Article by Kacie Albert, Photo Courtesy of PBR Facebook Page

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the first time in three years, and eighth time in history, the PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) premier Unleash The Beast will buck into Jacksonville, Florida, holding U.S. Border Patrol PBR Jacksonville on February 23-24 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

For two nights only, the Top 40 bull riders in the world will go head-to-head against the sport’s rankest bovine athletes, showcasing the ultimate showdown of man vs. beast in one of the most exciting live sporting events to witness.

U.S. Border Patrol PBR Jacksonville will be the twelfth event of the new individual season as riders vie for early points in the race to be crowned the 2024 PBR World Champion.

When PBR’s Unleash The Beast last travelled to Jacksonville in May 2021, 2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis (Jasper, Texas) went a perfect 3-for-3, including a 90-point championship round ride, to win the tour stop, and solidify his world No. 3 rank.

Davis’ march to his 11th career Unleash The Beast win, began in Round 1 when he rode Experiment 626 (Rickey West Bucking Bulls/Hatcher) for 88.25 points. He then remained perfect in Round 2 when he went the distance aboard Amy’s Pet (Universal Rodeo) for 85 points.

The Texan then selected Mike’s Motive (Blake Sharp/High Voltage Cattle) as his championship round opponent, a bovine athlete who had been ridden just once prior in nine attempts across all levels of competition. Erupting from the chutes, Davis matched the bovine athlete jump-for-jump, making the 8 and earning a monstrous, championship round-winning 91.75-point score to clinch the event win.

PBR’s 2021 stop in Jacksonville also played a key role in shaping that year’s PBR World Championship race. Courtesy of a fourth-place finish, combined with an uncharacteristic shut-out of previous world No. 1 Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil), 2018 PBR World Champion Kaique Pacheco (Itatiba, Brazil) reclaimed the top position in the world standings.

As the intense world-title race continued to unfurl, Leme, Pacheco and Davis remained the year’s top contenders for the World Championship, with Leme ultimately earning his second gold buckle, capping his season with the historic 98.75-point ride aboard Woopaa (Barker Bulls/Hookin’ W Ranch).

The 2021 event is part of a storied history for PBR’s premier series in Jacksonville.

In the 2002 debut of PBR’s premier series in the city, Mike Lee (Decatur, Texas) won the inaugural event, followed closely by two-time PBR World Champion Chris Shivers (Jonesville, Louisiana) in second, the year’s eventual World Champion Ednei Caminhas (Indaiatuba, Brazil) in fourth, and three-time PBR World Champion Adriano Moraes (Cachoeira Paulista, Brazil) in fifth.

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After Jody Newberry (Ada, Oklahoma) topped the Jacksonville event leaderboard in 2003, Justin McBride (Whitesboro, Texas) tied for the victory in 2005 alongside Brian Courson (Winter Haven, Florida) en route to the first of McBride’s two PBR World Championships.

PBR stopped three more times in Jacksonville. The remaining U.S. Border Patrol PBR Jacksonville Invitational event winners were: Travis Briscoe (Edgewood, New Mexico) – 2006; J.B. Mauney (Statesville, North Carolina) – 2008; and Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil) – 2017.

The bull riding action for U.S. Border Patrol PBR Jacksonville begins with Round 1 at 7:45 p.m. ET on Friday, February 23, followed by Round 2 and the championship round at 6:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 24. All competing bull riders will get on one bull each in Rounds 1-2. Following Round 2 Saturday evening, the riders’ individual two-round scores will be totaled with the Top 12 advancing to the championship round for one more out and a chance at the event title.

Tickets for the two-day event go on sale Friday, October 13 at 10 a.m. ET, and start at $15, taxes and fees not included. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com and PBR.com, at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena Box Office or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.

PBR Elite Seats are available for avid fans who want an exclusive VIP experience while enjoying the world’s top bull riding circuit. These tickets, available in three tiers, offer premium seats, personal on-site concierge at the PBR fan loyalty booth, and more. For more on elite seats, visit https://pbr.com/elite-seats-unleash-the-beast, or call (800) 732-1727

For more information about the PBR and to see the full 2024 PBR Unleash The Beast schedule, visit PBR.com.