Two-time PBR Canada champion, Cody Coverchuk in action at the annual Winter Classic to kickstart the 2024 season. (Submitted photo/Covy Moore/PBR Canada)

By Martin Martinson

Grabbing the Bull by the Horns

Meadow Lake’s Coverchuk wins PBR Canada Winter Classic

Nov 29, 2023 | 9:00 AM

Meadow Lake’s Cody Coverchuk came flying out of the gates – literally and figuratively – in Lloydminster last weekend, taking home a first-place finish at the Canadian Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Winter Classic, the first event of the 2024 season.

Coverchuk won the event with a perfect two-for-two showing, going the full eight seconds on his first bull – Almost Gone (of Thompson Rodeo Livestock) for a score of 86 – before repeating the feat to clinch the win with another eight seconds, this time on the back of Sippin Bravo (also of Thompson Rodeo Livestock) for 85.5 points.

Talking to meadowlakeNOW about the performance, Coverchuk couldn’t help but let out a slight audible smile, talking about competing just a couple hours from home.

“It’s kind of a hometown show for me in Lloyd and I seem to do pretty well there all the time,” he said. “A lot of family and friends come out to watch me, so it’s always good to do well and get the win when you’re able to do that close to home.”

For Coverchuk, the hot start out of the gates to the 2024 schedule comes immediately following a whirlwind finish to the 2023 finals, just a week prior, Nov. 17-18 at Edmonton’s Rogers Place.

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Despite entering the final weekend first overall in the national rankings, he would finish the season third, 92.3 points back of Kindersley’s Dakota Buttar for the top spot overall, and the year-end first-place prize of $100,000.

Coming off the sting of the loss, Coverchuk, an 11-year pro and two-time PBR Canada champion, said he’s more determined than ever to set himself up for year-end success next fall, starting with accumulating points early this season.

“It’s nice to get a little jump on the competition, and hopefully I can just keep building off that momentum and build a little bit of a lead for the number one spot because when it comes down to the end of the year in November, and you’re only about three points separating first to third, it gets to be a little bit hectic,” he said.

“I’m going to remember that as I was pretty stressed out there at the finals, so maybe if I can just get a little bit more of a lead before the finals that would help me out a little bit.”

With the win, Coverchuk earned 60.5 points in the national standings to take the early lead this season and currently sits 19.5 points up on second-place Jake Maher and 30.5 points up on third-place Chad Hartman. He will return to action this weekend in Dawson Creek, BC., for the second stop on the Canadian Touring Pro Division schedule on Sat., Dec. 2.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @MartyMartyPxP1