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Tryon PBR Chute Out to feature new team, the Carolina Cowboys

 

This weekend, June 24 and June 25, the Tryon International Equestrian Center will host the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series. The Tryon PBR Chute Out will be the final pre-season event for the fledgling western sports competition, featuring eight teams made up of the top bull riders in the sport. It will be held at the Tryon International Stadium and begin at 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday and 7:00 p.m. ET on Saturday.

 

The PBR Team Series regular season begins in July. Still, the idea for a team-based bull riding league has been over a decade in the making, announced in January, with the naming of the eight founding teams, including the Carolina Cowboys, which is owned by Richard Childress Racing. 

 

The Carolina Cowboys are headed by NASCAR star Austin Dillon, who serves as General Manager. Legendary cowboy and former North Carolina State Rodeo Champion Jerome Davis will serve as the team’s head coach, with his wife, Tiffany, as Assistant General Manager. Austin and Tiffany have provided Jerome with a loaded lineup led by 2022 PBR World Champion Daylon Swearingen and thirteenth-ranked rider in the world Mason Taylor. 

 

The Bulletin spoke with PBR Senior Vice President Chad Blankenship on what made Tryon an attractive site as an event host. 

 

“Last year’s event in Tryon was a very successful Velocity tour event at the Tryon International Equestrian Center. The fan passion and atmosphere were electric. We quickly established a very entertaining event in a unique setting that falls at a perfect place on the calendar to be integrated into the PBR Team Series schedule. Additionally, our partners at The Tryon International Equestrian Center value the event, believe in PBR Teams, and appreciate the opportunity to showcase their beautiful facility on an even bigger platform, especially with the event showcased live on RidePass on Pluto TV.”

 

Blankenship was bullish on the future of the series. “The sky’s the limit. As we’ve tested our trial events with a team format, it’s proved incredibly engaging and fun for fans and bull riders. Sponsors love the Team format. We’ve assembled a compelling collection of owners and team operators and feel great about starting with eight teams and eleven events (10 regular season events going into the playoffs/championship). We’re also leaning into the opportunity to stoke local fandom. For the first time, fans have a rooting interest not only for their favorite rider but their entire hometown team. That’s unique to Western Sports and bull riding, and we want to lean into that opportunity to get fans excited about flying the flag for their home team.”

 

There will be four games each evening and each game will feature two teams made up of five riders apiece competing for the highest aggregate score. On Friday, June 24, the Cowboys will take on the Oklahoma Freedom featuring Eli Vastbinder from Statesville, NC. On Saturday, June 25, they will face off against the Nashville Stampede powered by the second-ranked rider in the world Kaique Pacheco. The event will be broadcast live on RidePass on Pluto TV.