The 2026 PBR Teams Series opened its fifth season in Fort Collins on Saturday night at Colorado State University with the Bulls & Beats event, drawing professional bull riders and fans to a season format that blends individual rides into team results. Day 1 delivered a mix of narrow finishes and decisive wins as teams tested early-season form ahead of the run to Las Vegas.
How the Teams format works
The PBR Teams format sends five riders from each team into a series of head-to-head matchups. Composite scores from those five rides determine the winning team for an event. At season’s end, the teams with the strongest point totals advance toward the PBR Teams championship in Las Vegas.
- Five riders per team compete each day.
- Team points are based on the combined scores from those five rides.
- Season goal: qualify for the championship in Las Vegas.
Night highlights from Fort Collins
The first matchup featured the Carolina Cowboys and the Nashville Stampede and proved to be tightly contested. Carolina edged Nashville by a narrow margin after standout rides from Guilherme Valleiras and Jess Lockwood bolstered the Cowboys’ total. Nashville answered with strong efforts, including an 88.10 ride by Rogério Venâcio, but fell just short.
| Game | Teams | Final scores |
|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Carolina Cowboys vs. Nashville Stampede | 176.55 (Carolina) — 175.15 (Nashville) |
| Game 2 | Florida Freedom vs. Texas Rattlers | 260.90 (Florida) — 265.45 (Texas) |
Game 2 also delivered close action, with the Texas Rattlers securing the win by a slim margin over the Florida Freedom. The matchup featured top-ranked riders in the PBR standings and set the tone for a competitive season.
What this means for Fort Collins
Hosting the Bulls & Beats kickoff brought national-level bull riding back to the CSU campus and offered local fans a front-row view of a format still settling into its place on the PBR calendar. Events like this can boost weekend activity near the stadium and contribute to Fort Collins’ reputation as a destination for college and pro sports entertainment. For area supporters, the series provides a chance to follow team storylines across the summer as standings solidify and riders rotate through matchups.
With several matchups scheduled across the Teams season, Fort Collins residents can expect more high-energy rodeo events when the circuit returns to Colorado or nearby stops. Riders and teams will carry the early-season points they earned here all the way to the championship push in Las Vegas.
For now, the Bulls & Beats opener served as a clear sign the 2026 PBR Teams season is underway and that Fort Collins can expect to remain on the map for professional bull riding events this year.
