Walla Walla, Washington’s Derek Kolbaba is making the most of the break between the PBR World Finals and the upcoming PBR Teams season.
The 10-time PBR World Finals qualifier picked up a pair of wins in his home region, one being an 86-point ride on Corey & Lange’s “Oops” to take the Xtreme Bulls title in Sisters, Oregon.
“I knew he was going to be pretty electric around to the left, and that’s just right up my alley,” Kolbaba said.
A few days earlier, Kolbaba picked up another win in Union, Oregon —about an hour from home— making his second consecutive title at the event with an 88-point ride on a bull called Nickel Back.
“For me, it’s kinda being able to stay in tune as well,” Kolbaba said of his PRCA entries between PBR seasons.
It is a meaningful summer for the Kolbaba family as Derek Kolbaba’s great-grandfather, Harley Tucker, will be inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame for his contributions to the sport as a stock contractor and rodeo producer.
“Rodeo runs pretty deep in the blood,” Kolbabaa said. “It’s definitely a big year for the family.”
Next up, Kolbaba heads to PBR Team Series training with the Carolina Cowboys before entering a few more PRCA rodeos in the Northwest, then will kick off the first PRR Teams in Oklahoma City.