Even though basketball season has ended, there is still noise, excitement and a lot of dirt in The Pit. But this time, some of the athletes are of a more bovine variety. From March 28-30, The Pit hosted its annual Professional Bull Riding Ty Murray Invitational.
Over the three days of action, Albuquerque was home to some of the top bulls and bull riders in the world, and The Pit was packed with a sea of denim, turquoise jewelry and cowboy hats. The riders are fighting for a chance to go to the PBR world finals, which the top 40 riders are all invited to.
The event, which was part of PBR’s Unleash The Beast tour, also featured a team challenge on the first night, where the Austin Gamblers faced the Texas Rattlers. The Texas rivalry was dominated by the bulls, with only one successful ride for each team. However, the Gamblers’ Ramon de Lima was able to score an 87.25, just a quarter of a point more than the Rattlers’ João Ricardo Vieira, who scored an 87.00.
The bulls showed their power, kicking dirt and people up into the air. The bulls only allowed 26 qualified rides out of 85 attempts during the first two days. This was a sad fact for the riders, but not for the fans, who largely seemed to cheer on the bulls rather than their fellow species.
While the riders typically get most of the attention, the bulls are also proudly lauded as athletes of the PBR. They sport names such as “Bad Bob,” “Lost In The Sauce” and “Lieutenant Dan.” The bulls also have their own world rankings, and stats are kept such as buck-off percentage and largest buck-off streak.
“The crowd is electric — something I've never experienced before. I can't believe that I'm here to experience it myself,” said Teigan Gray, a professional bull rider from Eagle Butte, South Dakota.
Gray was participating in his first PBR event and didn’t complete any of his three rides. He is currently ranked No. 76 in the world.
Keeping his approach simple and not second-guessing himself, along with getting accustomed to the size of the bulls at this level, leads to his success, he said.
The Pit is also a unique venue in the sport of bull riding, having hosted the event for nearly all of the PBR’s 32-year history.
“This is such an intimate and wonderful venue, pretty iconic as well for the discord in general and to have events pretty much on top of you so you can't hear anything,” Gray said.
Jaden McKelvey-Francis is a beat reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @jadenmckelvey
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