This weekend, the magic of Big Sky proved the bull riding event is just getting started
By Eric Ladd PUBLISHER
There are moments in every event’s history when you realize it has become something much bigger than the event itself. The 15th annual Big Sky PBR was one of those moments.
What began 15 years ago as a single night of world class bull riding has evolved into 10 days of community celebration, competition, music, philanthropy and Western culture. This year featured everything from a community rodeo and trail running races to bingo nights, golf tournaments, mutton bustin’ and family events that brought together locals and visitors from across the country.
Throughout the week, it seemed as though Montana itself wanted to be part of the celebration. Afternoon thunderstorms rolled across Lone Mountain almost daily, forcing crews to adjust and adapt. Yet somehow, each evening, the skies opened just enough to remind us why there is no place like Big Sky.
Perhaps no moment captured that better than Thursday night. As the National Anthem echoed through the arena and thousands of fans stood with their hats over their hearts, a breathtaking double rainbow stretched across the entire arena, framing the mountains. It was one of those magical moments that no production team could script and no amount of planning could create. For everyone fortunate enough to witness it, it felt like Montana tipping its hat to 15 years of memories.
But when the dust settled, the greatest accomplishment wasn’t measured by attendance, television ratings or championship points. It was measured by generosity.
Over the course of ten days, our community raised more than $800,000 for nonprofit organizations serving causes that matter deeply to Montana and beyond.
Thursday’s inaugural Purple Night brought thousands of fans together in support of the Epilepsy Foundation of Montana, raising awareness and funding for epilepsy research, advocacy and family support. The evening carried special meaning for my family, but what stood out most was watching an entire arena turn purple in support of families they had never met.
On Friday, the energy shifted as hundreds of Montana State Bobcats, led by members of the 2025 FCS National Championship football team, joined coaches and student athletes from across the athletic department as they stormed the dirt before a sold out crowd. Their excitement was contagious, energizing the arena before a bull was ever bucked and reminding everyone why Montana State Athletics has captured the imagination of this state.
Throughout the week, supporters also rallied behind Big Sky Bravery, serving veterans and first responders, and Warriors and Quiet Waters, helping post-9/11 combat veterans find healing through Montana’s outdoors.
None of these moments happened just because someone wrote a check.
They happened because authentic stories inspired authentic generosity. When people understand the “why,” they respond. Time and again, this community proves that Western values are rooted in helping your neighbor.
None of the unforgettable moments that followed happened by accident.
Credit belongs to Cord and Sarah McCoy, who once again assembled one of the finest pens of bucking bulls anywhere on the PBR schedule. Great bull riding requires two elite athletes, one with two legs and one with four. The McCoys brought together a lineup of powerful, athletic bulls that perfectly matched the extraordinary talent of riders who traveled to Big Sky from across the United States, Brazil, Australia and around the world.
Behind the scenes, Andy and Jacey Watson and the entire Freestone Production team flawlessly orchestrated every detail of the show, creating a world class production from the opening pyrotechnics to the final out. Their professionalism and relentless attention to detail elevated every performance and every fan experience.
They were joined by an extraordinary Outlaw Partners team whose work began weeks before opening night. From sunrise until long after dark, they built an arena, produced ten days of events and created experiences that thousands of guests will remember for years to come. Great events are never built in a single night, but built by people willing to do the unseen work long before the lights turned on.
When the world’s best riders meet the world’s best bulls, supported by an elite production team and an army of dedicated people behind the scenes, something special can happen. And on Saturday night, it did.
After spending much of the week dodging afternoon thunderstorms, Mother Nature finally delivered a perfect Montana evening. As the sun dipped behind Lone Mountain, more than 5,000 fans stood shoulder to shoulder, singing every word between rides before witnessing one of the greatest championship rounds Big Sky has ever hosted.
In professional bull riding, 90 points is the benchmark of greatness. Riders are scored out of 50 points, bulls are scored out of 50, making 100 a perfect ride. Breaking the 90 point barrier means both rider and bull delivered an extraordinary performance. It is rare to see one 90 point ride in a night. To witness four rides over 90 points in the final six outs of the championship round is almost unheard of.
Brady Fielder ignited the arena with a breathtaking 94.9 point ride, a score that will likely rank among the finest recorded anywhere on the 2026 PBR schedule.
Then, fittingly, everything came down to the final rider of the night. Kade Madsen climbed aboard a bull named Outlaw.
Eight unforgettable seconds later, Madsen posted an 89 point ride to capture the Big Sky championship, ending one of the most electric nights our arena has ever seen.
Long after the fans had gone home, the lights had dimmed and the dirt had settled, our team gathered inside the production trailer replaying the night’s highlights. It was one of those moments when everyone knew they had witnessed something extraordinary.
Then PBR CEO Sean Gleason, a man who has spent twenty seven years building and leading the sport, looked around the room and said something none of us will ever forget.
“In my 27 years with PBR, that was a Top 10 event.”
Coming from someone who has witnessed the greatest riders, bulls and events in the history of professional bull riding, there may not be a greater compliment.
Looking back on the week, however, I don’t think anyone will remember just one ride, one score or even one champion.
They will remember an arena bathed in purple for children living with epilepsy. They will remember the National Champion Bobcats charging onto the dirt to ignite the crowd. They will remember veterans being honored, more than $800,000 raised for remarkable causes, four rides over 90 points in one unforgettable championship round, Brady Fielder’s spectacular 94.9, Kade Madsen winning aboard a bull named Outlaw and perhaps most of all, they will remember looking skyward during the National Anthem as a double rainbow stretched across the Big Sky Events Arena.
Big Sky PBR has become a place where world class sport fuels community, where generosity becomes contagious, where excellence is expected from everyone involved and where, every once in a while, Montana reminds us that the greatest moments are the ones no one could have planned.
Fifteen years ago, we set out to build one of the best stops on the PBR tour. Today, I believe we have built something even more meaningful.
