YORKTON - Two Saskatchewan bull riders are heading to Australia to play their trade.
Weston Davidson from Strongfield, Sask., and Chanse Switzer from Hazenmore, Sask. were recently announced as the PBR Canada cowboys who will head ‘Down Under’ to compete in the 2024 PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour Grand Finals which will be held in Townsville, Queensland at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre Nov. 1-2.
Davidson and Switzer will travel to Australia for the first time ranked firmly inside the Top 10 in the race for the 2024 PBR Canada Championship. Davidson leads the duo, presently ranked No. 3, followed closely by No. 7 Switzer.
“I was actually pretty surprised Weston and I got the opportunity to go,” Switzer told Yorkton This Week, adding in his own case being a rookie in the PBR the trip to Australia was certainly unexpected.
Switzer will travel Down Under for the first time amid a career year, which has included his debut on the premier Unleash The Beast this past January in New York City. On home soil, Switzer has earned an event win, victorious on the Touring Pro Division in mid-July in Diamond City, Alberta, in addition to eleven accompanying Top 5 finishes.
Preparing to make his PBR Canada National Finals debut in 2024, Switzer is presently 665.67 points back of the No. 1 rank.
Switzer may be new to PBR but certainly not riding bulls, or rodeo in general.
“I’ve been riding bulls for a lot of years,” he said, adding it was a case of wanting to be sure he was ready to take the jump to the PBR.
Before bulls though, Switzer grew up in a rodeo family. His father was a team roper.
His mother cut the barrels and various uncles were involved in timed-events too.
For a time Switzer did the roping thing too.
“I kept Dad as happy as long as I could. I managed to rope with him for quite a few years,” he said.
But, in the end the thrill of climbing on the back of a bull was too much.
“I’d say I’ve always been a bit of an adrenaline junkie in a way,” said Switzer, who said bull riding is something he just longs to do. “It’s not even about the money. It’s a love of the sport, a passion I have for the sport.”
During the 2024 PBR Australia Grand Finals, each rider will get on two bulls per night in Rounds 1-2 on Friday, November 1, and one bull in Round 3 on Saturday, November 2. Following Round 3 on Saturday evening, the Top 15 riders will then advance to the championship round.
The rider with the highest aggregate score throughout four rounds will win the PBR Australia Grand Finals event title.
Switzer isn’t particularly worried about facing unknown bulls.
“I don’t really put a lot of thought into what bulls I have. I just try to treat them all the same and ride them jump for jump,” he said, adding he rarely has a plan set for a articular bull.
And in Australia he sees himself and Davidson as sort of wild cards.
“We’re going over there with nothing to lose. Weston and I are going over there stress free,” he said.
That attitude can be a positive, he said, when you don’t have thoughts of earning points, or having to ride to stay atop the rookie standings – as Switzer is. “. . . We can go out and have some fun, get on some bulls and just do our jobs and have some fun.”
Australians Boston Leather of Calliope, Queensland, and Ben Bode also from Calliope, Queensland) will ride at the PBR Canada National Finals on Nov. 8-9 in Edmonton, Alta.
