World No. 1 Man Hater leads No. 2 UTZ BesTex Legend by a commanding 1.28 points in $100,000 YETI World Champion Bull Race
By Kacie Albert
FORT WORTH, Texas – SPORTS – Ahead of the 2024 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Finals: Unleash The Beast, scheduled to return to Texas for the fourth time in history beginning on May 9, the organization has announced the rank pen of more than 160 bovine athletes who have been selected to buck at the prestigious, season-culminating event.
Alongside the riders, who will be vying for the 2024 PBR World Championship and $1 million bonus, the PBR’s fiercest bulls will also be competing for the 2024 YETI PBR World Champion Bull honor and accompanying $100,000 bonus.
The field is led by powerhouse No. 1 Man Hater, who is chasing his first YETI PBR World Championship. Man Hater leads No. 2 UTZ BesTex Legend by a commanding 1.28 points. Dominant in nearly every trip, Man Hater has appeared at eight Unleash The Beast events during the regular season, earning the YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the Event honor during seven of those outings. Only four bull scores of 47-plus-points have been registered in the 2024 title campaign, with Man Hater logging three of those head-turning outs.
The 2024 YETI PBR World Champion Bull will be the animal with the highest average bull score from his highest-scored eight outs logged during the 2023 Camping World Team Series and 2024 Unleash The Beast regular-season, and two outs at the 2024 PBR World Finals.
The top bucking bulls competing at the World Finals will receive three outs, and World Champion contenders will be able to drop their lowest score in Fort Worth.
The 2024 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.
Man Hater, who bucked to a commanding 46.72-point world average, will travel to World Finals having been ridden just twice in his 18 eligible outs for the 2024 title.
Those two qualified rides are the lone two ever logged aboard the powerful animal athlete in his 41-out career across all levels of competition. Both of the 8-second efforts were earned by the No. 1-ranked rider in the race for the 2024 PBR World Championship Cassio Dias, who drafted Man Hater in championship rounds during the regular season events.
The duo first went head-to-head in early February in Los Angeles, teaming for a season-best 94.75-point score, with Man Hater logging a 46-point bull score. A month later in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the two again clashed, reaching the whistle for another monstrous 90-point ride. In this showdown, Dias was awarded 93.25 points, with Man Hater marked 45.75 points.
Man Hater has been the undeniable front-runner for the coveted title since the 2023 PBR Camping World Team Series got underway, winning a combined nine Bull of the Event honors, five more than any other bull in the PBR.
The Gene Owen bucking bull first put himself on the map at the PBR Teams Championship in Las Vegas in October, delivering a monster 47-point bull score after tossing Trevor Reiste in 3.17 seconds. In Man Hater’s following nine outs, he was never marked less than 45 points.
While his 47-point out set the bar for top bull score leading into the individual Unleash The Beast season, Man Hater upped the ante in December at the premier series event in Albany, New York, marked 47.25 points for his 3.08 seconds of work against Guilherme Valleiras.
However, just one week later, Man Hater delivered what remains the high-marked out of the season, awarded an unrivaled 47.75 points when he launched Boudreaux Campbell in 3.2 seconds in New York City.
Following his outing inside Madison Square Garden, Man Hater bucked four more times, concluding his regular-season campaign in New Mexico when he was ridden by Dias.
While Man Hater has been atop the standings all season long, he’s been closely followed by No. 2 UTZ BesTex Legend, No. 3 Red Demon and No. 4 Flyin Wired, all of whom have bucked to multiple Bull of the Event honors.
UTZ BesTex Legend concluded the season with a 45.44-point world average, 1.28 points behind No. 1 Man Hater, while bucking to four Bull of the Event honors. The powerful animal athlete’s top trip was logged in Las Vegas during the PBR Teams Championship. He was awarded a 46.75-point bull score after upending Sandro Batista in 3.51 seconds.
For Red Demon, he bucked to a 45.16-point world average, trailing No. 1 Man Hater 1.56 points. His season yielded three Bull of the Event honors, and Red Demon is the only other bull besides Man Hater to be marked 47 points or more. In late January in Houston, Texas, Red Demon lit up the scoreboard, marked a mammoth 47 points after making a quick, 2.3 seconds of work against Joao Ricardo Vieira.
Rounding out the trio is Flyin Wired who is attempting to earn the World Champion Bull honor the year after being crowned the 2023 ABBI (American Bucking Bulls Inc.) Classic Champion. Flyin Wired will begin the 2024 PBR World Finals with a 45.09-point world average, 1.63 points behind No. 1 Man Hater, having earned two Bull of the Event honors during the campaign.
Looking down the standings, two-time and reigning World Champion Bull Ridin’ Solo will begin his quest for history tied for No. 7 in the standings, holding a 44.53-point average, 2.19 points back of the top spot. Should Ridin’ Solo make a come-from-behind surge, he would become just the third bull in history to win the coveted honor in three consecutive seasons, joining the likes of Little Yellow Jacket (2002-2004) and SweetPro’s Bruiser (2016-2018).
The remaining Top 10 active contenders in the YETI PBR World Champion Bull race set to compete at the World Finals are: No. 5T Big Bank (44.66-point average | -2.06 points); No. 5T UTZ BesTex Smokestack (44.66-point average | -2.06 points); No. 7T Mike’s Motive (44.53-point average | -2.19 points); No. 9 Doze You Down (44.47-point average | -3.15 points); No. 10T Hard Candy (44.34-point average |-3.28 points); and No. 10T Preachers Kid (44.34-point average | -3.28 points).
While not in contention for this season’s World Championship, Cool Whip is chasing history of his own. Currently unridden with 40 career buckoffs on the premier series, the powerful animal athlete will attempt to tie three-time World Champion Bull Bushwacker’s legendary 42-out buckoff streak that was snapped by two-time World Champion J.B. Mauney in August 2013.
The bull pen will also feature Dana White’s Twisted Steel, set to make his second appearance at the prestigious PBR World Finals. UFC’s President Dana White, who owns several other bucking bulls, purchased high-flying Twisted Steel from Bryce Cooper in 2023. The powerful animal athlete is one of the most difficult in the world to ride for 8 seconds. Five-year-old Twisted Steel has bucked off 36 of the 40 riders who have attempted him.
As an added layer of excitement, ABBI will buck roughly 44 bulls during Round 1 of the 2024 PBR World Finals – Eliminations on May 9 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 $48,000, 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 Fast Flow, in addition to No. 3 Goin’ Solo, No. 4 Tickle Time and No. 5 Flint Stone.
The complete list of 2024 PBR World Finals bulls are:
*Always Been Crazy (Harrison Cattle Co.)
*Let’s Roll (Stoltzfus/Bob & Jeri Adams/BS Cattle Co.)
Mike’s Magic (Five Star Ranch/BS Cattle)
*Fast Flow (Outlaw/Lone Star/AFCO)
Miller Time (A&E Bucking Bulls/BS Cattle CO.)
Down Payment (Joe & Nina Webb/Zane Walker/BS Cattle Co.)
Flyin Wired (Tommy Julian/BS Cattle Co.)
*Zeus (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd)
UTZ BesTex Legend (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Carey Brothers)
Boomerang (Blake Sharp/Stacy Utz/Rachel Farris/Tristen Jones/Stacey Rickman)
Big Chili (Blake Sharp/Bull Mamas/UB Bucking Co.)
Fierce’s Dirtnap (Blake Sharp/UB Bucking Co./Fierce Firearms)
*Whiskey Business (Blake Sharp/ UB Bucking Company)
Chupacabra (Blake Sharp/UB Bucking Company)
Mike’s Motive (Blake Sharp/High Voltage/Wetzel/Knott)
Whiplash (Blake Sharp/Floyd Lowry/CB & Traci Lee)
MAGA (Blake Sharp/Utz/Carey/Chaney)
Flatliner (Blake Sharp/Henry Wilson)
Wild Card (Blake Sharp/UB Bucking Company)
Ridgeway (Blake Sharp)
Tijuana Two-Step (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd)
Dark Thoughts (Blake Sharp/Henry Wilson)
Yellowknife (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd)
The Kraken (Blake Sharp/UB Bucking Company)
UTZ BesTex Smokestack (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Carey Brothers)
Hoka Hey (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Carey Brothers)
Bandito Bug (Blake Sharp/Utz/Carey/Chaney)
*Sweet John (Campbell Cattle Co./Cannon Cattle Co.)
Muss Buss (C-B Bucking Bulls)
Salty Brindle (Cornwell Bucking Bulls)
The Undertaker (Cornwell/Riley/PCP Bucking Bulls)
Mr. Excavator (Cornwell Bucking Bulls/PCP Bucking Bulls)
*The Agenda (5G Farms/BS Cattle/Cornwell)
*Triple Aught (Addi Drury/Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Diggers)
Watch Out (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Diggers/4 Diamonds)
*Mercy (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Overstreet)
Blown Away (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Diggers/Kinsey/McCall)
Haymaker (Nothin’ But Try Ranch/Diggers Bucking Bulls)
*Heavy Lifting (Stockyards Pro Rodeo/ Winston/ Melton Bull Co.)
*Firewater (Braun Bucking Bulls)
Hard Candy (Braun Bucking Bulls)
Black Gold (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls)
Ghost Face (Bierema Rodeo Inc./Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls)
Brown Bomber (Culp Bucking Bulls)
Wishful Thinking (Wentz Bucking Bulls/King Rodeo)
*Dan-O (D4 Cattle Co.)
Umm (D4 Cattle Co./Double F Ranch)
Dana White’s Twisted Steel (Dana White/DD Bucking Bulls)
Rorschach (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell/Delmas/Williams)
Pick Up Man (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell/Delmas/Williams)
Do Dat Eddie (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell/Delmas/Williams)
American You (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell/Delmas/Williams)
Big Bank (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell/Delmas/Williams)
Red Demon (Universal Pro Rodeo/Rachel & Dustin Powell/Delmas/Williams)
*Double 00 Buck (Diamond L Cattle)
*Last Resort (Diamond L Cattle)
Hang ‘em High (Bryan T. Smith/Doss Cattle)
Rafter P Construction’s Cold Creek (Rockin’ Rafter P Ranches/Young Cattle Co.)
Rafter P Construction’s The Show (Rockin’ Rafter P Ranches/Young Cattle Co.)
*Quick Show (Young Cattle/Crooked Crown)
Cliffhanger (Barthold & Eldred)
Washita Red (Barthold & Eldred)
*Flint Stone (D&H Cattle Co./Flinn)
Snap Chatter (Flying S Bucking Bulls/Dozier)
Man Hater (Jane Clark/Gene Owen)
Mahan (Jane Clark/Gene Owen)
Norse God (Jane Clark/Gene Owen)
Exodus (Jane Clark/Gene Owen)
Bruised Ego (Crescent City Bucking Bulls/Lari Crane/Gene Owen)
Whiskey Trip (Lari Crane/Gene Owen)
Punchy Pete (Crescent City Bucking Bulls/Lari Crane/Gene Owen)
Regulator (Humpz and Hornz/Frances Dandy)
Little Tex (Humpz and Hornz/Frances Dandy)
Mr. Right Now (Silent 7/Hilton Bull Co.)
Shameless (Silent 7/Hilton Bull Co.)
Snake Eyes (D&H Cattle Company)
Baldy (Tommy Julian/D&H Cattle)
*Fire Magic (Bob & Jeri Adams/D&H Cattle Co.)
*Abracadabra (Tommy Julian/D&H Cattle)
Cool Whip (Julian/Stace Addison/D&H/Crooked W)
Chiseled (Flinn/D&H Cattle Co.)
Hell Right (McGuire Cattle/D&H Cattle/Buck Cattle)
Flapjack (Parker/OK Corralis/Gordon/D&H Cattle)
Manaba (Joe & Nina Webb/Julian/D&H Cattle Co.)
Bo Man (D&H Cattle/Craig Moore)
Ricky Vaughn (WinRock/D&H Cattle/Buck Cattle)
DirtyBru (D&H Cattle Co./Gordon/OK Corralis)
*Page H1 (Staci Addison/Julian/D&H Cattle Co.)
*Thunderstruck (LS Risen Bucking Bulls/Rock Solid Bucking Bulls)
*Fire Zone (Martinez Bucking Bulls, LLC)
Hunter (Dozier Cattle Co/Martinez Bucking Bulls)
Hunting Trip (Dozier Cattle Co/Martinez Bucking Bulls)
Doze You Down (Dozier Cattle Co/Martinez Bucking Bulls)
*Magic Moves (Martinez/MaGuire/Ace Of Spades)
*The Colonel (Halpain Bucking Bulls)
*The Intimidator (Halpain Bucking Bulls)
*Working Man (Davis Rodeo Ranch/Crooked Creek Bucking Bulls)
*Mercy Rule (Davis Rodeo Ranch/Drop IX Rodeo)
La Grande (Davis Rodeo Ranch)
*Shot in the Dark (Leffew/Meza/Castillo/Gutierrez)
July (Leffew Bucking Bulls)
*Crime Scene (LS Risen Bucking Bulls/Richardson Land & Cattle)
Big Chew (Hillcrest Bucking Bulls/Gene Baker/Richardson Land & Cattle Co.)
God Bless America (Sterk Bucking Bulls)
*Rip (Wacey Hart/TNT Bucking Bulls)
Cracker Jack (Ogden Ranch/Hart Cattle Co.)
Rowdy (Ogden Ranch/Hart Cattle Co.)
Crazy Times (Hart Cattle Co./Randy Wood)
Jersey Mike (Fugitt/Nuckols/Conaway/Ogden/Hart)
I’m Legit Too (Hart Cattle Co./Hale)
Chateau Montelena’s Montana Jacket (Vella/Coleman/Ogden/Hart)
Tchoupitoulas (Hart Cattle Company)
Hundred Bad Days (TNT Bucking Bulls/Hart Cattle Co.)
Jersey Tuff (McClellan/Lidgard/Hart)
Renegade (Hale/Valle/Ogden/Hart)
Highwire (Hale/Berryman/Nuckols/Ogden/Hart)
Dangerous Medicine (Hart Cattle Company)
Knucklehead (K-C Bucking Bulls/TCB Ranch)
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)
*Tickle Time (Kanngiesser Cattle Co./Graves)
*King Tut (Less Than 8 Cattle Co.)
*California Heartthrob (Less Than 8 Cattle Co.)
John 14:6 (Jenkins Cattle Co./CIL Cattle)
Black Ice (BMC Bucking Bulls/Jenkins Cattle Co.)
Blue Suede Shoes (Lucas Manning Bucking Bulls)
*Sava (Risen Cattle Co.)
Skippy (Skippy & Linda Johnson/Hookin’ W Ranch)
Top Dollar (Hookin’ W Ranch/DeHoff/Beach/McAlister)
Constitutional Carry (Jim & Shannon Barr/Hookin’ W Ranch)
Pneu-Dart’s Chief Wahoo (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls)
Lapua (Phenom Genetics/Sankey/Ready Team)
Bugatti (Phenom Genetics/Dragonetics/Sankey/Wallace)
*Black Betty (Deatherage /Peoples Cattle Co.)
*Sucker Pop (Harrison/Spencer/Sherman Cattle Company LLC)
*PIF (McCoy Rodeo/Spencer Neil/Crown D)
*Goin’ Solo (McCoy Rodeo /Van Zanten/Lowell)
*Spendin’ Cash (Kelly & Cami Heath/McCoy Rodeo)
Red Mosquito (Zach Mueffe/McCoy Rodeo)
Ridin’ Solo (Bill McCarty/McCoy Rodeo)
Outlaw (Big Sky Bulls, LLC/McCoy Rodeo)
Tulsa Time (Kelly & Cami Heath/McCoy Rodeo)
Ugly This (Cord McCoy/McCoy Rodeo)
Ridin’ Salty (Drink LMNT/McCoy Rodeo)
*Thriller (McCoy Rodeo/Jacobson)
*Rock ‘n Roll (McClellan Creek/Lidgard)
*TBRs Buffalo Joe (TBR Bucking Bulls)
*Johnny Walker Red (Flying C/Jeff Baeza)
Smooth Steel (Flying C/Tom Baker)
*Snoop Dog (Hawkins Bucking Bulls)
Taylor’s Cowtown Throwdown (Farris Cattle/Big Schott Rodeo/Triple T Livestock)
Army Slasher (Bernard Tallman/Farris)
Bamboozle (Farris Cattle/Big Schott Rodeo)
Nefarious (Viducic Bucking Bulls/Jess Lockwood)
Full Throttle (Classic Jack Cattle/Viducic Bucking Bulls)
*Shot Caller (DLW Cattle Co.)
Night Hawk (Logan Clancey/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger)
Blackstone (Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger)
Pookie Holler (Dakota Rodeo/Brian & Ashley Pintar/Clay Struve/Chad Berger)
Bubba G (Dakota Rodeo/Brian & Ashley Pintar/Clay Struve/Chad Berger)
Schott In The Dark (Broken Arrow S Ranch/Sutton Ranch)
*Denotes a bull that will buck during the ABBI Classic competition during the opening round of Eliminations on May 9.
The 2024 PBR World Finals will begin with Eliminations at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth from May 9-12. The competition will begin at 7:45 p.m. CDT on Thursday, May 9, 6:45 p.m. CDT on Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11, and 1:45 p.m. CDT on Sunday, May 12. During eliminations, each of the 45 competing riders will get on one bull daily. When the dust settles, the Top 15 in the Unleash The Beast standings, and Top 5 in the event not already advancing, will earn a direct berth to the Championship in Arlington the following weekend.
For those 25 riders who do not advance, they will look to Ride For Redemption on May 15-16 to keep their title hopes alive. Those contenders will be joined by 15 riders from a to-be-announced selection process. During Ride For Redemption, which begins at 7:45 p.m. CDT nightly, each rider will attempt one bull. At the conclusion of the ride-in rounds the Top 5 in the event will earn the final berths to The Championship.
Single-day tickets for both Eliminations and Ride For Redemption are on-sale now and can be purchased at PBR.com/WorldFinals, CowtownColiseum.com and AXS.com, or by phone at 1-800-732-1727.
The on-the-dirt action for the two segments of the 2024 PBR World Finals inside Cowtown Coliseum will be accompanied by a myriad of programming throughout the Fort Worth Stockyards, including the Stockyards Stampede, which will take over the historic district beginning May 9 as the fan hub, highlighted by the Michelob ULTRA Beer Tent & Pendleton Whisky Lounge in front of Cowtown Coliseum offering adult beverages, in addition to special Texas cuisine and drink specials available in the surrounding restaurants.
The Stockyards Stampede will house special activations from PBR partners, feature daily musical and DJ performances from the Tractor Supply Co. Stage and serve as the home for the official 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast parade on Saturday, May 11 at 11:45 am CT.
The complete schedule of programming accompanying the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast is available at PBR.com/WorldFinals.
The 2024 PBR World Finals will then conclude with the Championship on Saturday, May 18 at 7:45 p.m. CDT and Sunday, May 19 at 1:45 p.m. CDT in Arlington at AT&T Stadium. Inside the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, there will be two rounds of competition nightly. Following those four rounds, PBR will crown the World Champion, World Finals event winner, Rookie of the Year and more.
Single-day tickets for the PBR World Finals – Championship are on-sale now. They can be purchased online at ATTStadium.com, SeatGeek.com and PBR.com/WorldFinals, or by phone at 1-800-732-1727.
Before the PBR World Finals – Championship begins on May 18, fans will be able to attend Cole Hauser’s Ultimate Tailgate Party at AT&T Stadium’s East Plaza. Cole Hauser’s Ultimate Tailgate Party will include the fan-favorite Rider Arrival Show hosted by Flint Rasmussen and Matt West featuring all 25 competing riders, along with LIVE music performances from the Tractor Supply Co. Stage from YEEDM duo VAVO, Dean James & The Treatment and the Dallas Cowboys’ DJ EJ.
During the PBR World Finals, Rounds 1 and 3 of Eliminations (May 9 and May 11), both Rounds 1-2 of Ride For Redemption (May 15-16) and Rounds 2-3 of Championship (May 18-19) will be populated by a random draw, while Rounds 2 and 4 of Eliminations (May 10 and May 12) and Rounds 1 and 4 of the Championship (May 18-19) will feature a draft format. The YETI PBR World Champion Bull and Bull of the Final contenders will buck during Round 2 and Round 4 of Eliminations (May 10 and May 12), and during Round 3 of the Championship on May 19.
CBS Sports Network (CBSSN) will broadcast every round of the PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast Eliminations and Championship LIVE, while CBS Television Network will bring viewers one highlight special from the Championship, and PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will cover Ride For RedemptionLIVE. The coverage schedule is:
- Thursday, May 9 @ 9:00 p.m. EDT on CBSSN (Eliminations – Round 1)
- Friday, May 10 @ 8:00 p.m. EDT on CBSSN (Eliminations – Round 2)
- Saturday, May 11 @ 8:00 p.m. EDT on CBSSN (Eliminations – Round 3)
- Sunday, May 12 @ 3:00 p.m. EDT on CBSSN (Eliminations – Round 4)
- Wednesday, May 15 @ 8:30 p.m. EDT on RidePass on Pluto TV (Ride For Redemption – Round 1)
- Thursday, May 16 @ 8:30 p.m. EDT on RidePass on Pluto TV (Ride For Redemption – Round 2)
- Saturday, May 18 @ 9:00 p.m. EDT on CBSSN (Championship – Rounds 1 & 2)
- Sunday, May 19 @ 12:00 p.m. EDT on CBS Television Network (Highlight Special)
- Sunday, May 19 @ 3:00 p.m. EDT on CBSSN (Championship Rounds 3 & 4)
Each LIVE CBSSN broadcast on May 9-12 and May 19 will be directly preceded by a 30-minute Inside The PBR World Finals pre-show breaking down the top storylines to note ahead of that day’s competition.
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 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast and to see the complete event schedule, visit https://pbr.com/WorldFinals.
