Brought to you locally by Casper Animal Medical Center, Hat Six Travel Center, Powder Horn Eye Care and Visit Casper. 

​

For the fifth time in history, PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour will buck into Casper, Wyoming, returning to the Ford Wyoming Center on April 1, 2023 with the PBR Casper Invitational.

For one night only, some of the best bull riders in the world will battle the sport’s rankest bovine athletes in the ultimate showdown of man vs. beast in one of the most exciting live sporting events to witness.

During the 2023 season, the PBR will celebrate its 30^th anniversary since 20 cowboys broke away from the traditional rodeo with the belief that bull riding could be a standalone sport. Since their trailblazing initiative, the PBR has grown into a global phenomenon awarding nearly $300 million in prize money.

The upcoming PBR Casper Invitational will mark the 24^th event of the new individual season for the PBR’s expansion series. Eventgoers will watch on as riders vie for crucial points in the race to be crowned the 2023 PBR Velocity Tour Champion.

When PBR last travelled to Casper in April 2022, 2018 PBR Rookie of the Year Keyshawn Whitehorse (McCracken Springs, Utah) delivered a perfect 2-for-2 performance to collect the event win inside the Ford Wyoming Center.

Whitehorse was quick to strike in Round 1, delivering the fourth best score when he covered Light It Up (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Kinser/McCall) for 85.5 points.

Kenny (H&D Bucking Bulls/Dickie Williams/Phillips) then awaited the Navajo bull rider in the championship round. Poised, Whitehorse matched the animal athlete jump-for-jump en route to an 88.5-point score, clinching the event win.

In 2020, the Velocity held a unique quartet of events across two weekends to conclude the regular season.

As action got underway inside the Ford Wyoming Center veteran rider Wallace Vieira de Oliveira (Goiania, Brazil) delivered a dominant 2-for-2 performance to win the first event in Casper, collecting a critical 38 world points. The victory was crucial in Oliveira’s march to his third career PBR World Finals qualification, propelling him from No. 63 to No. 45 in the world standings.

Young gun Kyler Oliver (Roy, Utah) achieved an important career milestone on the second night of action in the Cowboy State, riding to his first-ever victory on the PBR’s expansion series. Oliver’s win, which elevated him from No. 87 to No. 56 in the world standings, was also key to helping him reach the year-end World Finals.

After Brazilian rookie Andre da Cruz de Souza topped the field during the third iteration of the PBR Casper Invitation in 2020, 11-time PBR World Finals qualifier Valdiron de Oliveira (Balcimo, Brazil) delivered a flawless 2-for-2 performance to capture his first event victory since August 2016 at the final Velocity Tour event in Casper.

Other past PBR Casper Invitational event winners include: Allisson de Souza (2018 – Taubate, Brazil) and Keyshawn Whitehorse (2019 – McCracken Springs, Utah).

On Saturday evening, all 40 competing riders will attempt one bull each in Round 1. Following the opening round, the Top 15 will then advance to the championship round where they will attempt one final bull, all in an effort to be crowned the event champion.

For more information about the PBR and to see the full 2023 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour schedule, visit PBR.com.