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Green wins as competitive bull riding marks return

Pair of Ponoka cowboys unable to mark a score on any rides
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Meeting Creek’s Garrett Green rides to the win on Finning Lil Shorty in Lethbridge July 23. Image: PBR Canada/Covy Moore

Live bull riding has returned with an Alberta rider taking the first fan-attended event since the pandemic began.

The Canadian Monster Energy Tour came back after being closed up due to COVID-19 restrictions with its Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Built Ford Tough Invitational in Lethbridge on July 23. Fans got to see the unique event courtesy a drive-in atmosphere and huge portable screens in the parking lot as restrictions limited access to the ENMAX Centre.

While a pair of Ponoka bull riders — Zane Lambert and Jordan Hansen — didn’t manage to score on their two rides, one area cowboy dominated the competition with two huge scores.

Meeting Creek’s Garrett Green, who finished second in the series’ only other event this season in Calgary back in January, took the opening round with an 85.5 on Finning Hou’s Deacon before walking off with the victory by posting an event-best 88 on Finning Lil Shorty.

“After coming off my last event like I did, falling off a nice one, I really wanted that redemption,” Green said in a release.

“They weren’t throwing me off tonight.”

The 28-year-old also got a huge compliment from former PBR Canadian champ Scott Schiffner, who was doing commentary for the TSN broadcast.

“He’s got bull riding figured out. That championship round was one of the best we’ve seen. The guys shot the lights out and it was great watching,“ Schiffner said.

Green took away more than $3,400 for the win to go with 80 points for the Canadian tour and 15 points added to the World PBR tour standings.

In addition, as part of the Shell Rotella Rugged Ride for Charity initiative, a $1,000 donation will be made to the Ty Pozzobon Foundation — chosen by Green — in recognition of that 88 point score.

The next anticipated stop on the PBR Canada tour is Sept. 26 in Medicine Hat.