SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas – Bull owners talk often about breeding programs and young buckers.

What it all means for fans of the Texas Heritage National Bank PBR Challenge presented by Priefert Ranch Equipment is that they’ll see some fantastic athletes throughout the two nights of competition that takes place at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center.

The American Bucking Bull Inc. Classic – which is part of the three-tiered competition that will feature some of the top athletes in the Professional Bull Riders organization and the best athletes from the Professional Bullfighters Daisy Protection Bullfight Tour – will feature some of the top young animals in the sport of bull riding.

“We will have all of the top 10 competition bulls in the ABBI that have been entered into the event here in Sulphur Springs,” said Jim McLain, one of the producers of the Texas Heritage National Bank PBR Challenge presented by Priefert Ranch Equipment with Emory residents Jay Weddle and Donny Gowin.

“Fans will get to see some of the most explosive animals in the entire sport and definitely the greatest young bulls in ABBI competition. If that were all that we had on tap for the weekend, fans would definitely be on the edge of their seat. But there’s just so much more excitement in the arena, and that’s great for everyone.”

Jacob’s Pet, owned by D&H Cattle Co. and Shawn Runyan, won last year’s event in Sulphur Springs, while the bull Apollo finished second. Jacob’s Pet has own more than $300,000 in his very young career, while Apollo was just sold for $250,000.

“That just shows what kind of bull power we have here in Hopkins County,” McLain said.

And what should fans expect this year?

The No. 1 bull in the ABBI Classic standings is Black Pearl of Ravenscroft/Boyd-Floyd, which has won $47,671, but his lead is just $2,000 over the No. 2 bull in the standings, Crosswired from D&H/Wiggins.

The top bulls qualify to buck at the ABBI World Finals, which will be held in conjunction with the PBR World Finals in two months. There, millions in prize money is available to the bull owners that are involved in the classic competitions, and the top bull will be awarded $250,000.

“Sulphur Springs will see nothing but the best bovine athletes in the world,” McLain said. “This will just be phenomenal.”