Champions Awards Professional Bull Riders: Heroes and Legends Tours Statistics
The BFTS kicked off its tour on November 16, 2002, with the Mohegan Sun Invitational in Uncasville, Connecticut.
[2] The 45 riders who earned the most money at all PBR-sanctioned events qualified to compete at the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
[2] In 2003, Bud Light was replaced by Ford Trucks as the PBR Premier Series' title sponsor, but Las Vegas was kept as the presenting sponsor, thus the Bud Light Cup Series presented by Las Vegas became the Built Ford Tough Series presented by Las Vegas.
In 2004, the Wrangler jeans company replaced Las Vegas as the Built Ford Tough Series' presenting sponsor, thus it was now known as the Built Ford Tough Series presented by Wrangler.
That same year, the PBR introduced an enhanced scoring system to the World Finals to make sure the champion is not determined prior to the event.
First, 5,500 potential points were available, that ensured any of the top ten riders headed to the event had a chance to win the title.
Wherein upon the conclusion of every fifth event on the series, the five lowest ranked riders were sent down to the Challenger Tour.
[7] Following the 2006 BFTS event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, OLN's name was changed to Versus.
Also that year, the PBR began producing events in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Australia.
Starting with the 2006 PBR World Finals, the top contestant from each of the international tours was invited to compete at the first three rounds of the PBR World Finals along the with the top 45 money-earners who qualified for the event.
If any of the international invitees succeeded in finishing among the top 15 riders based on total points after the first three rounds, they were invited to compete for the rest of the World Finals.
Also, beginning with this season, rides were now scored with a quarter-point system (as opposed to whole points or half points in previous seasons, a system which was first tested at the 2004 and 2005 PBR World Finals), which remains in place to this day.
In 2007, the Built Ford Tough Series practiced the First to Fail format, where the order of the top five riders going into the Championship Round of the event was reversed, meaning the leader would ride first and the 5th-place rider would ride last.
In 2009, Wrangler was dropped as the Built Ford Tough Series' presenting sponsor.
However, the tour did not pick up a new presenting sponsor, thus it was now known simply as the Built Ford Tough Series.
Qualifying for the PBR World Finals was now based on the top 40 money earners.
If any of the international invitees was among the top 15 riders based on total points after two rounds, they were invited to compete at the rest of the World Finals.
The rider who won the World Finals event received 2,500 BFTS points and $250,000.
Also, qualification for the PBR World Finals was now determined by the top 35 point earners.
Previously, from 2009 to 2011 qualifying for the World Finals was based on the top 40 money earners.
It concluded in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the PBR BFTS World Finals.
[13] In 2004, the PBR introduced an enhanced scoring system to the BFTS World Finals to make sure the champion is not determined prior to the event.
These rules were still followed until 2015, when they were slightly modified by removing qualified ride scores from World Standings points totals.
First, 5,500 potential points were available, that ensured any of the top ten riders heading to the event had a chance to win the title.
Prior to 2015, the points system was focused on making sure the most consistent rider became the World Champion.
Qualified ride scores were no longer included in the World Standings point totals.
Major events offered competition in different formats, bonus bulls, and more prize money.
In 2016, the PBR World Finals moved to T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip.