New Hampshire News

Unleash the Beast coming to Manchester Jan. 18-19

MANCHESTER — For the first time in league history, PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) elite Unleash The Beast will invade Manchester, N.H., and SNHU Arena with the Manchester Invitational on Jan. 18-19.

Bringing the edge-of-the-seat action one can only experience at a PBR event, the event will feature the Top 35 bull riders in the world squaring off in epic 8-second confrontations all night long against some of the rankest bulls on the planet, often 10-times their size.

The Manchester Invitational will mark one of the first events of the 2020 season following one of the most fiercely contested World Championship races in league history.

Following a season-long slug-match between Jose Vitor Leme, Jess Lockwood and Chase Outlaw, the World Championship was decided by the final outs of the five-day PBR World Finals. Going ride-for-ride throughout the season-culminating event, Lockwood logged four massive 90-point rides to surge from No. 2 to No. 1 in the world, becoming the youngest two-time PBR World Champion in league history at 22.

Among the riders hoping to claim their first World Championship in 2020, and also set to ride in Manchester, is veteran rider Cody Nance.

A bit about Cody Nance: 

* After getting his start at age 14, Cody Nance, now 32, is one of the sport’s most accomplished bull riders. 

* Making his PBR debut in 2007, Nance was quick to climb the ranks, reaching the premier series in 2009 and winning the season’s Rookie of the Year title. 

* In 2018, Nance finished inside the Top 10 in the world rankings at No. 9 after earning an impressive two regular-season event wins. 

* Despite a quick start to the 2019 season, however, Nance was plagued by injury, first a dislocated hip in the spring, which relegated him to the sidelines for nearly three months, followed by a shoulder injury that ended his World Finals early. 

* Eager to return to action in 2020, Nance is determined to win a World Championship, all of which could start with a win in Manchester.

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