Giddy up, PBR event returns July 10-12

When it comes to professional bull riding, this isn't Colorado State University's first rodeo.

It's CSU's second.

PBR is coming back to Canvas Stadium on July 10-12 for Bulls and Beats. The three-day event will bring bull riding, country music and a new collegiate competition to Fort Collins.

Canvas Stadium started hosting the annual summer bull riding event last year after the Last Cowboy Standing competition relocated from Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.

Fort Collins' inaugural competition featured two nights of bull riding with performances from Jon Pardi and Cross Canadian Ragweed.

Last year, Leonardo Castro, 21 at the time, won the title and took home more than $133,000.

As previously reported by the Coloradoan, more than 24,000 people attended last year's showcase.

This year, more fans and fun can be expected with an additional concert and night of competition.

The event will be televised across several platforms. Matt West, who has been deemed "one of the voices of PBR," will bring viewers a play-by-play of Friday night's competition and will report from the sidelines Saturday and Sunday.

"It's one of those events that has now made its way to everybody's calendar that they mark down with a star next to it because they know it's going to be fun," West said.

Weekend roundup

Festivities will kick off at 6:45 p.m. July 10 with the inaugural Collegiate All-Star Rodeo showcasing raw competition and rising talent. Like the rest of the weekend's lineup, the collegiate competition will bring top rodeo athletes from across the country together to face off head-to-head.

In partnership with Learfield College Rodeo, the all-star rodeo will feature two teams of athletes from 19 elite collegiate programs. With a team-based tournament format, the competition will span nine rodeo disciplines including bull riding, steer wrestling and barrel racing.

"We're giving them a showcase and spotlight to compete on a stage like college rodeo athletes have never been able to compete before," West said.

The July 10 rodeo will be followed by a performance from longtime country music star Brad Paisley.

At 7:45 p.m. July 11, the 2026 PBR Teams' season will officially begin in Fort Collins. This year, 10 teams will battle through five world-class bull riding matchups. After the final buzzer, Bailey Zimmerman will take the stage to perform some of his hits.

"We're going to watch the toughest athletes in the world, that's a given, but we're marrying that with world-class entertainment," West said.

For one PBR team head coach, kicking off the season in Fort Collins is extra special.

New York Mavericks head coach Kody Lostroh was born and raised in Longmont where he started riding steers at just 7 years old. He went on to have a long, largely successful professional career and won the PBR World Champion title in 2009.

As a rider-turned-coach, Lostroh looks forward to watching his athletes compete close to home all while getting to enjoy performances from some of country music's top artists.

"The events they've been doing in conjunction with concerts have been wildly successful," Lostroh said. "You kind of get people there for a variety of reasons. They might just be there for the bull riding, just for the music, or both, but it really creates a good energy."

The competition continues July 12 when all 10 PBR teams return for day two of the season opener. Matchups are set to start at 1:45 p.m. and the weekend will conclude with a performance from one of country music's favorite heroines, Miranda Lambert.

"This is a good escape, it's a way to kind of forget about everything else happening in the world and just have fun. Put a smile on your face, let your hair down and cut loose," West said.

Tickets can still be purchased through CSU's athletic ticketing website.

Parking, fan fest and stadium details

On July 10 and July 11, PBR's Fan Fest will bring food trucks, beer, and bull trailers and live music to fans before stadium doors even open.

Parking lots will open at 3 p.m. July 10 with the Fan Fest taking place from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Doors to the stadium will open at 5:15, and the collegiate rodeo will start at 6:45 p.m.

On July 11, parking lots will open at 3 p.m. with the Fan Fest in full swing from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Stadium doors will open at 6:15, and the PBR Teams competition will kick off at 7:45 p.m.

Festivities start earlier on July 12, with parking lots opening at 10 a.m. Doors open at 12:15 p.m. with bull riding set to continue at 1:45 p.m. There is no Fan Fest scheduled for July 12.

Amber Roldan covers local and trending news for the Coloradoan.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Giddy up, PBR event returns July 10-12