COVID-19 Restrictions In Las Vegas Shift Professional Bull Riders World Finals To North Texas
ARLINGTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - The Professional Bull Riders World Finals came out of the chute in Arlington Thursday, Nov. 12, the latest major sporting event to hold its championship in North Texas.
As many as 18,000 fans are expected for each of the four rounds inside AT&T Stadium through Sunday.
Athletes have also been competing in the Women's Rodeo World Championship this week at the Will Rogers complex in Fort Worth, with the finals being held at AT&T this weekend.
The PBR moved from its traditional venue in Las Vegas in late September, due to COVID-19 restrictions, and after the World Series and National Finals Rodeo had announced similar moves.
PBR Commissioner Sean Gleason said health and safety protocols changed week to week, but by following guidelines the PBR had been able to manage the spread of the virus.
"It's not just be a cowboy and run headlong into the fire," he said. "It's been done with a lot of ingenuity. We got ourselves up, dusted ourselves off, figured out a best path forward."
Gleason said three athletes had to drop out of the event this week due to positive tests, and others had to quarantine due to exposure to positive cases.
In a temporary arena built in a parking lot across from the stadium, people cheered on athletes in the 2020 Miniature Bull Riders finals; kids riding on smaller animals.
Cade Chatham, a 14-year-old bull rider from Glen Rose, was happy to be riding close to home, and in front of fans.
"You have the attitude of trying to make them happy, and happy for you, so you ride harder," he said.
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