PBR Chevron Showdown: Rattlers and Wranglers Ride for a Cause

Professional Bull Riding took the Permian Basin by storm recently, with a little bit of help from the Ariat Texas Rattlers. 48 seconds was all it took for the Texas Rattlers and local Odessa College Wranglers to help bring in $4800 for charity at the inaugural PBR Chevron Showdown: a first-of-its-kind training camp/charitable event hybrid that served as the backdrop for the launch of Chevron's landmark "800 for 8" charity initiative.

Starting with the Showdown and continuing until the end of the season, Chevron has pledged to donate $800 for every 8-second ride logged by an Ariat Texas Rattler throughout the duration of the 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series.

Chevron's Commitment to West Texas Communities

"We are so proud to sponsor the 800 for 8," Chevron representative Nicole Barber said, "which will give back to the community and support the future leaders that will represent Midland and Odessa."

Chevron is one of the largest producers of oil and natural gas in the Permian Basin. As Barber explained, the Chevron Showdown and "800 for 8" program are ways for the company to pour back into the "Chevron family" of employees who call West Texas home.

Ariat Texas Rattlers and Odessa College Wranglers Unite for Charity

For the June 20th event, the Ariat Texas Rattlers split into two teams – Venom and Strike – for a night of friendly competition alongside the Odessa College Wranglers. Rather than strictly competing against each other in traditional PBR fashion, athletes from each of the three teams competed alongside one another with the common goal of giving back.

Every qualified ride from the Showdown earned $800 dollars for local Permian Basin youth organizations, including Midland County and Ector County FFA programs, the Reeves County Junior Livestock Show, and the Midland Children's Rehabilitation Center hippotherapy program.

In addition to the money raised as part of the "800 for 8" program, all proceeds from the Showdown's ticket sales were donated directly to the Odessa College Rodeo Team, who played a huge role in the night's overall success.

College Cowboys Compete with World Champions

"College cowboys from right here in Odessa are competing head-to-head against the World Champion PBR team," remarked Matt West to an audience of nearly 4000 PBR fans that packed Ector County Coliseum ahead of the Showdown. "This is a huge opportunity for them to showcase their skills and compete with the world champs."

Young gun Hayden Welsh rose to the challenge, earning the high-marked ride of the evening with 87.5 points aboard Ruthless (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls). The Odessa College freshman was the first and only Wrangler to make a qualified ride for his team. His ride earned $800 for charity and the title of event MVP for himself, as well as free Raising Cane's chicken for a year.

Ariat Texas Rattlers Showcase Talent for a Good Cause

The Rattlers showed out as well, primed from the training leading up to the event and eager to compete for a good cause.

Standout performances from members of Team Strike kept them in the lead throughout the night, but a solid 86.5-point performance from Brady Oleson put Team Venom on the board and secured another $800 for charity. This performance was Oleson's first competitive ride back since sustaining injury.

"Riding for something bigger than myself was motivating," said Oleson. "I've been anxious to get back healthy and ready for the season, and to have my first ride back with the team benefiting charities [means a lot]."

$4800 Raised in Less Than a Minute for Permian Basin Youth

By the end of the Showdown, it was Team Strike who dominated the leaderboard with 255.5 points, followed by the Odessa Wranglers and Team Venom, who ended the night with 87.5 and 86.5 points respectively.

Six qualified rides across the three teams added up to an impressive $4800 raised for local Permian Basin youth – all in a total combined time of less than a minute.

Showdown Serves as Training Camp for Upcoming PBR Season

In addition to raising money for charity, the Showdown was a prime opportunity for the Rattlers to earn their spots on the 12-man protected roster heading into the regular season.

"This has been a training camp and a really good scrimmage for our team going into the season," remarked head coach Cody Lambert at the close of the Showdown. "Cade and I have really got to get to work on who's going to be on the starting roster – it's going to be tough."

Looking Ahead: PBR Chevron Showdown Returns and 2024 Season Kickoff

The event's success has secured another installment of the PBR Chevron Showdown for next year. In the more immediate future, there is an entire season of Rattler rides to look forward to, with the overarching reminder of doing good adding even more sweetness to every 8-second victory.

The 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series kicks off for the Rattlers in Oklahoma City on July 12th, where the reigning world champs will go head to head with the Oklahoma Wildcatters and Missouri Thunder.

"[We're] extremely proud of the effort, and we're going to get even better," Coach Lambert said. "There's a lot to look forward to – it's going to be fun to watch."