$40,000 and top-ranked riders headline PBR Melbourne
PBR Melbourne has sold out John Cain Arena for the Melbourne Invitational on Saturday 15 August, as the PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour brings bull riding, live music and $40,000 in prize money to the city.
The Melbourne stop will feature Australia’s leading riders, a lineup of bucking bulls and a home-state group of Victorian competitors. Toby Collins, Kelsey Pavlou and Sam Woodall will ride in front of local fans at the sold-out arena.
Meanwhile, the national title race adds more weight to the event. Current Australian No.1 Kurt Shephard of Mareeba, Queensland, leads the field. He is joined by No.2 Keny Roger de Oliveira of São Paulo, Brazil, No.3 Zane Hall of Athol, Queensland, No.4 Ethan Coster of Miriam Vale, Queensland, and No.5 Donovan Rutherfurd of Mount Isa, Queensland.
According to PBR Australia, the championship battle has tightened as the tour moves through August. Riders in Melbourne will chase valuable points as well as prize money.
Hayley Jensen joins Melbourne card
Country singer Hayley Jensen will also perform live on 15 August. Organisers have billed the show as part of one of Australia’s biggest weekends of professional bull riding.
Jensen is a five-time CMAA Golden Guitar finalist and Australia’s highest-selling female country artist of 2025. She has logged more than nine million global streams and topped the ARIA Country Album charts twice.
After recent headline shows overseas, Jensen returns to the local stage with songs including Giddy Up Cowboy, Country Soul and her new single Burn It Down.
PBR Australia general manager Glen Young said the sell-outs in Melbourne and Adelaide showed how quickly the tour is growing. “To sell out both Melbourne and Adelaide is a fantastic result and shows just how much Australians have embraced PBR. The level of competition has never been higher, the country’s best riders are chasing valuable championship points, and when you add Hayley Jensen performing live, fans are in for an incredible night of sport and entertainment.”
The tour then heads to Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Saturday 22 August, and that event has also sold out. As a result, the next available stop on the schedule is the Caboolture Invitational at the Queensland State Equestrian Centre on Saturday 29 August.
Melbourne’s event turns the city’s sporting precinct from football to bull riding for one night. With a sold-out arena, local Victorian riders, Brazil’s Keny Roger de Oliveira in the field and a live set from Hayley Jensen, the 15 August card brings sport and country music together at John Cain Arena.
