Kacie Albert | PBR
PONOKA, Alta. – Attempting to become the fourth multi-time PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Canada Champion this November, 2022 title holder Nick Tetz (Calgary, Alberta) rode supreme Saturday night in Ponoka, Alberta, winning the Touring Pro Division’s Wild West PBR.
Tetz, who competes for the Arizona Ridge Riders in the separate PBR Teams league, was quick to strike in Round 1, besting Out of the Blue (Vold Rodeo/Bow River Buckers) for 85.25 points.
Tied for second on the leaderboard entering the championship round, Tetz then went head-to-head with McGregor (Vold Rodeo). Bursting from the chutes, Tetz remained in perfect time with the powerful animal athlete, reaching the requisite 8 with ease. Marked an event-best 86.5 points, the score cemented the victory for Tetz.
The golden finish earned Tetz a crucial 120.5 national points. He remained No. 2 in the race for the 2024 PBR Canada Championship, and accompanying $100,000 bonus, inching within 324.5 points of No. 1 Cody Coverchuk (Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan).
Coverchuk, however, prevented Tetz from gaining more ground by delivering a second-place finish of his own at the Wild West PBR.
Despite being shutout in Round 1, tossed by Uncorked (Vold Rodeo) in 4.13 seconds, the two-time PBR Canada Champion was quick to rebound in the championship round, topping Emerald Inn (X6 Ranch Bucking Cattle/B2 Braithwaite Ranches) for 86.5 points.
Coverchuk earned 73 national points for the silver showing.
Seeking history of his own, should Coverchuk remain atop the Canadian standings and capture the 2024 title, he would tie three-time Champion Aaron Roy (Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan) for most Canadian Championships won by one rider.
Roy, who is seeking even rarer air this season, in the hunt for his unprecedented fourth national title, was sixth in Ponoka.
The veteran contender earned 19 national points for his 70-point trip atop Look At This Dude (Two Bit Bucking Bulls) in Round 1. He climbed from No. 16 to No. 14 in the Canadian standings.
Returning to the top of the leaderboard, Tyler Craig (Crossfield, Alberta) was third.
The 2023 PBR Canada National Finals event winner netted 64 national points for his Round 1-winning, 85.5-point ride on Petty Crime (Shay Marks). Craig gained three spots in the national standings, rising from No. 10 to No. 7. He now trails No. 1 Coverchuk by 607.84 points.
Alison Trinidade (Leduc, Alberta) was fourth.
He parlayed an 85.25-point ride on Tailor Made (X6 Rach Bucking Cattle) in Round 1 into 38.5 national points. He climbed from No. 25 to No. 19 in the Canadian standings.
Rounding out the Top 5 in fifth was Cauy Schmidt (Coronation, Alberta).
The 2022 PBR Canada Rookie of the Year collected 33 national points for his 80.5-point effort on Day Thuggin (Shay Marks) in the opening round of competition.
After travelling to Ponoka unranked, Schmidt rose to No. 30 in the standings.
In the bull pen, Langham Kid (Two Bit Bucking Bulls), Ringling Road (Wilson Rodeo) and First To Swing (Vold Rodeo) bucked supreme, each delivering 43.5-point scores in the championship round to tie for the Bull of the Event honor.
Langham Kid upended Trindade in 2.9 seconds, while Ringling Road bucked off the Missouri Thunder’s Andrew Alvidrez (Seminole, Texas) in 4.13 seconds, and First To Swing sent Coverchuk flying in 2 seconds.