(Submitted photo/PBR)

By Jeff D’Andrea

Back in the dirt

P.A.’s Byrne to fight bulls at final PBR regular-season event in Saskatoon

Oct 27, 2021 | 1:03 PM

The Professional Bull Riding regular season has one last event on Saskatchewan soil, and Prince Albert’s Tanner Byrne will be an important part of it.

Byrne will be keeping the field of riders safe as one of the event’s bullfighters during the PBR Saskatoon Classic Friday and Saturday at the SaskTel Centre. After this weekend’s event, the PBR Canada Finals will be held in Edmonton Nov. 12-13.

“To have one in Saskatoon right here in my backyard, it’s a quick trip down the road and all my friends and family can come out and check out some great bull riding action,” Byrne said.

Two riders have the chance at creating PBR Canada history this year. Should Dakota Buttar win the finals this year, he will be the first-ever rider to win back-to-back national titles. Buttar enters the final two events of the year ranked first in the circuit.

Right behind him is Ponoka, Alta. native, Zane Lambert, who also can write his name in the record books. He’s looking for his third Canadian title, which would tie him for the most career titles alongside Aaron Roy.

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“It’s really great to see from both Dakota and Zane. They’re really good friends of mine, I got to ride with them throughout my career to see the success they’ve had other their careers, it’s pretty phenomenal,” Byrne said. “They’re two of the best that we’ve ever seen in Canada and across the world and we get to watch them right here in Saskatoon, in our backyard at one of the best events in Canada.”

Although most of the attention will be on the history-chasing frontrunners, there are others that can threaten to steal the title away.

Byrne highlighted Maple Creek’s Jared Parsonage, who is always a contender, in any event he’s in, as well as Jordan Hansen (Okotoks, Alta.,) and Jake Gardner (Fort St. John, B.C.), who had good years competing in the United States for most of the season.

“The depth in our Canadian bull riders right now is some of the best that I’ve ever seen in my career as a rider. There are 20 guys that get to go to Edmonton for the finals, and any of those 20 guys can win any event that we go to,” Byrne added.

The field of bullfighters for the finals in Edmonton will be determined by a vote from the field of riders. Byrne said he hopes to gain enough votes to qualify for the final event of the year.

“It’s really great and really rewarding to do my job here in Canada and protect a lot of my really good friends. It’s really helped being a bull rider my whole life and knowing the sport, reading the play, and knowing the bulls and knowing the riders,” Byrne said. “Reading the play and watching it unfold before it actually happens, I think being a bull rider really helped me for my bullfighting career. I look forward to seeing where I can take this bullfighting career and doing this job the best that I can.”

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Jeff.dandrea@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW