PBR Canada Cup Series returns to Lethbridge this weekend

Enmax Centre in Lethbridge is readied to host the Professional Bull Riders event in town this weekend.

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — Bull riders from across Canada and beyond have descended on Lethbridge for the Pro Bull Riders South Country Co-op Showdown at the ENMAX Centre this weekend.

It's a tour stop that's become a favourite among competitors.

“Just excited to be back in Lethbridge," said bull rider, Brock Radford. "This is one of those events one of those events where that there's a buzz in the locker room for whatever reason the guys like it. Well actually we do know the reason the fans are awesome."

TIGHT TIMELINE

It takes a lot of work to get venues ready to host bull riding, but PBR Canada doesn't have the luxury of time.

Crews only started setting up the Lethbridge show on Wednesday, which isn’t even close to the quickest turn around.

“We've had to roll into a building after a hockey game. They convert the building and we've taken the building at 1 o'clock on show day, 1 o'clock in the morning. We lay the dirt in in six hours, the steel comes in five hours. It's a stressful set up,” said Peter Gebraad, PBR Canada’s live event manager.

Despite the tight timeline and the headaches that come with it, for Gebraad and his team it’s worth it.

Gebraad said “Lethbridge literally is our favourite tour stop of the year. It's been over 20 years that we've been coming here. The crowd here, the fans here are louder, more educated than any other city in the country.”

SECOND STOP

The South Country Showdown Co-op is the second stop on the PBR Canada Cup Series Tour.

It's an important event for competitors to get their season started on the right track.

Traditionally it features some of toughest bulls riders will face all season, but that's not fazing the riders.

“Just stay focused. You’ve got to trust in your abilities," said Radford. "You're going to be nervous but you've just got to trust the butterflies and let it all hangout. We say in this sport if you're thinking you're normally not doing your job right. Those bulls are so good you can't think."

The event kicks of Friday at 7 p.m. with the finals tomorrow night.

For more information, go here.