​When it comes to professional bull riding, this is not CSU’s first rodeo; it’s already the second. PBR is returning to Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins from July 10-12 for Bulls and Beats, a three-day event that blends bull riding, country music, and a fresh collegiate competition. Canvas Stadium began hosting the annual summer bull riding event last year after the Last Cowboy Standing competition moved from Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Fort Collins’ debut featured two nights of bull riding along with performances by Jon Pardi and Cross Canadian Ragweed. Last year, Leonardo Castro, then 21, captured the title and walked away with more than $133,000.
A pro bull rider leans back as he rides during night one of PBR’s Last Cowboy Standing showcase at CSU’s Canvas Stadium on July 21, 2025, in Fort Collins, Colorado. As reported earlier by the Coloradoan, more than 24,000 people attended last year’s showcase, and this year promises even more excitement with an extra concert and another night of competition. The event will be televised across several platforms. Matt West, regarded as “one of the voices of PBR,” will provide play-by-play for Friday night’s competition and will report from the sidelines on Saturday and Sunday. “It’s one of those events that has now made its way onto everybody’s calendar, something they mark with a star because they know it’s going to be fun,” West said.
Festivities will begin at 6:45 p.m. on July 10 with the inaugural Collegiate All-Star Rodeo, which will spotlight raw competition and rising talent. Like the rest of the weekend’s lineup, the collegiate competition will bring together top rodeo athletes from across the country to compete head-to-head. In partnership with Learfield College Rodeo, the all-star rodeo will feature two teams composed of athletes from 19 elite collegiate programs. The event will use a team-based tournament format and will span nine rodeo disciplines, including bull riding, steer wrestling, and barrel racing. “We’re giving them a showcase and spotlight to compete on a stage like college rodeo athletes have never been able to compete before,” West said.
Following the July 10 rodeo, the field will be treated to a performance by longtime country star Brad Paisley. At 7:45 p.m. on July 11, the 2026 PBR Teams season will officially begin in Fort Collins, with ten teams competing in five world-class bull riding matchups. After the final buzzer, Bailey Zimmerman will take the stage to perform some of his hits. “We’re going to watch the toughest athletes in the world, that’s a given, but we’re marrying that with world-class entertainment,” West said.
For one PBR team head coach, beginning the season in Fort Collins is especially meaningful. New York Mavericks head coach Kody Lostroh, who was born and raised in Longmont, started riding steers at a young age, adding another local connection to the event’s storied history. This year’s Bulls and Beats promises a broader footprint, bigger crowds, and more cross-collaboration between top collegiate rodeo programs and professional bull riding, all set against a backdrop of high-energy entertainment.