Around the Sound: Professional bull riding coming to Tacoma Dome this weekend

TACOMA, Wash. — Professional bull riding is coming to Washington this weekend! The Tacoma Dome will be decked out in Western gear and ready to host riders and some of the fiercest bulls in the world at the PBR Ariat Invitational on Saturday and Sunday, Apr. 22 and 23.

PBR rider Dakota Louis spoke to KIRO 7 days before the big competition. Louis said to get to the finals, you have to be the best of the best.

“To be at these events on a weekly basis and progress to the finals is our ultimate goal. We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves and (need to) stay in the moment because these bulls don’t care who you are, where you came from, or what you did yesterday — their job is to buck you off,” said Louis.

Louis said he’s been preparing by making sure he’s physically and mentally in shape. He gets to ride often on his ranch and has been touring with PBR since Thanksgiving weekend.

You have to stay on the bull for at least 8 seconds to get a score, and when you get to the level these professional bull riders get to...it’s not easy.

“They’re scored on how high they jump, how fast they spin, and then also how difficult they are to stay on, so if they turn back both ways, they get scored more,” said Louis.

PBR’s stop in Washington is the third to last stop before the championship round in Fort Worth, where only 12 out of the 35 riders are remaining.

“There’s a lot of up-and-coming talent here in Washington that’s definitely a force to be reckoned with in the future. If you’re into an exciting sport with fierce competition between man versus animal, this is definitely the one you want to go to,” Louis said.

PBR kicked off in Everett on Wednesday, with shows at the Tacoma Dome Saturday at 6:45 p.m. and Sunday at 1:45 p.m.

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