Five Oklahoma Bull Riders Lead Stampede To Tulsa PBR Competition

The top 35 professional bull riders in the country are set to once again invade Downtown Tulsa.

Tickets for the Aug. 10-11 PBR Built Ford Tough Series went on sale Thursday and range from $10-$100. Riders will be competing for more than $125,000 in total prize money. 

The series' Express Classic will bring in cowboys from all over – including Oklahoma's own Cord McCoy (Tupelo), Ryan Dirteater (Hulbert), L.J. Jenkins (Porum), Austin Meier (Kinta) and Ryan McConnel (Atoka).

Oklahoma has three riders who are currently in the top 11 of the overall series standings.

Jenkins is currently in second place, behind Brazilian Valdiron de Oliveira, and has 2012 earnings of $165,377.33.

Meier sits in eighth, Dirteater is 11th and McConnel is ranked 27th. McCoy, who has long been one of PBR's fan favorites and gained even more fans with his appearances on The Amazing Race, is 29th in the current standings.

Last summer's event was won by Brazilian rider Fabiano Vieira. Oklahoman Dirteater put together a huge comeback to finish third.

August will be the last chance for fans in Tulsa to watch two-time PBR World Champion Chris Shivers, who has announced his retirement. The 33-year-old rider, who won the PBR World Championship in 2000 and 2003, was the first in history to reach $1 million, $2 million and $3 million, and he currently ranks third in career earnings with more than $3.9 million.

07/14/2010 Related Story: Bull Rider Ryan McConnel Visits St. Francis Kids

05/24/2010 Related Story: Oklahoma Cowboys Return To Normal Life After 'Amazing Race'