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SPRINGFIELD — Friday through Sunday on the Missouri State Campus, the PFI Western Invitational takes over.
But along with the bulls comes a roster of the best riders in the world. Including one of the tallest, towering over his peers at 6’4″.
Tanner Byrne grew up around the sport in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. He rode as a kid, watching his dad as a bullfighter – the guys helping wrangle the bulls away from a rider when he jumps off.
Tanner’s older brothers followed in his father’s footsteps – Jesse is with Tanner on the PBR Elite Tour. But for Tanner, he wanted on the Bull.
“There’s was no question that I wanted to do anything else than to be a world champion bull rider,” Byrne said, “so that’s what I’m here doing and been doing since I was 3-years-old.”
And has since, been the top Canadian bull rider a few times – definately living the cowboy dream.
“A kid growing up in Saskatchewan, riding for 10-to-12 people in a small town rodeo of about 50, to coming to a place like this in Springfield,” Byrne said about his growth.
Over the years, with the accolades came the injuries. One making Tanner miss the Springfield PFI Western Invitational in 2017.
In this suitcase of gear, this has become important.
And injuries have been on the mind of Byrne for a year now.
Fellow Canadian Ty Pozzobon was a rising star in PBR in 2017.
“He ended up fourth at the World Finals and won $100,000 in November – in January of the following year, he was gone.”
Pozzobon committed suicide. Months later it was confirmed, he was the first diagnosed bull rider with the brain disease CTE following multiple concussions.
“I don’t want other friends and families to go through what we went through losing him,” Byrne said.
And so the Ty Pozzobon Foundation was created to protect and support the health of rodeo competitors inside and outside the arena.
“Hopefully in 10-to-12 years, 15-years, we’re going to look back and think, ‘wow that happened’ with the advancements we’re trying to work towards with this foundation.”