ODESSA, Texas — Tickets are officially on sale for the Professional Bull Riders Challenger Series put on by Chevron.
On June 20, West Texans will have the opportunity to see one of the best bull riding teams in the nation take on some bulls in the Ector County Coliseum.
"This show is really an opportunity for fans in the Permian Basin to come out and see the best bull riders in the world," Texas Rattlers GM Chad Blankenship said. "The Texas Rattlers are, of course, the reigning team series champions."
The event is a chance to show bull riders like Brady Oleson, an original member of the team.
"It's something that at a young age I saw and, you know, I got to try it out," Oleson said. "And from the moment I did it, I was hooked."
And it won't just be Oleson.
"The entire squad will be out here," Blankenship said. "And they're going to ride alongside the bull riders from Odessa College Rodeo team."
Odessa College is considered a premier place for many bull riders to attend.
"It's one of the best programs in the country at the college rodeo level," Blankenship said. "It also holds a unique destination that multiple PBR founders, and some world champions actually competed for the college team many years ago. So it has a deep legacy in history and it's still a great program to go to."
Oleson used to ride and wrangle with the Odessa Wranglers himself.
"I wanted to be a part of that," Oleson said. "So that was kind of a pit stop I made in my career on my way to becoming a professional bull rider."
OC's program is so good, it attracts bull riders from all over the world.
Including all the way from Texas Rattler Brady Fielder's neck of the woods, Australia.
"There's quite a few Australians that go to Odessa," Fielder said. "And I know what it's like for them guys to come over here and ride, so it'd be good to pass down some knowledge."
Fielder hopes that he can help mentor the eight members of the Odessa College team who are also from down under.
"It's great, you know, working as a team, we all learn and build off each other and become better people, not only better, better bull riders together," Fielder said.
And who better to learn from than professionals like Fielder, who’s in the hunt for the individual World Championship. After all, Oleson clinched the game-winning ride for his team’s undefeated season.
Two brave bull riders, who are sure to put on a great show.
Tickets are now available at ETIX.com and the Ector County Coliseum box office. Tickets are $20, taxes and fees not included. Tickets will also be available through Kent Kwik starting in May where they'll get a chance to win a Texas Rattlers Prize pack that will have team swag.
All proceeds will benefit deserving members of the community, with 100% of the profits from ticket sales to the public benefiting the Odessa College Wranglers rodeo team.