World No. 1 Cool Whip leads No. 2 Ridin Solo by 0.41 points in $100,000 YETI World Champion Bull Race
By Kacie Albert
FORT WORTH, Texas – Ahead of the 30th Anniversary PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Finals, scheduled to return to Fort Worth, Texas, and Dickies Arena from May 12-21, the organization has announced the rank pen of more than 100 bovine athletes who have been selected to buck at the prestigious, season-culminating event.
Alongside the riders, who will be vying for the 2023 PBR World Championship and $1 million bonus, the PBR’s fiercest bulls will also be competing for the 2023 YETI PBR World Champion Bull honor and accompanying $100,000 bonus.
The field is led by powerhouse No. 1 Cool Whip, who is chasing his first YETI PBR World Championship after being crowned the 2022 ABBI Classic World Champion. Cool Whip leads No. 2 Ridin Solo by 0.41 points as the Oklahoma-raised bovine attempts to make a come-from-behind surge and become just the sixth back-to-back PBR World Champion bull in the organization’s history.
Both Cool Whip and Ridin Solo have been named the YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the Event a PBR-best four times during the title push.
The 2023 YETI PBR World Champion Bull will be the animal with the highest average bull score from his highest-scored 6 outs logged during the 2022 PBR Team Series and 2023 Unleash The Beast regular-season, and two outs at the 2023 PBR World Finals.
The top bucking bulls competing at the Finals will receive three outs, and World Champion contenders will be able to drop their lowest score in Fort Worth.
The 2023 PBR World Finals will also anoint a YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the Finals, who will be presented with a $25,000 bonus for posting the top combined score based on his three outs at the season-culminating event.
Cool Whip, who bucked to a 45.97-point world average, will travel to World Finals unridden in his 18 eligible outs for the 2023 title. He has been ridden just once in 39 career outs across all levels of competition.
Among those outs, Cool Whip has been marked 46 points or more six times, including a season-best 46.25 points twice. The powerful animal athlete first posted the marks at the Team Series event in Austin, Texas, for his 4.27-second buckoff of Joao Ricardo Vieira, and again during the league’s event in Fort Worth when he upended Wingson Henrique da Silva in 7.36 seconds.
Ridin Solo has made a late-season surge as he attempts to be crowned the YETI PBR World Champion Bull in back-to-back seasons. He currently holds a 45.56-point world average.
Ridin Solo notably won the 2022 World Championship at the debut World Finals in Fort Worth when he held off 2021 World Champion Bull Woopaa, who retired earlier this season.
Having bucked 16 times during the 2023 title campaign, Ridin Solo has been ridden just once, covered by Vieira for 91.5 points during the 15/15 Bucking Battle in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Of those outs, Ridin Solo has been marked more than 46 points three times, including for a monstrous 47.25 points in Albuquerque when he tossed Josh Frost in a swift 2.86 seconds.
Looking at other bull contenders, Moonlight Party, who is ranked No. 7 in the standings, will attempt to become the first Canadian-born bovine athlete to be crowned a PBR World Champion Bull at the 2023 PBR World Finals.
Moonlight Party, who was bred by Allan Shields and then purchased by Outlaw Buckers in Western Canada, now represents Gene Owen’s Oklahoma outfit. In his second full season stateside, Moonlight Party bucked 14 times, concluding the regular-season with a 45.22-point world average, 0.75 points behind the top spot.
The striking bovine delivered five scores of 45 points or more, including a season-best 46-point trip during the Bonus Round of the October 2022 PBR Team Series event in Fort Worth, Texas, when he tossed Thiago Salgado in 2.33 seconds.
While not in contention for a World Championship, Moonlight Party will be joined by several other bulls with ties to the nation, including Yellowknife and Norse God, both of whom were raised in Canada and now reside in the United States.
The remaining Top 10 active contenders in the YETI PBR World Champion Bull race set to compete at the World Finals are: No. 3TFlapjack (45.53-point average | -0.44 points); No. 3T UTZ BesTex Legend (45.53-point average | -0.44 points); No. 5 Ricky Vaughan (45.38-point average | -0.59 points); No. 6 Night Hawk (45.25-point average | -0.72 points), No. 8 Manaba (45.19 points | -0.78 points), No. 9 Blue Duck (45.13-point average | -0.84 points); and No. 10 Alakazam (45.03-point average | -0.94 points).
As an added layer of excitement, ABBI (American Bucking Bull Inc.) will buck roughly 25 bulls during Round 1 of the 2023 PBR World Finals when the top 3- and 4-year-old up-and-coming bulls will go up against the best riders in the nation. These four-legged athletes will compete for an estimated purse of more than $45,000, with the champion to be awarded a check for an estimated $7,500.
Bovines to watch for include current No. 1 in the ABBI Classic standings Flapjack (Parker/OK Corallis/Gordon/D&H Cattle) who has picked up four different Classic event wins so far this season; Flyin Wired (Julian/BS Cattle Co.) who has won the last three consecutive Classic events; and Ricky Vaughn (Buck/D&H Cattle) who is also in the running for YETI PBR World Champion Bull.
The complete list of 2023 PBR World Finals bulls are:
Huckleberry (Buckin Fun Group/Twisted Horn Ranch)
War Department (Rockin T Ranch)
Mike’s Magic (Five Star Ranch/BS Cattle)
Miller Time (A&E Bucking Bulls/BS Cattle Co.)
Flyin Wired (Tommy Julian/BS Cattle Co.)
Hard Candy (Braun Bucking Bulls)
Mighty Mike (Braun Bucking Bulls)
Hard Rock (Braun Bucking Bulls)
UTZ BesTex Legend (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Carey Brothers)
Soul King (Blake Sharp/Cody Gill/Marcus Cannon)
Detroit Lean (Blake Sharp/Henry Wilson)
Mr. Nasty (Blake Sharp/Koe Wetzel/Cody O’Neil)
Mike’s Motive (Blake Sharp/High Voltage/Wetzel/Knott)
Centerfold (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd)
Tijuana Two-Step (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd)
Yellowknife (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd)
Lapua (Blake Sharp/Floyd/Wilson/High Voltage)
Don’t Come Easy (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Carey Brothers)
UTZ BesTex Smokestack (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Carey Brothers)
Hoka Hey (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Carey Brothers)
UTZ BesTex Red Clark (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Carey Brothers)
Bandito Bug (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Carey Brothers/Mike Chaney)
The Undertaker (Cornwell Bucking Bulls/Riley Bucking Bulls/PCP Bucking Bulls)
In My Blood (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Diggers Bucking Bulls)
Blown Away (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Diggers/Kinser/McCall)
Ground Assault (Stockyards/444/Winston/Melton Bull Co.)
Crash Cart (Stockyards Pro Rodeo/Winston/Melton Bull Co.)
Train Station (Stockyards Pro Rodeo/Winston/Melton Bull Co.)
Twisted Steel (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls)
Kid Knapper (Phillips/Coopers/Scruggs Bucking Bulls)
Black Gold (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls)
Punchy Pete (Wentz Bucking Bulls/King Rodeo)
Do Dat Eddie (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell)
Big Bank (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell)
Blazer (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell)
Red Demon (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell)
MCC 902 (Moline Cattle Co./Dennis and Jan Owens)
Hang Em High (Bryan T. Smith/Nathan Doss)
Sonny B (Shuler Bucking Bulls)
Moon Juice (Shuler Bucking Bulls)
Man Hater (Jane Clark/Gene Owen)
Moonlight Party (Jane Clark/Gene Owen)
Casper (Crescent City Bucking Bulls/Lari Crane/Gene Owen)
Ivy League (Jane Clark/Gene Owen)
Norse God (Jane Clark/Gene Owen)
Exodus (Jane Clark/Gene Owen)
Mr. Right Now (Silent 7/Hilton Bull Co.)
Shameless (Silent 7/Hilton Bull Co.)
Renegade (IB Rockin Cattle/Hilton Bull Co.)
Snake Eyes (D&H Cattle Company)
Turner Burner (Craig Moore/D&H Cattle/Buck Cattle)
Erik The Red (Tommy Julian/Craig Moore/D&H Cattle)
Juju (Tommy Julian/D&H Cattle)
Cool Whip (Julian/Staci Addison/D&H/Crooked W)
Top Shelf (P. Ro Ranch/OK Corralis/Gordon/D&H Cattle)
Cherry Bomb (Flinn/D&H Cattle Co.)
Chiseled (Flinn/D&H Cattle Co.)
Charmer (D&H Cattle Co./Buck Cattle Co.)
JAG Metals Grand Theft (D&H Cattle Co./Phillip Elkins)
Flapjack (Parker/OK Corralis/Gordon/D&H Cattle)
Cold Chill (D&H Cattle Co./Futrell)
Manaba (Joe & Nina Webb/Julian/D&H Cattle Co.)
Domino (D&H Cattle Co./Buck Cattle Co.)
Short Circuit (D&H Cattle/McWhorter)
Ricky Vaughn (D&H Cattle Co./Buck Cattle Co.)
HomeBru (D&H Cattle Co./Buck Cattle Co.)
Alakazam (D&H Cattle/Buck Cattle/Tommy Julian)
Big Wave (Lone Star/Outlaw/Maynes/D&H Cattle Co.)
DirtyBru (D&H Cattle Co./Gordon/OK Corralis)
Razzmatazz (Legacy Pro Rodeo)
Hunter (Dozier Cattle Co./Martinez Bucking Bulls)
Hunting Trip (Dozier Cattle Co./Martinez Bucking Bulls)
La Grande (Davis Rodeo Ranch)
Bomb Diggity (Davis Rodeo Ranch)
July (Leffew Bucking Bulls)
Knockin Boots (Richardson Land & Cattle Co./Gene Baker/Hillcrest Bucking Bulls)
Pork Chop (Richardson Land & Cattle/Gene Baker)
God Bless America (Sterk Bucking Bulls)
Wasted Days (Hart Cattle Co./Hale)
I’m Legit Too (Hart Cattle Co./Hale)
Chateau Montelena’s Montana Jacket (Vella/Coleman/Ogden/Hart)
Border Crisis (Hart Cattle Co./Hale)
Choctaw Bingo (TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.)
Bread Basket (TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.)
Bullet Train (Hart Cattle Co./People’s Cattle)
Hundred Bad Days (TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.)
Jersey Tuff (McClellan/Lidgard/Hart)
Medicine Man (TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.)
Preachers Kid (K-C Bucking Bulls/RD Cattle)
Magic Potion (K-C Bucking Bulls/Daniels Cattle Co.)
Roc Wit It (K-C Bucking Bulls/JoZ Bucking Bulls)
Black Ice (BMC Bucking Bulls/Jenkins Cattle Co.)
High Country Hitman (High Country Solutions/Jenkins Cattle Co.)
Stone Cold Gangster (Hookin’ W Ranch)
Skippy (Skippy & Linda Johnson/Hookin’ W Ranch)
Froggy (KB Bulls/Gene Baker/Hookin’ W Ranch)
Top Dollar (Hookin’ W/DeHoff/VanCleave)
Big Chew (Hillcrest Bulls/Gene Baker/Hookin W Ranch)
Wild Card (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls)
Gold Standard (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls)
Raven (M Rafter E/Rockin’ L Bucking Bulls)
Sky Walker (Lacey Scott/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/M Rafter E)
Blood Moon (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Mark Baker/M Rafter E)
Highwire (Hale/Berryman/Nuckols/Ogden/Hart)
Red Mosquito (Cord McCoy/Zach Muegge/McCoy Rodeo)
Renegade (Cord McCoy/Rodosky/Lovell/Punke/McCoy Rodeo)
Cliff Hanger (Cord McCoy/Pioneer Bulls/McCoy Rodeo)
Ridin’ Solo (Cord McCoy/Bill McCarty/McCoy Rodeo)
Tulsa Time (Cord McCoy/Kelly & Cami Heath/McCoy Rodeo)
Blue Duck (Cord McCoy/Grin/Jacobson/Davis Rodeo Ranch/McCoy Rodeo)
Snuggles (Cord McCoy/Grin/Jacobson/McCoy Rodeo)
Buster Brown (Cord McCoy/CCL Bucking Bulls/McCoy Rodeo)
Smooth Steel (Flyin C/Tom Baker)
Taylor’s Cowtown Throwdown (Farris/Platinum Bull Company)
Younts Brody’s Pet (Farris/Platinum Bull Company)
Bamboozle (Farris/Platinum Bull Company)
Brimstone (Julian Cattle)
Dennis The Menace (Viducic Bucking Bulls/White Trash Buckers)
The Right Stuff (Diamond Willow/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger)
Sky Harbor (Wilks Ranch/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger)
Night Hawk (Logan Clancey/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger)
Pookie Holler (Dakota Rodeo/Brian & Ashley Pintar/Clay Struve/Chad Berger)
Drago (Jeb Fredericks/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger)
Bubba G (Dakota Rodeo/Brian & Ashley Pintar/Clay Struve/Chad Berger)
Sneaky Situation (Lacey Scott/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/M Rafter E)
Pearl’s Ghost (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger)
The 2023 PBR World Finals Week will feature an action-packed lineup of programming from May 12-21 across Fort Worth, Texas. Accompanying the high-adrenaline competition on the dirt inside Dickies Arena as riders battle for the title of PBR World Champion, the organization will host its Dirty 30 celebration at Billy Bob’s on May 17, headlined by renowned comedian Larry the Cable Guy and country music stars Ryan Bingham and Chris Janson, in addition to a myriad of events in the iconic Stockyards and Cowtown Coliseum including Women’s Rodeo World Championship Week, Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, and more.
Featuring seven long rounds and a championship round of competition, the 2023 PBR World Finals opening weekend will take place at Dickies Arena Friday, May 12 and Saturday, May 13 at 7:45 p.m. CT, and Sunday, May 14 at 1:45 p.m. CT.
During the opening weekend, Cole Hauser, the new brand Ambassador and creative partner of PBR, will begin shooting a highly anticipated new campaign for the red-hot sport. Fans in attendance on Friday, May 12 and Saturday, May 13 will witness and be a part of elements of the new brand campaign that will be seen across traditional and social media as well as PBR programming on CBS Television Network and CBS Sports Network.
The action continues Thursday, May 18, Friday, May 19, and Saturday, May 20 at 7:45 p.m. CT, concluding on Sunday, May 21 at 1:45 p.m. CT.
Rounds 1, 3, 4 and 6 will be populated by a random draw, while Rounds 2, 5 and 7 will feature a draft format. The championship round will be pre-set. The YETI PBR World Champion Bull and Bull of the Final contenders will buck in Rounds 2, 4, 7 and the championship round.
Single-day tickets for the 2023 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast event are on sale now, and start at $27.50, plus fees. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com and PBR.com, at the Dickies Arena Box Office or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727. The Dickies Arena Box Office is open Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. CT and on event days.
CBS Sports Network (CBSSN) will broadcast every round of the PBR World Finals LIVE, while CBS Television Network will bring viewers two highlight specials. The coverage schedule is:
- Friday, May 12 @ 9:00 p.m. EDT on CBSSN (Round 1)
- Saturday, May 13 @ 9:00 p.m. EDT on CBSSN (Round 2)
- Sunday, May 14 @ 1:00 p.m. EDT on CBS Television Network (Highlight Special)
- Sunday, May 14 @ 3:00 p.m. EDT on CBSSN (Round 3)
- Thursday, May 18 @ 9:00 p.m. EDT on CBSSN (Round 4)
- Friday, May 19 @ 9:00 p.m. EDT on CBSSN (Round 5)
- Saturday, May 20 @ 9:00 p.m. EDT on CBSSN (Round 6)
- Sunday, May 21 @ 12:00 p.m. EDT on CBS Television Network (Highlight Special)
- Sunday, May 21 @ 3:00 p.m. EDT on CBSSN (Round 7 & Championship Round)
PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer re-airs and on-demand replays of every PBR Unleash The Beast and Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event. PBR RidePass is available on desktops, laptops and mobile devices via www.pluto.tv. Click here for on-demand PBR programming.
For more information about the 2023 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast and to see the complete event schedule, visithttps://pbr.com/event-schedule/event/4849/2023-pbr-world-finals.
Stay tuned to PBR.com for the latest news and results and be sure to follow the sport on all social media platforms at @PBR.
