The PBR is stopping in Sioux Falls for the fifth annual First PREMIER Bank PREMIER Bankcard Invitational taking place Friday, April 5 through Sunday, April 7 at the Denny Sanford Premier Center and tickets are still available.

In 2018, South Dakota saw 2017 World Champion Jess Lockwood win the event amidst tough competition, including 2016 World Champion Cooper Davis, 2017 Rookie of the Year Jose Vitor Leme, and 2015 Rookie of the Year Kaique Pacheco.

This year's contest is the beginning of an important stretch for the riders according to the PBR website.

"This weekend and the upcoming Billings Invitational, presented by Cooper Tires (April 12-14) are three-day events that could potentially pay out 900 points to each event winner. Following a week off for the Easter holiday, the Unleash The Beast resumes with the Wrangler Long Live Cowboys Classic, presented by Cooper Tires, in Columbus, Ohio (April 27-28)."

Among the other riders competing (subject to change) are Alisson de Souza, Joe Frost, J.B. Mauney, Rubens Barbosa, Matt Triplett, Cannon Cravens, Ezekiel Mitchell, Lucas Divino, Cody Teel, Ryan Dirteater, Luciano de Castro, Joao Ricardo Vieira and Chase Outlaw.

But it isn't just the riders that will be the focus of the action. Among the animals out to throw down is SweetPro’s Bruiser, the reigning three-time World Champion Bull.

According to the PBR website, "H.D. Page has said repeatedly this year that he would only haul the reigning three-time World Champion Bull to the PBR’s highest level when he felt the bull was ready to compete for a World Championship. Bruiser has a run in him, Page believes, and that is certainly his thinking as he brings his 8-year-old, superstar and all-time great into the Denny Sanford Premier Center this weekend."

Bruiser has drawn No. 11 Ezekiel Mitchell for Round 1 on Friday night. As to whether or not the bull rides again after that is open to debate.

"PBR Director of Livestock Cody Lambert will decide this weekend whether Bruiser bucks again on Sunday in the championship round based on Bruiser’s Round 1 performance... I hope he is as good as he used to be, and I am afraid he is not going to be,” Lambert said Wednesday. “He drew perfect. He got Ezekiel Mitchell in the first round. It will be a good test for both of them. If he looks like a championship-round caliber bull, he will be in the championship round on Sunday."

Bruiser is 45-13 with a 45.55-point average in his PBR career.

Other featured bulls include Zorro, Bad Decisions, Biker Bob$, Milky Chance, Frequent Flyer, Heartbreak Kid, Sky Harbor, Fearless, Legit, Arctic Assassin, Bad Beagle, Smooth Wreck, Bezerk, After Midnight, and Canadian Mist.

The bull riding action begins at 7:45 PM on Friday, April 5; 6:45 PM on Saturday, April 6 and 1:45 PM on Sunday, April 7.

 

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