Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Australia has unveiled a blockbuster calendar for 2026, promising a record-setting season with more events, new tour stops, the launch of the all-new Challenger Series, and over $1 million in prize money on the line.

After a 2025 season that saw history made in and out of the arena, the 2026 schedule kicks off with 29 events spanning from Cairns to Adelaide, including several first-time venues and a renewed focus on regional development. The 2025 PBR Australia Can-Am Junior Academy Series also wrapped with standout performances, especially from young talent in the New England and Hunter regions.

Gunnedah’s Chase Berry captured the Pee Wee Division title, while Glendon Brook rider Nash Goddard secured the Junior Division. Tamworth’s Liam Birks was named Rising Star of the Year, further solidifying the New England’s reputation as a breeding ground for elite bull riding talent.

The new year brings the most expansive schedule in PBR Australia’s history, incorporating five major series:

Monster Energy Tour

PBR Origin Series

Touring Pro Division

Can-Am Junior Academy

Challenger Series (debuting in 2026)

New South Wales towns featured in the 2026 tour include Tamworth, Scone, Newcastle, Nowra, Orange, and new stops in Coffs Harbour and Campbelltown.

“With the finale of 2025 season finishing on such a great note and Kurt Shephard breaking not only a PBR Australia but also an Australian Rodeo record in single career earnings in the discipline of bull riding, 2026 is shaping up to be a hotly contested season,” said PBR Australia Managing Director Glen Young.

“We will return to Melbourne’s John Cain Arena and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre with majors and newly introduced tour spots with Coffs Harbour, Traralgon and St Gregory’s College in Campbelltown… This could potentially be the season where new records are broken,” Young said.

The 2026 Monster Energy Tour opens in Scone on 7 February, followed by a two-day stop at Beaudesert on 27–28 February. Notably, PBR returns to Melbourne and Adelaide for the first time since 2019, while Coffs Harbour will host its debut event in September.

The season will once again culminate in Townsville on 13–14 November, the biggest weekend in Australian bull riding.

The popular PBR Origin Series returns after a thrilling 2025 run where the NSW Blues took the title for the first time. The 2026 series opens in Newcastle on 30 May, heads to Brisbane on 6 June, and concludes in Sydney at the TikTok Entertainment Centre on 1 August.

PBR also announced the launch of the Challenger Series, designed as a stepping stone between junior and elite competition. Riders who hit a designated earnings threshold in the Challenger Series must graduate to the Monster Energy Tour, providing a structured pathway into big-arena bull riding.

Development remains a core priority, with the Can-Am Junior Academy expanding in 2026 to include larger rider fields and more regional events, particularly in regional strongholds like Tamworth and Gunnedah.

“It’s going to be a hectic season from start to finish, which is going to see our regular road warriors back on tour as well as a number of internationals looking to come and participate chasing the Gold Buckle and $100k year-end bonus,” said Young.

The full event calendar for PBR Australia 2026, including venues, dates, and ticketing details, is available here: Schedule — The Professional Bull Riders.

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