards of 15 rides tonight in Round 1. These are bulls that all the guys want to get on.
To separate things, I picked the matchups I thought would get the highest scores. You have guys like Daylon Swearingen, Silvano Alves, Chad Hartman who I think will make qualified rides, along with all the other guys that are in there, but these matchups stand out to me as possible round winners.
Let us know your thoughts and your picks for the Cup Series event by tagging @PBRCanada on Twitter.
The bull riding action for 2023 PBR Canada National Finals, presented by Command Tubular Products, begins at 7 p.m. MDT on Friday, November 17 at Rogers Place.
Tickets are still available, and start at $40, standard fees may apply. They can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.ca.
Ashton Sahli vs. Afraid To Nod
Great matchup: A big, black bull that is out of the gate to the right every time. Fades out across the pen, really good, really showy. Ashton is a little guy. He is going to look really small on the back of him, so it’s going to be pretty western and cowboy right from the get-go. Look for him to be pumping and moving and kicking and we could see an 87 to 88-point ride.
Aaron Roy vs. Wolf Bait
Aaron is coming in looking for that next Canadian Championship to set records as the only four-time Canadian Champion, and he’s got the perfect bull to start things out in Edmonton. This is a bull called Wolf Bait. Right in the gate to the right, sucks back underneath of himself. Should fit Aaron’s style really well. You just got to keep moving and keep riding the whole 8 seconds, not get caught sitting there, because this bull will put you in the dirt. This is a matchup that they were 89 on him at the CFR, won a round last weekend. Look for Aaron to do the same thing here with an 89-point score to set himself up for the weekend.
Coy Robbins vs. Dark Mark
Coy has been riding really, really great all year. He’s been in contention all year. He didn’t have the rodeo finals that he wanted to last week, so fans can look for him to seek some vengeance at the PBR Canada Finals this weekend. This is a perfect bull for him, Dark Mark, lots of kick. Should be right in the gate to the right, into Coy’s hand. The one thing Coy will have to be ready for is this bull will switch it back and go the other way on a dime. So, he’s just got to ride the middle, stay down the pipe and not try to make too big of moves in or out. But this is the perfect bull for him to get an 86 to 87-point ride.
Cody Coverchuk vs. Foo Fighter
The No. 1 guy in the standings, you can’t leave this guy out of the picks especially when it comes to Rogers Place in Edmonton. He always turns it on and comes out on top at the Finals in past years. Look for him to do the same thing here. Small bull from Flying Four Bucking Bulls, black with some white on him. Should be right in the gate to the left, into Coverchuk’s hand. Pumping and going similar to Wolf Bait’s style, the bull that Aaron has, but to the left, and that’s also into Cody’s hand. Look for an 87 to 88-point ride here for Coverchuk to get a good pick in the next round and try to remain in the No. 1 spot when this event is over.
Nick Tetz vs. Haunted Creek
This is a rematch for Nick Tetz, one that fits his style perfectly and one that Nick should have some fun with, just has to open up that outside foot. They’ve matched up before, they have been 88 points, Nick and Haunted Creek, and look for the same thing here. Big grey bull, around to the left, has a lot of rodeo to him. He’s mean and big and wants to buck. Nick should sit up there and, talking to Nick, his back and shoulder blades are feeling better. He was sore after Yorkton, but says that isn’t going to hinder his riding, so don’t look for that to affect his riding today. Nick’s got some catching up to do to try and get in front of Cody Coverchuk, so look for him to stay on all of his bulls and try to get as many points as he can to try and win back-to-back Canadian Championships.
Photo courtesy of Covy Moore/CovyMoore.com
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