Bud Light Cup Series


The Bud Light Cup Series was the first tour and for a time it was the only tour of the Professional Bull Riders. When other tours were created, it became the major league tour of the PBR.

Background

This series ran from 1994 to 2002. It was the inaugural and only tour at its time of inception, as the PBR started their inaugural season in 1994. This series became the elite series of the PBR. The entire series was telecast on TNN. Each event used three judges - except for the PBR Bud Light Cup World Championships, which had four - with two typically scoring up to 50 points each, and a reserve judge to provide a tiebreaking score if needed. Two-day events featured two preliminary rounds in which the top 45 bull riders who each rode one bull per night; the top 15 riders by score from these preliminaries rode in a short go-round, called the Built Ford Tough Championship round in 2002, on the second night. The rider who had the highest score total from his three rides was the event winner. One day events followed the same format but only had one preliminary round.
Riders were drawn for each bull ahead of an event and then posted a few days prior. By 2002, Livestock Director Cody Lambert was working with a minimum of 20 stock contractors in order to have around six contractors featuring approximately 75 bulls at each event.
Upon conclusion of the PBR's regular season, the 45 bull riders who have earned the most money in BLCS and CT events combined will qualify for the PBR Bud Light Cup World Finals in Las Vegas. The Qualifier Standings show which riders are in the hunt for a berth to the Bud Light Cup World Finals. Once the finalists are at the World Finals; however, the World Champion is determined by Bud Light Cup Points won throughout the season.
The points system was a very thorough one that ensured the most consistent rider of the season was proclaimed the champion. Bud Light Cup points were awarded only at Bud Light Cup events. They were calculated by using the ride score and adding any bonus points for the Standings position in each round and the event overall position. The World Champion Bull Rider title and the gold buckle went to the rider with most Bud Light Cup points.
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