Patriotic start, dramatic finish to Big Sky PBR  

Three-night event finishes with huge prize money, flag flyover, appearance from Rep. Zinke 

By Jack Reaney ASSOCIATE EDITOR 

Editor’s note: Outlaw Partners is the publisher of Explore Big Sky and is the producer of Big Sky PBR. 

On the final bull of the final night of the 2024 Big Sky PBR, cowboy Luciano de Castro rode for 91 points, a one-point margin of victory to earn $52,562 on top of his $20,000 bounty ride from Friday. After photos with his oversized check and a brief stadium interview on the dirt, he walked a few paces out of the arena, set down his helmet and kneeled in prayer.  

After about 30 seconds, de Castro was called back for photos with PBR officials and event organizers. He jumped up, grabbed his cowboy hat and hustled back onto the dirt.  

“I’m very happy,” de Castro told EBS. “I just want to say, thank God. Thanks to my family for supporting me, because in 2021 I [came] here for this event and I hurt my knee, I had surgery, and now I come here one more time and win. I’m very happy for today.”  

Moments before the final three bulls of the event would settle the score between top riders, a paddle-raise fundraiser upped the stakes. Eric Ladd, founder and chairman of Outlaw Partners, co-host of the event, announced a goal to make the prize winnings the biggest in PBR history.  

The paddle-raise quickly collected $100,000, added to the pot to be split between the top-three cowboys: de Castro, Eduardo Aparecido and Brady Fielder.  

Between the nightly Calcutta auction and extra surprises like the paddle-raise, Big Sky’s lavish crowd makes for big time prizes for the cowboys. But the riders weren’t alone in feeling the crowd’s generosity on Saturday night.  

O’er the land of the free 

The Calcutta auction supported nonprofits Big Sky Bravery and Warriors and Quiet Waters—who provide programming for active-duty special operations forces, and post-9/11 combat veterans, respectively—raising $54,375 for each.  

A few minutes after the Calcutta, the letters “USA” burned into the dirt during the opening ceremony. At first, the letters seemed to match the large American flag being unrolled in the arena, and the theme of supporting our nation’s military.  

However, the patriotic letters took on even deeper significance when announcer Matt West asked the crowd to direct their attention to the sky, where a small dark speck leapt from a helicopter hovering 5,000 feet above.  

Jake Kauffman spent 16 years as a pararescueman in the U.S. Air Force, before being medically retired in 2021 due to a combat-related injury. He completed 14 combat deployments and received the Silver Star, three Bronze Stars—two with Valor—and two Purple Hearts. 

On July 20, he added to his roughly 5,500 career jumps as he entered freefall toward the Big Sky Events Arena.  

“Tonight ladies and gentlemen, I encourage and invite every single one of you that love this country, to join together in opening your hearts and opening your voices as the most beautiful song ever written—our national anthem—is led by the wonderful and talented voice of Riley Mullaney,” West said.  

As the crowd sang along with Mullaney, Kauffman descended by graceful parachute within hundreds of feet of the sagebrush meadow, an American flag trailing.  

During the anthem’s final words, Kauffman swooped low from the west above the bleachers with perfect timing. The crowd roared.  

Later that evening, the three flags—the star-spangled banner, and one each for Warriors and Quiet Waters and Big Sky Bravery—were auctioned off with proceeds adding to the Calcutta and its nonprofit beneficiaries.  

U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke visited Big Sky on Saturday night and had a chance to share a few words in the opening ceremony.  

“You know what, rodeo is one of those events where we begin with a prayer and a pledge for a reason,” Rep. Zinke said. “We love Montana. Folks that are visiting, and those that are here, rodeo is Montana, PBR is Montana, let’s all have fun.”  

After a few bucking bulls, the bull riding paused for a special ceremony to honor the Big Sky PBR for earning the PBR “Event of the Year” for the 10th consecutive time.  

During the brief celebration, Rep. Zinke presented a plaque to celebrate a reading he made into the U.S. Congressional Record in June about the Big Sky PBR’s impact on the state of Montana.  

“From a Montana kid, I can tell you: rodeo represents Montana… It’s not an easy job to compete in this sport,” Zinke said. “… Buy and large, I can tell you, PBR is Montana, and Montana is PBR.”  

‘Big Sky’s Super Bowl’ 

In 2024, Big Sky hosted its 13th year of professional bull riding, an event “built from the sagebrush up” by organizers Outlaw Partners and Freestone Productions.  

As the community continues to grow and evolve, so does the scale and impact of the Big Sky PBR. From the parachute flyover to the final bull ride Saturday, Outlaw producers say this was the best year yet.  

“It was great to have all the fans back for another successful event,” said Ennion Williams, Outlaw Partners VP of events. “Definitely our opening ceremonies were spectacular, and we look forward to doing it again next year.”  

Josh Timon, Outlaw COO, said it’s most important to credit event sponsors and the Big Sky community “for coming together and helping us put on what has become the creme de la creme of PBR events in North America.”  

One of many sponsors, Lone Mountain Ranch, has been a key supporter of the event over the past decade. LMR hosts Cord McCoy and his bulls every year, and the Horn and Cantle staff do “an amazing job” providing catering for the VIP tent, according to Ryan Kunz, hospitality director for LMR’s ownership group.  

“I think the Big Sky PBR rodeo is like the Super Bowl of summer for a lot of us,” Kunz said. “It brings an electric environment to Big Sky, all our guests and people that live here really enjoy it, and it’s an extremely fun event for everyone.” 

Kunz said the event is a heavy lift, but the ranch looks forward to it every year.  

Another sponsor, Engel & Völkers, sponsored the bounty bull. 

Bret Snyder, license partner with Engel & Völkers, wrote in an email to EBS that the Big Sky PBR helps perpetuate the sense of community in Big Sky.   

“I have operated or owned two firms since the inception of the PBR here in Big Sky and we have always been involved in some manner—minor and major. It is a testament that you see the same sponsors coming back again and again,” Snyder wrote. “… Montana is truly different in a very positive manner and the PBR is both a microcosm of and reason for that!” 

Timon believes that widespread support is the reason why Big Sky has won PBR “Event of the Year” for 10 consecutive years, and said Outlaw will continue to raise the bar as long as the community shows commitment to supporting the event.  

“I think the ability to witness unbelievable athletes—both human and animal—is something to behold,” Timon said. “Outlaw can’t do it alone, it’s a combination of many entities that put this event on, and we look forward to doing it for years to come.”