Hello, friends! We had a fantastic Labor Day weekend we had here at WinStar. We had the fan-favorite, Time Machine, playing at the Palladium Lounge, two-stepping fun at Mist and action-packed bull riding during PBR. While all of that was exciting, I want to dwell on PBR because it was an awesome experience that I want to re-live!
I have never attended a bull riding event before, so I had no idea what to expect leading up to my arrival Friday night. My excitement level quickly escalated when I saw the enormous stadium and arena with the bulls rearing to go in their pens. People started filing into their seats and soon after the fun began.
Flint Rasmussen, the official entertainer of the PBR, also known as the barrel man or the rodeo clown, came out first and raised the excitement to a whole new level. He showed off some sweet dance moves, told jokes and even ran into the stands to lead the crowd in singing, “Sweet Caroline.” I must note that the crowd did an outstanding job in singing!
Now, on to the riders and the bulls! As you know, each rider must stay on the bull for a full 8 seconds in order to earn the most points possible. The crowd watched and waited anxiously as the competitors prepared themselves to start their ride. As soon as the gates opened, the crowd went wild (and so did the bulls)! It was scary at first to see the bulls bucking and acting so wildly, but that’s part of the fun! When the riders successfully stayed on the bull for the 8 seconds, which I think feels like a lifetime for those riders, the crowd erupted into cheers. It was thrilling to see people gather like this and cheer on these bold athletes.
After all of the points were calculated, it was determined that Mike Lee was the winner with a total of 257.25 points. Lee, who was the 2004 World Champion, came out and celebrated with the crowd as fireworks went off in the background. Joao Ricardo Vieira came in second with 177.25 points and J.B. Mauney with 174.50 points.
Aside from the bull riding, there were numerous booths set up outside of the stand. If you wanted pizza, a cherry flavored slush or a pink cowboy hat, the booths had you covered! I bought a few things to remind me of this great weekend and I think a lot of other people did the same.
The adrenaline rush I get when watching these riders is unmatched. Needless to say, I can’t wait for PBR next year! I urge you to check out the pictures we took during the event on our Facebook page. We got up a little too close and personal with some of the bulls! I hope you all had a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend. Keep an eye on our Promotions and Entertainment calendar
