Chris Shivers

Last updated
Chris Shivers
Personal information
Full nameChristopher Lee Shivers
NicknameChris
NationalityAmerican
Born (1978-12-30) December 30, 1978 (age 45)
Natchez, Mississippi, U.S.
Years active1997 - 2012
Height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Weight145 lb (66 kg)
Sport
Sport Rodeo
Event Bull riding
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking2000 and 2003 PBR World Champion

Christopher Lee Shivers (born December 30, 1978) is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding, and competed on the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. He turned pro in 1997, and won the PBR world championship in 2000 and 2003.

Contents

In 2023, Shivers was ranked No. 6 on the list of the top 30 bull riders in PBR history. [1]

Background

Chris Shivers was born on December 30, 1978, in Natchez, Mississippi.[ citation needed ]

Career

Shivers has twenty-two career Bud Light Cup Series (BLC) and Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) wins. The BLC was the name of the PBR's elite series from 1994 through 2002. The BFTS was the name from 2003 through 2017.

Shivers has recorded the following history-making firsts: the first PBR bull rider to win more than $300,000 in prize money in one year (1998); the first PBR bull rider to reach the $1 million mark (2001), the $2 million mark (2003) and the $3 million mark (2006); the first PBR bull rider to register 13 90-point rides in one season (1998); the highest marked ride in PBR history (96.5 points - twice) [a record later broken by José Vitor Leme]; and the first bull rider to win three consecutive Bud Light Cup events (2000).

Shivers is the second man to win multiple PBR world titles, after Adriano Morães (1994, 2001).

Shivers rode with a cowboy hat for most of his career. However, after a wreck fractured his nose at the 2009 BFTS season opening event in Baltimore, Maryland, he rode with a helmet for the remainder of his career. [2] [3] He had suffered multiple head and facial injuries throughout his career, but only made a helmet a permanent part of his riding gear after this specific injury.

Career highlights

Awards

Championships

Retirement

Shivers announced that the 2012 PBR season would be his last. [4] He retired after the World Finals that year. His final earnings during his 16-year PBR career total nearly 3.3 million dollars. [5] He was inducted into the PBR's Ring of Honor in 2013.

Unfinished Business

On May 30, 2015, Shivers came out of retirement for one more ride at "Unfinished Business" (a special event featuring several PBR legends coming out of retirement to attempt one final bull, held during the PBR's J.W. Hart Challenge at the Wise County Sheriff's Posse Arena in Decatur, Texas). There, he rode a bull named Black Cat for 88.5 points and split the event win with J.W. Hart (whose 88.5-point ride came aboard King Buck). [6] Shivers and Hart were the only two PBR legends to ride their bulls for the full eight seconds in the event.

Honors

Personal life

In 2001, Shivers married his girlfriend, Kylie Morphis. They have three children. In 2019, Kylie was awarded the PBR Sharon Shoulders Award. [9] The Shivers family resides in Jonesville in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Professional Bull Riders</span> International professional bull riding organization

The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) is an international professional bull riding organization headquartered in Pueblo, Colorado, United States. It is the largest bull riding league in the world, sanctioning hundreds of events every year in the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Australia. Over 800 bull riders from said countries, as well as others hold PBR memberships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Yellow Jacket</span> American bucking bull

Little Yellow Jacket #P761 was an American bucking bull. He was a three-time Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion Bull, winning the title in consecutive years from 2002 through 2004. At the time, his three titles made him unmatched by any bull in the history of the PBR. In 2006, he was inducted into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame for his accomplishments. He was the son of #77 Yellow Jacket and the grandson of #LH600 Wrangler Rivets. Little Yellow Jacket's three-time World Champion Bull record has since been matched by #13/6 Bushwacker, who received his third title in 2014, his year of retirement and Bruiser from 2016 to 2018. When Bruiser won his third title in 2018, he tied Little Yellow Jacket's record of three consecutive titles. Little Yellow Jacket was sometimes referred to as the "Michael Jordan of professional bull riding" and had his own line of merchandise. It was said he was the greatest bull in the PBR when he was selected to receive the inaugural Brand of Honor. In 2022, he was inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame. In Little Yellow Jacket's day he had the largest following of any PBR bull. Later, Bushwacker was deemed to surpass Little Yellow Jacket as the best PBR bucking bull of all time.

Justin Travis McBride is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding. In his career, he competed on the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. He was a two-time PBR World Champion, has a record 32 career PBR Premier Series event wins, and was the first professional bull rider to earn more than $5 million in the course of his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J.B. Mauney</span> American bull rider

James Burton "J.B." Mauney is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding. At the very beginning of his career, he rode in both the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and Championship Bull Riding (CBR) circuits, before deciding to ride full-time in the PBR in early 2006. He won the PBR Rookie of the Year title that same year and was a top contestant in said organization for several years; eventually winning the PBR world championship in 2013 and 2015. During the last few years of his career, he competed full-time in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). He is considered one of the greatest bull riders of his generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Built Ford Tough Series</span> Professional Bull Riders competition

The Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) was the Premier Series tour name of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) competitions from 2003 through 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Lee (bull rider)</span> American bull rider

Michael "Mike" Lee is an American professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in bull riding. He was the 2004 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) PBR World Champion. He competed consistently in said organization from 2001 through 2017. However, he announced his retirement from the PBR in November 2017. He then competed in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), Championship Bull Riding (CBR), and Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding Tour (THBR) circuits, but later mainly rode in regional semi-professional bull riding organizations for the next five years. In the summer of 2022, he announced on his Instagram page his return to the PBR. He would ride sporadically in the PBR in 2022 and 2023 before returning to the semi-pro circuit in 2024.

Guilherme Antônio Marchi is a Brazilian former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding, and competed in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. He was the 2008 PBR World Champion.

Luke Snyder is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding, and competed in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. He was the 2001 PBR Rookie of the Year, and the 2001 PBR World Finals event champion. Since 2022, he has been the co-head coach of the Missouri Thunder during the PBR Team Series season.

James Sharp also known as Jim "Razor" Sharp is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding. In 1988, he became the first bull rider in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA)’s National Finals Rodeo history to successfully ride each of his 10 bulls during the champion-crowning event. The record-breaking performance earned Sharp his first of two PRCA World Champion Bull Rider titles. He rode professionally for nearly 20 years, and was a co-founder of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). He is considered among the most talented bull riders in history.

Bushwacker #13/6 is an American former bucking bull. He competed in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit and was a three-time PBR World Champion Bull, winning the title in 2011, 2013, and 2014. His three titles match the record established a decade earlier by Little Yellow Jacket from 2002 to 2004. He was awarded the PBR Brand of Honor in 2016. He has been referred to as the "Michael Jordan of Bulls." In 2014, PBR co-founder and Director of Livestock Cody Lambert compared Bushwacker to the likes of Secretariat and Seabiscuit. He was inducted into the Class of 2020 in the Bull Riding Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dillinger (bull)</span> American bucking bull

Dillinger #81 (1995-2004) was an American bucking bull owned by the Herrington Cattle Company. He won the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion Bull title in 2000 and 2001. He was bestowed the PBR Brand of Honor in 2012, the second bull to receive the honor after Little Yellow Jacket won the inaugural award in 2011. Today, he is ranked first in the ProBullStats historical ranking of bucking bulls in the sport of bull riding.

Chicken on a Chain #CC was an American bucking bull. He competed in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit and won the 2007 PBR World Champion Bull title. In 2015, he was awarded the PBR Brand of Honor. He bucked for seven years, a total of 127 times; 33 of those times he was ridden at all levels. Chicken on a Chain finished his career with 130 outs. He holds a career average of 45 points per out and "arguably became the most popular bucking bull in PBR history". At the time he was active he was the only bucking bull in PBR history with more than 100 outs and an average career score of 45 or higher. Today, Chicken on a Chain is still considered one of the most popular bucking bulls. An article published on the PBR website on December 15, 2016, put him on the list "PBR Tough 10: Baddest Buckers."

Bonner Bolton is an American fashion model and former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding. He won the 2007 world championship for the now-defunct Championship Bull Riding (CBR) organization. He also competed in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuits. He placed fourth at the PBR World Finals in 2015. He performed as a stunt double for Scott Eastwood in the movie The Longest Ride, being the only one of four doubles who managed to make a virtually eight-second ride on the PBR top ranked bull Rango for an ending scene. His bull riding career was cut short by a neck injury sustained during a dismount from a bull he had just finished making an 8-second ride on at a PBR Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) event in January 2016. He sustained a break to his C-2 vertebra. Bolton was temporarily paralyzed, but made a full recovery. The parent company, IMG, of the PBR made an offer to contract him as a fashion model in May 2016. Bolton now works steadily as a fashion model.

Bruiser #32Y was an American bucking bull. He is the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion Bull for 2016, 2017, and 2018. He is one of only two bucking bulls to win the title in three consecutive years. He is also the 2017 Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) Bucking Bull of the Year. Bruiser and Bodacious are the only bulls to win both titles and they also did it in the same year: Bruiser did it in 2017 and Bodacious in 1995. Bruiser is the PRCA Reserve Bucking Bull of the Year in 2015. Bruiser tied for the PBR title in 2016 with two other bulls, and the tiebreaker went to him. Bruiser won the 2017 PBR title in a close race against Pearl Harbor. Bruiser won the title outright in 2018. Bruiser is also the American Bucking Bull (ABBI) Classic Final winner in 2015. He also won several other notable titles. SweetPro's Bruiser was retired from competition in 2021 at the age of ten. He died at age 11 on May 17, 2022.

Code Blue #644 was an American bucking bull. He competed in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit and was the 2009 PBR World Champion bull, as well as the 2009 PBR Bull of the World Finals. He won both titles in his first year on the PBR's elite Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) tour. He finished the 2009 season unridden with a bull score average over 46 points out of a maximum of 50, considered an exceptional score in bull riding. According to many notable sources and his career statistics, Code Blue had enormous potential, but a serious injury in the 2010 season cut his career short and his owners were forced to retire him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shepherd Hills Tested</span> American bucking bull

Shepherd Hills Tested #20U was an American bucking bull. He was the 2013 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Bucking Bull of the Year. Tested bucked on the PRCA and Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuits from 2011-2014. His first title was the 2012 American Bucking Bull (ABBI) Classic World Champion. He went on to win the 2012 PRCA Bull of the Finals title at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) later that same year. In 2013, he won the PRCA Bucking Bull of the Year title and was also the PBR Reserve World Champion Bull. In his last year bucking, he repeated as the 2014 PBR Reserve World Champion Bull. In 84 times out of the bucking chute over a four years period, Tested only allowed cowboys four qualified rides, two rides by two-time World Champion J.B. Mauney and two rides by Kasey Hayes. His owners retired him after the 2014 season. He died from injuries sustained from an accident on April 14, 2017.

James William Harris, known as J.W. Harris is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding. He competed on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), Championship Bull Riding (CBR), and Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuits. He won the PRCA bull riding world championship four times at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). Harris is the first bull rider since Don Gay to win four PRCA world bull riding titles. He is also the first since Gay to win three of them consecutively. Harris was also the 2014 PBR Rookie of the Year. In 2022, he was inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame.

Jess Lockwood is an American professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in bull riding, and competes in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit. He joined the PBR in 2015 and was named Rookie of the Year in 2016. On November 5, 2017, he became the youngest PBR World Champion. He won his second PBR world championship on November 10, 2019. He also became the youngest bull rider to win two PBR world championships.

Spotted Demon #35 is an American retired bucking bull. In his career, he competed in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuits. He was the 2018 PRCA Bull of the Year, as well as the 2018 Bull of the National Finals Rodeo (NFR).

References

  1. 1 2 "PBR Top 30". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  2. ↑ Branch, John (January 9, 2009). "On Rodeo Circuit, Cowboy Hats Are Being Replaced by Helmets". The New York Times. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Shivers Shows His Old Form at Unfinished Business |". Wrangler Network. June 2, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Shivers: 'This is it for me. It's my last year.'". Professional Bull Riders. February 15, 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  5. ↑ "PBR Rider | Chris Shivers". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Ring of Honor members discuss coming out of retirement". Professional Bull Riders. May 31, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  7. ↑ "PBR Ring of Honor". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Bull Riding Hall of Fame inductees". Bull Riding Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Tears of joy as Kylie Shivers receives Sharon Shoulders Award". Professional Bull Riders. November 5, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  10. ↑ "World champion Chris Shivers signs autographs, ropes stubborn bulls in Mobile". al. April 7, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2020.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.