The best bareback riders in the world are returning to Darby, Montana June 3-4 for the Yellowstone Xtreme Bareback Riding.
The way the event works this year is the Top 20 in the PRCA World Standings advance straight to Sunday with 47 others competing on Saturday to join them. The Top 10 of those 47 will move on to Sunday, where 30 bareback riders in total will compete for a first place check of more than $10,000.
The 67 cowboys in total will be competing for $50,000, the biggest purse ever for a standalone bareback event.
“This is where the sport needed to go, this is where our event needed to go,” PRCA Bareback Riding Coordinator and 10-time NFR qualifier Caleb Bennett said. “Having a weekend like this with this amount of money is huge, not only for a guy’s year, but it could determine the Gold Buckle at the end of the year.”
Among the cowboys advancing straight to Sunday are Leighton Berry, Keenan Hayes, Kaycee Feild, Rocker Steiner, Tim O’Connell, Cole Reiner and Tanner Aus.
On the animal athlete side of things, J Bar J Rodeo’s Sparky Dreesen worked extensively with Caleb Bennett on what the profile of the stock would be, starting with 400 horses for Sunday before eventually narrowing it down to 45.
“It’s going to be as star-packed in the livestock as it is on the contestant side of it,” Dreesen said.
Joining J Bar J as the stock contractors are The Calgary Stampede, Pickett Pro Rodeo and Legends Pro Rodeo.