Trainer’s Choice Sports Medicine Provides Care to PBR Canada Bull Riders

November 13, 2007  (Toronto) – In a sport where bulls can weigh over a ton and injuries to bull riders are common, it is paramount that top professional bull riders dreaming of long-term careers rely on a team of sport medicine experts, athletic trainers and sports medicine products to sustain their livelihood. Trainer’s Choice is the official Sports Medicine supplier of PBR Canada and sponsors the Trainer’s Choice Sports Medicine Team, ensuring the best possible prevention, recovery and treatment of injury care to bull riders.

“As a partner, Trainer’s Choice has brought quality product and sport medicine expertise to our bull ridings,” says Austin Beasley, General Director, Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Canada. “The sport is going global and there’s an increasing focus on training, conditioning and sports medicine to keep the athletes healthy.”

More than 100 bull riders in Canada hold Professional Bull Rider memberships and complete in over 40 PBR events from coast to coast, leaving a lot of room for injury. Just ask 2006 PBR Canada National Champion, Scott Schiffner (Strathmore, AB) who sustained a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury in his knee at an event this summer. “It was a strange injury, as I was able to walk on it with a bit of pain, but the knee couldn’t hold up to the motion needed to ride a bull,” says Schiffner.

Of the types of knee injuries experienced by professional athletes, an injury to the PCL is relatively uncommon and difficult to treat. “The biggest problem is knee instability,” says Rick Schaly, President of Trainer’s Choice.

The Trainer’s Choice Sports Medicine Team, which travels across Canada with the PBR Rocky Cup events, created a regime of therapy to help Schiffner’s injury heal. Part of the therapy included a Trainer’s Choice knee braces for support and protection when he went home to his ranch to heal. The treatment was successful enough to get Schiffner ready for competition at the upcoming PBR Rocky Cup Canadian National Finals presented by Dickies November 16-18 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary.

“Pound for pound, bull riders have always been known as top athletes,” say Schiffner. “But to compete at the top level, conditioning, injury prevention and athletic therapy for injuries are now making it possible for young riders to build long-term careers.”

Trainer’s Choice is proud to support PBR Canada’s bull riders with an extensive list of products that extend from medical and first aid supplies, through to protective wrist, ankle and knee braces. At 27-years-old, Schiffner says that with luck, he can enjoy another 10 years in the sport that is now seeing riders as young as 19 and 20 winning $500,000 a year.

About PBR
More than 100 million viewers tune in each year to the PBR on FOX, NBC, VERSUS and on a host of foreign networks across the globe. With approximately 500 hours of prime time programming annually PBR ranks among the most prolific sports on air, in addition to attracting over one and one half million live event attendees each year with its multi-tiered event structure which includes the marquee Built Ford Tough Series presented by Wrangler, the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company Challenger Tour, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tour, and the Discovery Tour, designed specifically for entry level contestants. The PBR is headquartered in Pueblo, Colo., and has over 1,200 PBR bull riders compete in more than 300 PBR sanctioned competitions in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico. 

About PBR Canada
The PBR opened an office in Calgary, Alberta in November of 2005. Beginning in 2006 the PBR has launched a series of at least forty events across Canada. Dollars earned at the Canadian events will count towards qualification to the PBR Canadian National Finals. The bull rider with the most money won at the end of year - combining regular season and finals earnings will be the one left standing at the top of the pack as the ultimate champion-PBR Canada National Champion. Upon the conclusion of the Canadian season, the top ranked rider will go on to compete and represent Canada at the PBR World Finals.  For additional information on the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Canada, please visit www.pbrcanada.com.

About Trainer’s Choice
Trainer’s Choice is the official sports medicine supplier to hundreds of Canada’s athletes from rodeo cowboys to its international men and women’s hockey teams. Trainers and team doctors rely on the company’s products to help athletes “stay in the game.”  For more information visit www.trainerschoicesmp.com.

Media Contact
Stephen Rouse
CAROUSE Communications
416-402-6876
Stephen@carouse.ca
                    
Lynn McLeod, PBR Canada Office Manager                   
Professional Bull Riders Canada                   
403-241-4530                   
lynn@pbrcanada.com