John Crimber Dominates in Canadian Debut, Eyes PBR Canada National Finals

AIRDRIE, Alta. – As if the teenage phenom that is John Crimber didn’t take the PBR world by storm winning nine of his first 14 events after turning 18, he has now taken his talents internationally.

Crimber, the son of PBR veteran and now Arizona Ridge Riders’ Co-Coach Paulo Crimber, entered the PBR Canada Cup Series, presented by Wrangler, event in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan this past weekend, and he dominated.

Winning the event via a perfect 3-for-3 effort netted the young rider a crucial 144.5 Canadian points and put him into the picture for a berth to the 2023 PBR Canada National Finals in Edmonton, Alberta, on Nov. 17-18.

And for the 18-year-old, not only was this his first win in Canada, but also his first time competing in the Great White North.

“I was pretty excited, having never been to Canada before,” Crimber began. “I was expecting it to be damn cold and it has proven me right. Crossing the border, I was nervous, normally I cross the border to Brazil with my family. Everything went well and I came up and did my job.”

The decision to pick Two Bit Bucking Bulls’ Bull of the Year contender Langham Kid was an easy one, having seen video after video all year on social media. And the choice paid off.

“I have watched a couple of these PBR Canada Cup events. I didn’t know much about the bulls, these guys are all good people and they will tell you what these bulls do,” Crimber explained.

“I saw the short round bulls before, and I knew what I wanted. I wanted Langham kid. I was second coming into the short round, due to being tied for the lead and I had less points in the standings than the other guy. He picked a different bull, and I was so excited. I told Jason [Davidson] he knew which one I wanted. I was talking about it the whole weekend. I like that bull, I have seen lots of videos of him at these PBR Canada Cup events because they are always posting about him. When I was pulling my rope on him, I knew this was a Canadian bucking bull, he was huge. I was pretty nervous because of that, but he felt like a dream, and I just went out and did my job and made it count.”

And making it count was an understatement as the expected First Round Draft pick in the upcoming PBR Teams Draft posted a mammoth 91.5-point score, one of only six 90-plus-point rides on Canadian soil in 2023.

Coming from the United States, many riders comment on how big and strong the bucking bulls are in Canada. With the requirement of weathering slightly more intense winters, the buckers in Canada are often much larger and slightly less agile than some of the standout bulls stateside.

“These bulls are a little bit slower, but they have more timing. For a rider like me, bulls with a little more timing on them is good for me. But they have a bit more power than those bulls down south because of just being bigger. Langham Kid felt great, I thought that big son of a gun would yank on me, but it worked out.”

“These bulls are quite a bit different from America, definitely bigger,” Crimber added.

With the win, the 2023 PBR Canada National Finals are well within reach of the standout rider, and he plans to maximize his time in Canada to achieve just that.

“I made enough points to be No. 22 in the standings, and this weekend I am going to head to Yorkton, which if I can get my job done, should give me enough points I could be in that Top 17.” 

“That is my plan. I need to do my job. But I would love to make it to those Canadian Finals. It would be very special to me,” Crimber added.

The PBR Canada schedule is no stranger to American riders travelling north to launch their careers. In the early months of his career, now two-time PBR World Champion Jess Lockwood rode in Lethbridge, Alberta, while 2019 PBR Canada Champion Daylon Swearingen would parlay his Canadian title into a World Championship less than three years later.

For Crimber, coming and competing against Canada’s best, as well as Swearingen who is also making a push to the 2023 PBR Canada National Finals, has given him a confidence boost.

“These Cup events are no different than those big PBR events in the States,” Crimber said. “This was my first really big PBR event I have been to in my professional career. For me to win it and go against all these guys, and guys like Daylon who I consider to be one of the best out there, at only 18 it sure makes me feel good about myself.”

“It made me believe in myself a little bit more, and certainly a contender for a World Championship one day."

When asked about the PBR Canada community he got to experience this past weekend, Crimber said the events in Canada seem to be full of just good people.

“I am not going to lie, this is likely the most fun bull riding I have been to in my whole life,” Crimber said. 

“Everyone is so nice, everyone here seems like family. They are all there for each other, and I want to be around those kinds of people. I would come back here any day because the people are so good. That is what makes bull riding. The people here, the people in PBR Canada are good people.”