​Bulls, beer, boots, and Brad Paisley. Colorado State University joined Professional Bull Riding history on July 10 as part of Bulls and Beats weekend in Fort Collins, when PBR brought the inaugural Collegiate All-Star Rodeo to Canvas Stadium. “PBR is continuing to grow and get bigger every year,” said Matt West, the commentator who narrated the July 10 competition for the Coloradoan on July 2. “We’re bringing in some of the best college athletes in the world.”
In an adrenaline-filled face-off between North and South teams, 60 student athletes from across the country competed for the first Collegiate All-Star Rodeo title. CSU senior and rodeo team captain McKinlee May represented the Rams on the South team, roaring back to the chutes as the action heated up. May’s teammate Izzie Hayden looked on with pride, eager to watch one of her closest friends shine on the big screen. “She’s a really cool cowgirl—gritty, and I think she’s going to blow it out of the water tonight,” Hayden said. In the last event, a barrel race, May surged to a final win for the South in just over 17 seconds, according to a CSU report published July 11.
After a hard-fought competition across nine rodeo disciplines, including bareback riding, breakaway roping, and bull riding, the North team ultimately clinched the championship. The arena lights dimmed momentarily as crews prepared the dirt for the post-event festivities; once the scoreboard showed North as the victors, the on-field celebration gave way to a different kind of energy as Brad Paisley took the stage a little after 9:30 p.m.
Fans packed Canvas Stadium for a night that blended sport and country music. Lance and Nicole Kruse, who arrived wearing shirts they bought at Paisley’s 2025 Red Rocks show, traveled from Parker for what they called “mom and dad’s night out.” A lifelong concert duo, the couple has attended 48 Red Rocks shows in the past year and 11 more this year, they said, living by a philosophy of spontaneous living. “We just like to live life impulsively,” Lance explained, adding that Paisley was easily their favorite artist from last year’s slate of nearly 50 shows. Nicole agreed, noting Paisley’s unique presence—how he could perform with weather turning and still connect with every lyric, and how easy it is to sing along to his songs.
For one young PBR fan, the night was more than a competition or a concert—it was a fusion of rodeo grit, independent spirit, and the unifying pull of music on a warm Colorado summer evening. With Bulls and Beats, CSU’s rodeo program and the PBR audience alike found a moment of celebration that celebrated athleticism, camaraderie, and the enduring appeal of Brad Paisley’s music.