The rodeo returns to Madison Square Garden

By:

Jan 9, 2025

Professional Bull Riders’ (PBR) Unleash The Beast event returned to Madison Square Garden for its 18th year, bringing with it a sea of cowboy hats and rodeo fans flooding in to support the New York Mavericks, the state’s official bull riding team.

“This is a pretty different event than most of the ones we go to,” Clay Guiton said, a 19-year-old rider with the Oklahoma Wildcatters. “It’s a different atmosphere with a lot of fans that don’t get to see us very often, so they get loud.”

Audience member drinks beer out of a cowboy boot amid a cheering crowd. Photo courtesy of Matthew Hoen

Rider prepares to enter the arena. Photo courtesy of Matthew Hoen

The three-day event kicked off on Jan. 3, ending with a championship match last Sunday. Lucas Divino, a 31-year-old rider from Nova Crixas, Brazil, took home the winning title for the Austin Gamblers. Divino was presented with a check for $45,833, and his win catapulted him from No. 15 to No. 4 in PBR’s global standings. 19-year-old John Crimber, who also competed on Sunday with the Mavericks, currently holds the No. 1 spot.

Rider is thrown sideways by bucking bull. Photo courtesy of Matthew Hoen

Sandro Batista of the Kansas City Outlaws snagged second place, and Keyshawn Whitehorse took third for the Arizona Ridge Riders. Other contestants to watch included Derek Kolbaba of the Carolina Cowboys, who finished fifth in Sunday’s championship round, and Brady Fielder — a Texas Rattlers rider who took on the reigning YETI PBR World Champion Bull, Man Hater. Competing bulls have their own standings, which appear beside names such as “Doze You Down” and “Ridin’ Salty.”

“I started [bull riding] when I was 5,” Kaiden Loud said, a Nashville Stampede rider from Kaufman, Texas, echoing the stories of several PBR athletes who got started in the sport at a young age.

Rider prepares rope in locker room before the event begins. Photo courtesy of Matthew Hoen

Man in black cowboy hat watches the arena. Photo courtesy of Matthew Hoen

In addition to riding, the afternoon included fireworks, games featuring audience volunteers, and commentary from professional rodeo entertainer Matt Merritt.

Rider falls to the ground after being thrown from his bull. Photo courtesy of Matthew Hoen

For the first time ever, the event sold out all three days at the iconic venue. Fans from Manhattan and surrounding areas brought the event’s attendance to a record high of 42,257, according to a PBR press release.

Bull bucks against rider. Photo courtesy of Matthew Hoen

Rider collapses after falling from bull. Photo courtesy of Matthew Hoen

“I came last year and was surprised that there were so many New Yorkers that really cared about this and knew so much about it … it seemed like there was a lot of local interest,” 24-year-old audience member Sloane Cameron said.

PBR will return to Madison Square Garden next January.