Queenslander claims gold buckle and $100,000 prize in epic Townsville showdown and Brady Fielder makes world history – 100 qualified rides in a season
All eyes were on Townsville this weekend as the nation's best bull riders went head-to-head in the PBR Australia Grand Finals, and it was Mareeba's Kurt Shephard who emerged as the new PBR Australian Champion, finishing the season with an aggregate of 2,263.33 points and claiming the coveted $100,000 championship cheque.
Shephard delivered two qualified rides across the two night finals event, enough to seal the deal and cement his dominance at the top of the Australian National Standings.
Brazil's Luan Crystian Camara wrapped up an incredible debut season as both 2025 National Runner-Up and Rookie of the Year, finishing with 1,910.50 points.
Meanwhile, American cowboy Daniel Keeping (USA) lit up the arena, taking out the Average Champion (Event Winner) title on his second trip to Australia. Keeping went a flawless 4-for-4, amassing an aggregate score of 343.25 points to edge out Queensland's Macaulie Leather, who also rode 100% of his bulls but fell just 5 points short.
In a high-octane Championship Round, 12 riders faced off with 6 making the 8, including Queenslander Ben Bode and world number 3, fellow Queenslander Brady Fielder, who each notched the highest-scoring rides of the night at 88 points.
Adding to the drama, Brady Fielder achieved a world-first milestone: becoming the only rider globally to reach 100 qualified rides in a single season.
On the bull side, the unstoppable Alpha Blokes Warden, from MJ and Keliher Bucking Bulls, was crowned 2025 Bucking Bull of the Year with a 44.00-point bull score and a $15,000 prize cheque. Still unridden, The Warden once again proved why he's the bull to beat, tossing USA invitee Andrew Alvidrez at 7.23 seconds in the Championship Round.
PBR Australia Grand Finals – Key Titles 2025 Australian Champion: Kurt Shephard (Mareeba, QLD) – 2,263.33 points Runner-Up / Rookie of the Year: Luan Crystian Camara (Pereira Barreto, Brazil) – 1,910.50 points Average Champion (Event Winner): Daniel Keeping (USA) – 343.25 points (4-for-4) Bucking Bull of the Year: Alpha Blokes Warden – 44.00 points (MJ / Keliher Bucking Bulls)
PBR Australia Managing Director Glen Young said 2025 would go down as a season to remember.
"The race between North Queensland cowboy, Kurt Shephard, a rider who's career I have had the privilege to follow from when he first joined the PBR, and Luan Camara, a Brazilian cowboy recommended by the great Adriano Moraes to give an opportunity to come and tour in Australia, has been nothing short of epic."
"As anticipated, before the first event of the season, Kurt was a hot favourite for this year's title race, but the Brazilian Luan has kept the pressure on from the start, right through. They are both great cowboys, but more importantly they ride with a purpose, which is key in this sport to achieving goals."
"It's been a great year for Kurt, becoming a father and winning his first PBR Australian gold buckle, caps off a stella year."
"Camara, the quiet achiever has stayed focused from the moment he landed in Australia. It's not an easy task to leave your homeland and venture to the unknown, but with the help of retired cowboy Darryl Doyle and his wife Shirley, they have provided an environment that has allowed Luan to focus and pursue his dreams to become a national champion in a foreign land, as do our cowboys who venture to USA and Canada."
"Either cowboys would represent the gold buckle with pride and honour so there is no real loser, they have fought hard all year and it came down to the wire. Even with Kurt winning, Luan still collects the Rookie of the Year and Runner up Award, that will give him an additional $30k in bonuses for his extraordinary efforts."
In total, 30 of the best bull riders from across Australia and the world converged on Townsville to go head-to-head for Australia's most prestigious buckle and $150,000 in prize money. Both nights were sold out with the event generating serious bed nights for the region.
Last year's PBR Australia Grand Finals didn't just deliver the action, it generated a serious boost to the Townsville economy. More than 10,000 spectators filled the stands, generating 11,352 visitor nights and over $3.98 million in overnight visitor spend. The total economic impact? A whopping $4.23 million.
The PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour Grand Finals is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.
ABOUT PBR AUSTRALIA
Professional Bull Riders (PBR) is one of the fastest-growing sports properties in the world, with tours across the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico. A subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings —which also owns UFC and WWE— has transformed bull riding into a premier international sport since its founding in 1992. The organisation features over 1,000 riders globally and hosts more than 200 events annually worldwide. In Australia, Professional Bull Riders Australia (PBRA) stages more than 20 events each year, attracting over 75,000 fans. PBRA showcases key events and tours such as the Monster Energy Tour, PBR Origin Series, and PBR Grand Finals, while also partnering with regional event organisers through the PBR Touring Pro Division. The organisation supports emerging talent through its Can-Am Junior Academy and serves as an international pathway to the United States circuit for both Junior and Open competition athletes.
