Tyler Craig won Round 1 and Round 2 to take the lead at the 2023 Pro Bull Rider Canada National Finals on Friday in Edmonton.
He leads Dakota Buttar of Eatonia, Saskatchewan, by three points heading into Saturday’s race.
Craig, of Crossfield, Alta., dominated Round 1 with an 87-point ride on Black Mamba and then did it again in Round 2 with an 86.75-point score on Times A Tickin.
The double win for Craig earned 96 national points and moved him from 10th to 8th in the overall standings.
Crossfield, Alta. is 51 kilometers north of Calgary.
Buttar earned 47 national points and moved to second place in the overall standings, 57.66 points behind first place Cody Coverchuk of Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan.
He also passed Calgarian Nick Metz, the reigning Canadian champion, who collected just 15 national points on Friday night.
The Canadian champion receives a bonus of $100,000.
Tetz goes into the third and final round on Saturday in 11th placeTh Place overall, 64.5 national points behind Coverchuk.
Earlier this week, Tetz told CTV News that riders in Edmonton were feeling the pressure.
“It’s an individual season, not the team,” he said.
“It’s the pressure I put on myself and it’s something I care deeply about, but at the end of the day I’m just there to ride and have fun.”
Round 3 begins at 7 p.m. at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
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With files from Glenn Campbell
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