White will join PBR Ring of Honor on Oct. 23
PUEBLO, CO – The Professional Bull Riders is pleased to announce that Mike White will be inducted into the PBR Ring of Honor. White and Ross Coleman will be inducted as part of the PBR Heroes & Legends Celebration on Oct. 23 at South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Las Vegas. The celebration will also include the presentation of the Sharon Shoulders Award, the Brand of Honor and the Jim Shoulders Award.
“I am pretty excited to be a part of the Ring of Honor,” said White, who retired in 2010 after competing for 12 seasons on the Built Ford Tough Series, and qualifying for the Built Ford Tough World Finals eight times. “It is special and quite an honor to be included with the best bull riders. The Ring of Honor has some of the best athletes and so many great bull riders. This opportunity is special, and it means a lot that my name is included with theirs.”
White has continued his involvement with the PBR, working as a safety man at BFTS events, hosting the annual Mike White Invitational Touring Pro Division event in his hometown of Lake Charles, La., while also providing bulls for both TPD and BFTS events.
“Mike White was a consummate bull rider, who after his retirement continues to work and be a positive influence on our sport,” said PBR Chairman and CEO Jim Haworth. “It is our honor to have Mike White become a member of the Ring of Honor.”
In his first year as a professional in 1999, White won the PBR Rookie of the Year award, and also captured the PRCA World Championship. He is the only rider in PBR history to win an event three years in a row, finishing first at the Ty Murray Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M., in 2002, 2003 and 2004. He became the first rider to reach 8 seconds on the legendary Troubadour, recording the 11th-highest bull ride in PBR history with 95.75 points on Troubadour on July 20, 2008, in Tulsa, Okla.
“Both Ring of Honor recipients are very deserving. There is no doubt that they are a big part of the PBR, and have been for several years,” said PBR Founder and Livestock Director Cody Lambert, who was inducted into the Ring of Honor as a member of the inaugural class in 1996. “Mike was a World Champion in rodeo before he came to the PBR, and injuries were the only thing that kept him from being a World Champion in the PBR. Mike White and Ross Coleman are both great cowboys, not just bull riders.”
White won four events and finished fourth in the BFTS standings in 2002, and won three events and finished third in the BFTS standings in 2003. He ranks 15th in career earnings with more than $1.4 million, and had 12 career wins. White finished his career with 42 Top 5 finishes, and had 67 Top 10 finishes.
The PBR Ring of Honor was created in 1996 to recognize those who have had the most profound impact on bull riding, both in and out of the arena. The 36 members share a common bond of courage, strength and victory. They have shown their dedication and support, while playing a significant role in helping professional bull riding become what it is today. Honorees include the great Jim Shoulders, PBR founding fathers Ty Murray and Cody Lambert, three-time PBR World Champion Adriano Moraes, two-time PBR World Champion Justin McBride, and PBR World Champions Troy Dunn and Michael Gaffney. The Ring of Honor, the PBR’s equivalent of a Hall of Fame, is more than a fellowship: Each inductee is presented with a ring handcrafted of diamonds and gold bearing the PBR logo, the recipient’s name and the year he was honored.
South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa is the Official Host Hotel of the PBR Legends Reunion. The special event on Oct. 23-24 will again officially begin the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals. Fans will have an opportunity to meet their favorite riders, as every rider who has competed since the PBR began has been invited to Las Vegas.
PBR Founders and Ring of Honor members who are confirmed to attend include Clint Branger, Cody Custer, Jerome Davis, David Fournier, Cody Lambert, Scott Mendes, Ty Murray, Aaron Semas and Jim Sharp.
PBR World Champions scheduled to attend and who will participate in a special interactive session with fans are Cody Hart (1999), Chris Shivers (2000 and 2003), Ednei Caminhas (2002), Mike Lee (2004), Guilherme Marchi (2008), Kody Lostroh (2009), Renato Nunes (2010) and Silvano Alves (2011). For more information on the PBR Legends Reunion, including an up-to-date list of confirmed attendees, please visit Reunion.PBR.com.
The PBR will host a golf tournament to benefit Special Olympics Nevada on Oct. 23 from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. The PBR Heroes & Legends Celebration Reception will be held from 6-7 p.m. at South Point Las Vegas, and will be immediately followed by the PBR Heroes & Legends Celebration from 7-8:30 p.m. The ceremony will include the induction of the 2012 Ring of Honor members, and the presentation of the Brand of Honor, the Jim Shoulders Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Sharon Shoulders Award. The South Point Arena and Equestrian Center will play host to the ABBI Back Seat Buckers Finals with performances at 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Following the Back Seat Buckers performances, South Point Las Vegas will host the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals Kickoff Party.
Past riders will join the competitors in the 2012 World Finals for the Ultimate PBR Bull Rider Meet & Greet on Oct. 24 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at South Point Las Vegas. Prior to the Meet & Greet from 10-11 a.m., fans will have the opportunity to hear PBR World Champions talk about what it is like to earn the belt buckle that every bull rider dreams of obtaining.
The Brand of Honor and the Jim Shoulders Award were each presented for the first time in 2011. The Brand of Honor is awarded to a bull for exemplary performance, while the Jim Shoulders Award recognizes a non-bull rider who has made a significant contribution to the sport.
Created by the PBR Board of Directors in 2009 to honor women who have made a difference in the life of a bull rider and contributed to the sport, the Sharon Shoulders Award honors its namesake for her support and encouragement of her late husband, Jim Shoulders, the celebrated cowboy and bull rider who was inducted as a member of the first class in the PBR Ring of Honor in 1996.
PBR Legends Reunion ticket packages are now available for $175, a savings of $150. The package includes tickets to the PBR Heroes & Legends Reception, the PBR Heroes & Legends Induction Ceremony, the ABBI Back Seat Buckers Finals, the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals Kickoff Party, the PBR World Champions Forum and the PBR Ultimate Meet & Greet. The package also includes VIP access to the PBR World Finals Pre-Party at the Cox Pavilion, and tickets for Rounds 1 and 2 of the PBR World Finals on Oct. 24 and 25.
Fans that have already purchased tickets for the PBR World Finals can purchase a PBR Legends Reunion add-on package for $100, a savings of $155. The package includes tickets to the PBR Heroes & Legends Reception, the PBR Heroes & Legends Induction Ceremony, the ABBI Back Seat Buckers Finals, the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals Kickoff Party, the PBR World Champions Forum, the PBR Ultimate Meet & Greet and VIP access to the PBR World Finals Pre-Party at the Cox Pavilion.
Legends Reunion ticket packages can be purchased now at the Thomas & Mack Center box office, www.UNLVTickets.com, and by telephone at (866) PBR-SHOW.
The World Finals are where the PBR World Champion will be crowned and awarded the coveted championship buckle and a $1 million bonus. The richest bull riding event in the world, the World Finals has a total purse of more than $2 million.
The World Finals are Oct. 24-28 at the Thomas & Mack Center. Bull riding begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. Tickets are available now at the Thomas & Mack Center box office, www.UNLVTickets.com, and by telephone at (866) PBR-SHOW.
South Point is offering special room rates of $65 and $105 until Aug. 31. To redeem the special rate, please telephone (866) 791-7626 and use the code FAN1021, or Click Here.
PBR Legends Reunion Tentative Schedule
Tuesday, Oct. 23
7 a.m.-2 p.m. – PBR Celebrity Golf Classic benefiting Nevada Special Olympics (separate cost)
4-5:30 p.m. – ABBI Back Seat Buckers Finals – Section 1
6-7 p.m. – PBR Heroes & Legends Celebration Reception (Refreshments/Hors d’ Oeuvres)
7-8:30 p.m. – PBR Heroes & Legends Celebration
9-10:30 p.m. – ABBI Back Seat Buckers Finals – Section 2
Wednesday, Oct. 24
10-11 a.m. – PBR World Champions Forum at South Point Las Vegas
11 a.m.-1 p.m. – Ultimate PBR Bull Rider Meet & Greet
4-6 p.m. – PBR World Finals Pre-Party at the Cox Pavilion
6 p.m. – Round 1 of PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals
Thursday, Oct. 25
4-6 p.m. – PBR World Finals Pre-Party at the Cox Pavilion
6 p.m. – Round 2 of PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals
About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) The PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the PBR. In just two decades, the dream of 20 bull riders has become a global sports phenomenon that is televised worldwide. More than 100 million viewers annually watch primetime PBR programming on networks around the world including CBS, CBS Sports Network, NBC, and NBC Sports Network. The PBR has awarded over $100 million in prize money and 25 riders have earned over $1 million, including Justin McBride with $5.5 million – the most of any Western-sports athlete in history. Nearly 2 million fans attend Built Ford Tough Series and Touring Pro Division events each year. For more information on the PBR, go to www.pbr.com, or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PBR, Twitter at http://twitter.com/PBR, and YouTube at http://www.YouTube.com/PBR.
Media Contact:
Jack Carnefix, Senior Manager of Public Relations
(719) 242-2800, ext. 3372
jcarnefix@pbr.com