Dakota Buttar Wins Glen Keeley Award for Fifth Consecutive Year
Regarded as the toughest sport on dirt, bull riding pits cowboys against fierce 1,600-pound bulls, but that has never deterred Kindersley native Dakota Buttar.
From riding steers at the age of eight to dominating the rodeo scene year-after-year since his early 20’s, Buttar, who now calls Eatonia home, has made a name for himself in Western sports.
After turning pro in 2011, Buttar made it to his first CFR the following year and after that, there was no stopping him. Riding in everything from small-town rodeos to the Calgary Stampede and the prestigious PBR World Finals, Buttar was finally crowned the PBR Canada Champion in 2020.
Buttar stormed back on the scene this season, not missing a beat, aiming to become the 2021 PBR Canada Champion. Should he have won this, not only would he have been the first rider to win the honour in consecutive seasons, but he would have become the third multi-time titleholder in league history, joining three-time Champion Aaron Roy and two-time Champion Zane Lambert.
Winning event after event, Buttar was on track to become the 2021 Champion. However, just weeks before the 2021 PBR Canada National Finals, Buttar suffered a severe groin injury. Over his career, he has faced many injuries–from an injured hand in his early days where the skin was torn completely from his pinkie to a broken ankle, but he kept pushing forward. Even competing with a groin injury, he battled through the pain at the 2021 Finals, going 1-for-2 to remain the No. 1-ranked rider in the national standings. However, on the final day of the season, the state of the title race was drastically altered when Buttar was relegated to the sidelines with a groin injury.
Ultimately it was Cody Coverchuk from Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, who etched his name in the league record books, becoming the 2021 PBR Canada Champion. But Buttar did not leave empty-handed and was awarded the Glen Keeley Award for the fifth consecutive year. This award goes to the Canadian bull rider earning the most world points during the season.
As for what’s up next for Buttar? He plans on resting and recovering and looks forward to the upcoming 2022 season.
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