Ballarat will host a round of the Professional Bull Riders Australia tour in March, with a purpose-built state-of-the-art stadium to be constructed at the showgrounds for the event.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It’s the first time the PBR tour has held a round in Ballarat, and just the sixth event in Victoria, having previously been based in towns across NSW and Queensland.
PBR Australia general manager Glen Young said the tour had received strong support from the Ballarat area and requests from rodeo fans for local events.
“We’re giving Ballarat locals the opportunity to experience the toughest sport on dirt in our brand new stadium,” he said.
The 4500 seat stadium will put fans close to the action with no seats further than 14m from the arena, in addition to a mega screen to take audiences behind the scenes, inside the bucking chutes and to give slow motion replays for each ride.
Riders will compete for $10,000 in prize money at the Ballarat event, to be held on March 9 over the busy Labor Day long weekend and Ballarat Begonia Festival, but Mr Young said the main prize for most riders were world points that could give riders world standings and earn them a spot in the major league Unleash the Beast events in the US.
RELATED STORY: Kingston Rodeo breathes new life into historic showgrounds
“These won’t be one-off tour stops; we are making a long-term commitment to deliver high caliber events that will also have a positive impact on the local economies of each region we’re touring to,” Mr Young said.
Local rodeo fans are in for a big few months with the annual Kingston Rodeo taking place this weekend, and the Australian Professional Rodeo Association Ballarat Rodeo at Ballarat Polocrosse Grounds on February 9.
Have you signed up to The Courier's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.
