ADELAIDE, BUCKLE UP: THE BULLS ARE COMING
24 COWBOYS. RANKEST BULLS. EIGHT SECONDS. ADELAIDE, ARE YOU READY?
A field of 24 bull riders and the country’s best bulls will descend on Adelaide this weekend for the PBR Australia Monster Energy Adelaide Invitational, led by some of the biggest names of the 2026 season.
MEDIA INTERESTED IN COMING ON THE DIRT TOMORROW (FRIDAY) at 1pm to meet US Rodeo entertainer Kyle “Hashtag” Lamon, please let Kath Rose know – contact below.
Among the headline contenders are reigning Australian Champion and current National No.1 Kurt Shephard, along with Sam Woodall, who arrives in Adelaide fresh from winning Saturday night’s sold-out Melbourne Invitational.
The field also includes current national No.3 Zane Hall, No.4 Ethan Coster, international contenders Keny Roger de Oliveira, Alison Aguiar and Luan Camara, plus New Zealand star Rylee Ward. Flying the flag for South Australia will be Clay Flanagan, one of the newer riders on the PBR Australia circuit with just a handful of events under his belt.
Bringing some American rodeo swagger to Adelaide is Tennessee-born rodeo entertainer Kyle “Hashtag” Lamon, who returns to PBR Australia after wowing crowds at the 2025 Townsville Grand Finals. The US Army veteran and former bull rider has swapped riding bulls for commanding the arena, combining trick roping, comedy and pure showmanship in a high-energy performance that has made him a crowd favourite across the United States, and after Townsville, Australia too. Lamon made the move from bull rider to rodeo entertainer following the birth of his son Kaysen, but he certainly hasn’t left the adrenaline behind. Part cowboy, part comedian, part trick-roper and ALL showman, Kyle “Hashtag” Lamon will hit the dirt in Adelaide between the bull riding action, bringing a little Tennessee to the PBR arena and ensuring the entertainment doesn’t stop when the bulls leave the chutes.
Also firing up the Adelaide arena will be award-winning country powerhouse Hayley Jensen, returning to the PBR stage with the big vocals and high-energy live show that have made her a firm favourite with bull riding fans. A five-time Golden Guitar finalist and two-time ARIA #1 Country Album artist, Jensen is riding a huge 2026, with her album Country Soul named the highest-selling female country album in Australia in 2025.
TEN RIDERS TO WATCH IN ADELAIDE
Kurt Shephard – Mareeba, QLD - Reigning PBR Australian Champion and current No.1 in the National Standings.
Keny Roger de Oliveira – Brazil - Current No.2 in the National Standings and one of the most consistent riders of the 2026 season.
Zane Hall – Athol, QLD - National No.3 and coming off a huge 88-point ride aboard Ariat Last Strike in Melbourne.
Ethan Coster – Miriam Vale, QLD - National No.4 and one of the breakout riders of 2026.
Sam Woodall – Heywood, VIC - The man in form. Woodall arrives in Adelaide after taking out the sold-out Melbourne Invitational, a victory that propelled him to No.5 in the National Standings.
Rylee Ward – New Zealand- Sitting No.7 nationally and produced one of Melbourne's biggest rides with 87.60 points aboard Cover Up.
Clint Glass – Willow Tree, NSW - One of the most experienced road warriors on the Australian tour and currently inside the National Top 10.
Kelsey Pavlou – Toora, VIC - Another Top 10 rider, currently sitting ninth in the National Standings.
Caiden Sandilands – Rockhampton, QLD - A dangerous young Queenslander who has already shown this season that he can produce enormous scores when it counts.
Alison Aguiar – Brazil - International talent who finished inside the Top 10 in Melbourne, opening with an 84.90-point ride aboard Pandemic.
COMING IN HOT FROM MELBOURNE
Adelaide follows a massive sold-out Melbourne Invitational, where Victorian Sam Woodall won on home-state dirt. Woodall took the event ahead of Zane Hall and Rylee Ward, while Hall's 88-point Round 1 effort was one of the night's standout rides. Ward fired back with 87.60 in Round 2, while Mount Isa's Donnie Rutherfurd scored 86.40 and Victorian Toby Collins delivered 85.20. The Melbourne result left Kurt Shephard firmly on top of the National Standings with 1,969 points, ahead of Keny Roger de Oliveira (1,462.50), Zane Hall (1,396), Ethan Coster (894) and the fast-rising Woodall (887).
PBR Australia General Manager Glen Young said the back-to-back sell-outs highlighted the sport's incredible momentum. "To sell out both Melbourne and Adelaide is a fantastic result and shows just how much Australians have embraced PBR. The level of competition has never been higher, the country's best riders are chasing valuable championship points."
NEXT UP:
Saturday 22 August: PBR Monster Energy Tour: Adelaide Invitational SOLD OUT
- Venue: Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, South Australia
- Booking: PBR Adelaide Invitational Tickets
Saturday 29 August: PBR Monster Energy Tour: Caboolture Invitational
- Venue: Queensland State Equestrian Centre (QSEC), Caboolture, Queensland
- Booking: PBR Caboolture Invitational Tickets
Friday 4 – Saturday 5 September: PBR Monster Energy Tour: Hawkesbury Invitational
- Venue: Hawkesbury Showground, Clarendon, New South Wales
- Booking: PBR Hawkesbury Invitational Tickets
Saturday 12 September: PBR Monster Energy Tour: Coffs Harbour Invitational
- Venue: Coffs Harbour Showground, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales
- Booking: PBR Coffs Harbour Invitational Tickets
Saturday 19 September: PBR Monster Energy Tour: Orange Invitational
- Venue: Orange Showground, Orange, New South Wales
- Booking: PBR Orange Invitational Tickets
Friday 16 – Saturday 17 October: PBR Monster Energy Tour: Mackay Invitational
- Venue: Mackay Showgrounds, Mackay, Queensland
- Booking: PBR Mackay Invitational Tickets
Saturday 24 October: PBR Monster Energy Tour: Tamworth Iron Cowboy Invitational
- Venue: Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC), Tamworth, New South Wales
- Booking: PBR Tamworth Invitational Tickets
Friday 13 – Saturday 14 November: PBR Australia Grand Finals
- Venue: Townsville Entertainment & Convention Centre, Townsville, Queensland
- Booking: PBR Australia Grand Finals Tickets
ABOUT PBR AUSTRALIA
Professional Bull Riders (PBR) is one of the fastest-growing sports properties in the world, with tours across the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico. A subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings —which also owns UFC and WWE— has transformed bull riding into a premier international sport since its founding in 1992. The organisation features over 1,000 riders globally and hosts more than 200 events annually worldwide. In Australia, Professional Bull Riders Australia (PBRA) stages more than 20 events each year, attracting over 75,000 fans. PBRA showcases key events and tours such as the Monster Energy Tour, PBR Origin Series, and PBR Grand Finals, while also partnering with regional event organisers through the PBR Touring Pro Division. The organisation supports emerging talent through its Can-Am Junior Academy and serves as an international pathway to the United States circuit for both Junior and Open competition athletes. For more information, visit www.pbraustralia.com.au.
For media information, contact Kath Rose on 0416 291 493 or email [email protected]
Contact details:
Kath Rose on 0416 291 493 or email [email protected]
