Six Teams Set for Edmonton’s First BYOB Bull Battle on October 9
EDMONTON — Buckle up, rodeo fans! Six professional bull riders, six amateur teammates and a lineup of powerful bucking bulls are heading to Edmonton for a new competition where teamwork will help decide who leaves with the bragging rights.
The inaugural Edmonton’s BYOB — Buck Your Own Bull — Bull Battle, featuring Bullfighters Only (BFO) and presented by PBR Canada, takes over Kichton Hall at the Edmonton EXPO Centre on Friday, October 9.
The action begins at 3 p.m. Mountain Time during the Canadian Country Expo.
Professionals and amateurs team up for a combined-score showdown
This bull-riding exhibition puts a twist on the usual competition.
Each of the six professional riders selected an amateur teammate through a draft conducted in random order. Riders also hand-picked their bull matchups, adding strategy before the chute gates even open.
The winning team will have the highest combined score from its two rides.
Some professionals have chosen familiar bulls they have successfully ridden before. Others are taking their chances with a new opponent.
The complete BYOB Bull Battle lineup
| Team | Professional rider and bull | Amateur rider and bull |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremy Maisonneuve — Linebacker | Hayden Mulvey — Whisper on a Scream |
| 2 | Tyler Craig — Boogey | Brodi Beasley — Burnt Ends |
| 3 | Francisco Costa — Joker on a Jack | Davis Young — Dough Boy |
| 4 | Ashton Sahli — Patiently Waiting | Hayden MacKay — Bullseye |
| 5 | Gilmar Santana — Petty Cash | Sloan Walker — Smoke |
| 6 | Marshall Senger — Times a Tickin | Jayce Rieger — Shock Top |
Maisonneuve brings a proven matchup to Edmonton
Quebec’s Jeremy Maisonneuve has already shown he can make a comeback.
Despite missing three months with a broken jaw, the 19-year-old sits inside the top 10 in the PBR Canada championship race, according to the October 6 event announcement. He has completed 11 of 18 rides, a 61.11 per cent success rate.
His choice of Linebacker comes with a winning memory: Maisonneuve rode the bull for 86.2 points in May, helping him earn his first Cup Series victory in Brandon, Manitoba.
Teammate Hayden Mulvey will take on Whisper on a Scream.
Craig and Costa bring strong seasons into the chutes
Tyler Craig, the 2023 PBR Canada National Finals event winner, enters ranked No. 5 in Canada. His season includes two victories and eight additional top-10 finishes.
Craig has selected a new matchup against Boogey, while amateur teammate Brodi Beasley draws Burnt Ends.
Right behind Craig in the national standings is No. 6 Francisco Costa, who brings a 50 per cent riding average after covering 23 of 46 bulls this season.
Costa has chosen Joker on a Jack, a bull he has successfully ridden in all three of their recorded meetings. Their first matchup produced a career-best 86-point score.
His teammate, Davis Young, will climb aboard Dough Boy.
Sahli looks for another successful ride on Patiently Waiting
PBR World Finals qualifier Ashton Sahli will partner with Hayden MacKay.
Sahli, a five-time PBR Canada National Finals qualifier, sits No. 17 nationally with one event victory this season.
He has selected Patiently Waiting, the bull he rode for 84.5 points in 2024. MacKay will face Bullseye.
Santana arrives with championship momentum
Brazil’s Gilmar Santana brings one of the strongest season records in the field.
Ranked No. 2 in Canada, Santana has collected six event wins and completed 32 of 52 rides, a 61.54 per cent success rate. He is pursuing the distinction of becoming the first Brazilian PBR Canada champion.
For this exhibition, Santana has selected Petty Cash. Amateur teammate Sloan Walker will take on Smoke.
Senger rounds out the field
Rising rider Marshall Senger, 21, will lead the sixth team alongside Jayce Rieger.
Senger earned his first PBR event victory in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, in April. He enters the Edmonton exhibition ranked No. 14 in Canada, with nine top-10 finishes this season.
Senger will face Times a Tickin, while Rieger takes on Shock Top.
Rankings and season records reflect information supplied by organizers on October 6.
World champion leads freestyle bullfighting showcase
The bull riding is only part of the show.
Four-time and reigning BFO world champion Chance Moorman headlines the freestyle bullfighting showcase, joined by Ryder Moorman and Brody Brogan.
In this competition, bullfighters have 60 seconds to demonstrate their agility, timing and nerve against a fighting bull. Judges assess their manoeuvres and how closely they work around the animal without being hit.
This is a non-lethal competition. It does not involve killing the bull, and organizers state that the animals are not harmed.
Tickets start at $25
The inaugural BYOB Bull Battle takes place:
- Date: Friday, October 9, 2026
- Time: 3 p.m. Mountain Time
- Venue: Kichton Hall, Edmonton EXPO Centre
- Event: Canadian Country Expo
- Tickets: Starting at $25, plus taxes and fees, according to organizers
Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.ca. Visit the official BYOB event page for lineup updates and event information.
Six teams will enter with a plan. Once those gates swing open, they will have to turn their picks into points.
