Slap on your chaps and grab your rigging. It’s time to go watch some bull riding. The Professional Bull Riders Team Series is in Kansas City for the new league’s first regular season homestand, and the Outlaws are hoping for a big win for KC fans.

From Fri., Aug. 5-Sun., Aug. 7, watch as our local cowboys take on the Arizona Ridge Riders, Nashville Stampede, and Missouri Thunder. And the party doesn’t stop there: PBR Outlaw Days includes a free concert by Craig Scheller + a street festival on Grand Boulevard.

Kansas City’s next professional sports team

What exactly are we talking about? It’s not baseball or football or soccer, but it is another pro sport (and we know Kansas City can get behind that). Athletes get drafted and participate in an annual season. It all culminates in a championship this November in Las Vegas.

This is a new league starting this year, so we’ll break it down. A scored meet is called an “event,” where all eight teams compete. Teams are matched up one-on-one in “games,” daily competitions with five riders each. Riders have to last eight seconds to score, and then they’re given a point value. The highest team score at the end of the game gets a win, and team standings are based on the win-loss record.

KC Outlaws rider Tate Pollmeier

Now that you’re a fan, you get to meet one of the Outlaws. Tate grew up on a ranch in Fort Scott, KS (an hour and a half south of KC). Ever since he was a kid, he wanted to become a pro rider.

“Started riding sheep at four,” he said. “They’re pretty fast if they’re running.”

Fast forward, and he was drafted earlier this year — at 18 years old. It just so happened he was picked by KC, now riding in the very city where he grew up watching the pros.

“I’m really excited. Always wanted to ride here as a kid [...] just dreaming of coming here. Now, the dream’s coming true.”

Q: When was your first competition

“When I was four, my first sheep would have been my first competition.” (He has literally been competing since he could ride an animal).

Q: What’s the big appeal for bull riding spectators?

“For bull riding, I mean, man versus beast. Toughest eight seconds on dirt they say.”

Q: Is there anyone famous you’d like to see ride a bull someday?

“I think Patrick Mahomes would sell some tickets.”

KC in the chute

It’s the final countdown as crews prepare for a weekend of competition at the T-Mobile Center. PBR spokesperson Kacie Albert told us they’re going all out for Outlaw Days, including hanging the largest video board PBR has ever seen. We were blown away by these facts:

Main video board: 55-ft wide by 30-ft tall
~300 lighting elements
Directional sound system
15 semi-trucks for equipment alone
750 tons of dirt

Tickets are on sale here.