Gardner rides to victory at PBR event

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This article was published 26/05/2025 (304 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In front of a roaring, sold-out crowd at Westoba Place on Saturday evening, Fort St. John’s Jake Gardner reaffirmed his status as Canada’s top bull rider, going a flawless 3-for-3 to win the PBR Canada Cup Series’ Mazergroup Chute Out.

The win, Gardner’s second in as many weeks and third of the 2025 season, extends his lead in the national standings and solidifies his position as the man to beat on the road to the 2025 PBR Canada Championship and its $100,000 bonus.

Gardner entered the event fresh off a victory in Dauphin, Manitoba, and wasted no time making an impact in Brandon. He kicked off his campaign Friday with an 84-point ride on Red Rust from Vold Rodeo, the second-best score of the opening round.

On Saturday, he took control of the leaderboard with an 86-point performance aboard Kraken, and then, with the first pick in the championship round, confidently chose a familiar opponent, Patiently Waiting. The move paid off. Gardner, just 48 hours removed from riding the same bull to victory in Dauphin, delivered again, scoring another 86 points and sealing the win.

“It feels pretty good,” Gardner told the Sun. “I’m just grateful, I’m healthy, and I’m happy, hanging out with my best friends and having a good time.”

But the British Columbia native isn’t resting on his laurels. “The job isn’t done till November, at Rogers Place in Edmonton. That’s when I’ll be satisfied — when I win the PBR Canada Finals.”

His journey to the top hasn’t been easy. A ranch kid who started riding sheep as a toddler, Gardner has climbed the ranks through sheer grit and resilience.

“I’ve hit rock bottom lots of times,” he admitted, “but that’s what makes a man stronger. You’ve got to believe in it, never quit, and it’ll always come around.”

Gardner left the Keystone Centre with 128.5 national points, growing his lead to 116 points over new No. 2 Dakota Buttar, who is also hot on his heels in the national rankings.

The Eatonia, Saskatchewan’s Buttar also went 3-for-3 in Brandon to finish second overall. The two-time PBR Canada Champion dominated Friday night with an 84.5-point ride on Smooth Sailor. He followed that up Saturday with an 82.5-point effort on Desperado and closed the night with an 88-point ride on More or Less, tying for the highest score of the final round.

Chasing his record-tying third national title this November, Buttar earned 111.5 national points, rising from No. 3 to No. 2 in Canada.

“I’ve been doing this since I was 15, and professionally since 18. I’m 32 now,” Buttar told the Sun, reflecting on his career.

Inspired by his bull-riding father, Buttar has seen his fair share of rodeo highs, including a win at the Calgary Stampede and a trip to the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas.

Veteran rider Jordan Hansen of Amisk, Alta., took third place. Hansen remained perfect through all three rounds, highlighted by an 88-point ride on Whiskey Moon in the championship round. His performance earned him 85 national points and pushed him from No. 5 to No. 4 in the Canadian standings.

Close behind was 2017 PBR Canada Rookie of the Year Coy Robbins, who also went 3-for-3 to finish fourth. Robbins opened with an 84-point ride on Day Thuggin, opted to keep a 69-point score in Round 2 rather than risk a re-ride, and capped off his weekend with an impressive 87.5-point ride on MoBamba.

Rounding out the top five was Maple Creek’s Jared Parsonage, who rebounded from a Round 1 buckoff with two dominant rides Saturday, including an event-high 88.5 points on Crazy Little Thing.

However, the night wasn’t without its heart-stopping moments. Alberta’s Brock Radford, who had just completed a qualified eight-second ride, suffered an injury during his dismount and was stretchered out of the arena. While full details are yet to be released, the sight sent a jolt through the crowd and riders alike.

The sport has witnessed growth in recent years, PBR Canada general manager Jason Davidson told the Sun on Saturday evening.

“We’ve seen substantial growth, double digits year over year,” he said. “Brandon has been phenomenal. This is our third year here, and we sold it out last year and again this year, even adding a second night of performances.”

Davidson, a former professional rodeo bullfighter with over three decades in the sport, credits the surge in popularity to factors like increased media coverage and a renewed interest in Western culture. “Maybe it’s Yellowstone, maybe it’s the storytelling, but we’re seeing more fans and more support every year.”

Saturday’s crowd witnessed not only top-tier bull riding but also an electric atmosphere that showcased the very best of the sport. The event concluded with the championship round, where the top 10 riders from the 25-man roster matched up against the best bulls in Canada. One of those bulls, Shot Caller from X6 Ranch Bucking Cattle, earned the YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the Event honours with a 44-point performance.

With Gardner atop the standings, Buttar 116 points behind, and Hansen and others surging, the race for the 2025 PBR Canada Championship is heating up. But for Gardner, it’s not just about leading — it’s about finishing. “Winning this event in Brandon helps my cause,” he said, “but the real goal is Edmonton in November. That’s when my expectations will be met.”

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