Australian champions return from the US circuit alongside international heavyweights for two massive nights of world-class bull riding
They ride bulls across the United States, Brazil and Canada, in some of the biggest arenas in the world, but this November, all road leads to Townsville in North Queensland.
An international contingent of elite bull riders is set to join Australia’s best at the 2026 PBR Australia Grand Finals, bringing world-class talent, international form and serious firepower to the Townsville Entertainment & Convention Centre on November 13 and 14.
Leading the charge are four of Australia’s most accomplished bull riders now competing in the United States; brothers Macaulie and Boston Leather, from Calliope in Central Queensland, Warwick’s Callum Miller and Rockhampton’s Jacob Carige all returning to Australian dirt after competing in the elite PBR Teams league.
Macaulie Leather, the 2023 PBR Australian Champion, has been one of the standout performers for the Missouri Thunder, the No.1 team at the conclusion of the 2026 PBR Teams regular season. Ranked 24th in the PBR Teams MVP standings, Macaulie has delivered four spectacular 90-point rides this season, including a career-best 93.35 points aboard King Tut in Anaheim. His younger brother Boston Leather, who made Australian bull riding history by winning both the 2024 Australian PBR Championship and PBR Australia Rookie of the Year title, now rides for the Kansas City Outlaws. Ranked 75th in the Teams MVP standings, Boston joined the Outlaws during the season and made an immediate impact, going two-for-three on his debut weekend.
Callum Miller, the Warwick-born veteran who has spent more than a decade building his career in the United States, returns to complete in Townsville a PBR Teams Champion with the Austin Gamblers and is ranked 70th in the 2026 Teams MVP standings.
Rockhampton’s Jacob Carige, now competing for the New York Mavericks in the United States, completes the awesome foursome of Australian champs returning. The 21-year-old left Queensland as a teenager to chase his bull riding dream in America, earning his place in the elite PBR Teams.
Then there’s the USA riders making the trans-Atlantic trip to Townsville. Mason Taylor, from Maypearl, Texas, represents the Missouri Thunder and has built an impressive career on the American PBR circuit. A multiple-event winner on the 2026 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour, Taylor claimed two victories early in the season, including a dominant performance in Lexington, Kentucky and brings an excellent level of competition to the Australian Grand Finals. Hayes Weight, from Utah, USA, has already made a serious impression on the Australian circuit. The American, a 2024 PRCA World Championship runner-up, announced himself to local fans with a Friday night victory and $5,000 bonus at Mackay recently before going two-for-two at Tamworth last weekend, where he finished equal second with Australian star Zane Hall, just 0.10 of a point behind event winner Kelsey Pavlou.
Together, the international contingent brings a formidable mix of Australian championship pedigree, American professional experience and world-class talent to Townsville.
PBR Australia Managing Director Glen Young said the international riders had become an important part of the Grand Finals spectacle. “There is something special about watching riders from different parts of the world come to Australia and take on our bulls and our riders. They bring different experience, different styles and an international benchmark to the competition,” he said. “They genuinely love coming here. They love the Australian crowds, the atmosphere and they certainly respect the bulls. Australian bucking bulls have earned that respect, nobody comes here expecting an easy eight seconds. Then you have Australian riders who have been competing overseas coming home. They’ve been riding alongside and against the best in the world and bringing that experience back into an Australian Grand Finals only raises the level again.”
Mayor Nick Dametto said there was something special about seeing the world’s best bull riders descend on Townsville for a Grand Final. “I have enjoyed a rodeo or two in my time and I’m excited to roll out the welcome mat to stage the biggest event on the Australian PBR calendar right here in Townsville,” Cr Dametto said.
“Many of these riders compete in the biggest arenas in the United States and around the world, and now they’re bringing that level of talent and competition to North Queensland. Bull riding is one of the toughest sports on the planet, and the atmosphere at PBR is always electric – whether you’re a lifelong rodeo fan or you’ve never been to a PBR event before, this will be one you don’t want to miss.”
Townsville Enterprise Director of Major Events Acquisition Chelsea Cavanah said it was exciting to see a stacked line up of international athletes join the event. “The 2026 PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour Grand Finals is a great opportunity to showcase Townsville to an international audience and reinforces the calibre of events we can attract as the Events Capital of the North,” Ms Cavanah said. “PBR has become a real drawcard for visitors, with last year’s Grand Finals generating over $4 million in economic value for the city. We’re looking forward to seeing that momentum continue as fans travel to Townsville to experience the Grand Finals and everything our city has to offer.”
The 2026 PBR Australia Grand Finals will bring the season to its spectacular conclusion across Friday November 13 and Saturday November 14, with Australia’s champion crowned and the coveted Gold Buckle awarded after the final bull has bucked. The event is a major economic driver for Townsville and North Queensland, generating more than $4 million in economic impact last year alone, while bringing riders, teams, contractors and thousands of fans into the city for Grand Finals weekend.
ABOUT PBR AUSTRALIA
Professional Bull Riders (PBR) is one of the fastest-growing sports properties in the world, with tours across the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico. A subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings -which also owns UFC and WWE- has transformed bull riding into a premier international sport since its founding in 1992. The organisation features over 1,000 riders globally and hosts more than 200 events annually worldwide. In Australia, Professional Bull Riders Australia (PBRA) stages more than 20 events each year, attracting over 75,000 fans. PBRA showcases key events and tours such as the Monster Energy Tour, PBR Origin Series, and PBR Grand Finals, while also partnering with regional event organisers through the PBR Touring Pro Division. The organisation supports emerging talent through its Can-Am Junior Academy and serves as an international pathway to the United States circuit for both Junior and Open competition athletes.
