PBR to host event in Kennewick in September
HERALD SPORTS STAFF | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 2 months AGO
The Professional Bull Riders will host an event in Kennewick this September.
STOCK PHOTO/BECERRA GOVEA
KENNEWICK - The Professional Bull Riders will return to Kennewick from September 9-10 in the Challenger Series’ PBR Tri-Cities Classic at the Toyota Center.
This is the second time the PBR has had an event in Kennewick, and this year attendees will bear witness to the finest riders that the PBR has to offer.
The event is part of a newly launched PBR Challenger Series, which hosts over 60 events in 27 different states from May-November. The series ends with a championship in November, hosted in Las Vegas.
The PBR Challenger Series pits eight bull-riding teams against one another, with each team having a maintained roster. The teams have the choice to enter those on the roster or a practice rider into each event during the series.
Currently, the PBR is allowing those on teams to participate in the events, even if not selected by their affiliated teams for a certain competition. The same goes for those unaffiliated with a team.
This is the second year in a row that the PBR has hosted an event in Kennewick after 2021 saw the debut of the PBR in the area. Last year, Newport native Cody Casper saw a three-for-three performance in the inaugural Tri-Cities Classic. Casper’s performance allowed him to take home his sixth career PBR victory.
While Kennewick has only hosted the event once, other nearby cities in Washington have hosted similar bull riding events. Yakima has hosted PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour events and Pasco hosted the Touring Pro Division in 2009-10.
The Tri-Cities have also given bull riding a world-class rider in Derek Kolbaba, who has qualified for the PBR World Finals seven times and was the runner-up in 2017.
The competition will host 40 bull riders who will be given one bull each in the first two rounds. The top 10 performers will advance for an opportunity to take home the event title.
The Tri-Cities Classic will begin at 8 p.m. on September 9 and 7 p.m. on September 10. Those interested in purchasing tickets can find them on Ticketmaster and PBR.com, along with the Toyota Center Box Office.
ARTICLES BY HERALD SPORTS STAFF
Football set to start with Gridiron Guide
MOSES LAKE — Local football players have started to hit the turf as preseason practices have been running in the late summer. Check out how the players and coaches have been preparing for their seasons with the Gridiron Guide in Friday’s paper.
Wildcats Begin New Era with Championship Expectations
ELLENSBURG — As the Central Washington Wildcats enter fall camp, they also embark on the beginning of a new chapter, according to CWU Athletics. After winning the 2025 GNAC championship and reaching the NCAA West Regional semifinals, the Wildcats enter the 2026 season with a roster loaded with experience, talent and championship aspirations. Lauren Herseth takes over as head coach after serving as the program's associate head coach for the last five seasons, following the departure of Mario Andaya to become CWU's Deputy Director of Athletics. Herseth will be joined by assistant coach Hannah Stires, a former standout Wildcat player who returns to the Wildcats.
Miconi’s Late Strike Lifts Eagles Past Bucknell, 1-0
CHENEY — Eastern Washington earned its second straight win to open the season, defeating Bucknell 1-0 behind a late goal from Mia Miconi and another standout performance in goal from Payton Hyde, according to a statement by EWU Athletics. The Eagles recorded 11 shots in the match, while Bucknell finished with 21. Despite consistent pressure from the Bison, Eastern's defense held strong to secure its second consecutive shutout.