The Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale will be making its third appearance in Pendleton, and the past two years of sellout crowds indicate just how popular the event is at Happy Canyon Arena.

“We have had a noticeable bump in ticket sales and a general excitement about the event,” Happy Canyon and Pendleton Round-Up Bulls/Concert Chair Kipp Curtis said. “It’s a hot ticket, for sure.”

The Xtreme Bulls Finale took the place of the PBR Classic, which was in Pendleton for 19 years before the switch.

“It has been a blessing that we have been able to make the change to the Xtreme Bulls finals,” Curtis said. “We are excited about it.”

The finale, which kicks off Round-Up week, is Sept. 11-12. The event will feature 24 contestants who qualified through a semifinal event before the finale, along with two wild cards — the Xtreme Bulls winners at Albuquerque and Lewiston. Action each night begins at 8 p.m.

Bull riding fans will be treated to a star-studded field that will include last year’s champion Stetson Wright, along with Jestyn Woodward, Cullen Telfer, Trevor Reiste and others.

“With what the Cowboy Channel has done with putting so many rodeos on TV, cowboys are household names,” Curtis said. “This event has an impact on the Xtreme Bulls title, the bull riding standings and the NFR. There is a lot of excitement.”

Wright had won every bull riding title that the Professional Cowboys Rodeo Association has to offer, except the Xtreme Bulls title — leading into last year’s event.

The Utah cowboy picked up the title, riding three of his four bulls.

“This is something,” Wright said after last year’s event. “I have been second the last two years in a row — in the event and standings. It has eluded me and drove me insane. This year, I stopped caring and I do it.”

For winning the average, with a total of 257 points on three head, Wright picked up a check for $11,280. Reid Oftedahl was second, with Jace Trosclair third and Tristen Hutchings fourth.

Wright also won a custom saddle, two buckles, Pendleton Whisky, a trophy, a custom-engraved knife and a Pendleton blanket.

When Wright saw his draws for the event, he said he didn’t know how things would go.

“It seemed like everything was stacked against me,” Wright said. “The first three bulls I rode (Foolish Pride, Tequila Sunrise and Spyglass) had never been ridden (for a score). The last had and he was the one who bucked me off.”

Curtis said it’s cowboys like Wright who make the event special.

“There were a lot of little kids who wanted to meet him and get their picture taken,” Curtis said. “He is a nice, humble young man. He is exciting to watch.”

Fans likely will not get to see seven-time world champion Sage Kimzey this year after he broke his left clavicle after being thrown off Dakota Rodeo’s Devil’s Revenge at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on July 28.

Kimzey, who led the Xtreme Bulls standings on Aug. 1, had surgery Aug. 2, and he said he would miss up to six weeks, if not more.

“That is part of the sport,” Curtis said. “It would have been cool to see him come back and participate with the rest of them.”