Missoula, MT -(Ammoland.com)- Professional Bull Riders (PBR) announced it will bestow the Jim Shoulders Lifetime Achievement Award upon Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation President and CEO David Allen.
The honor, just the fourth ever awarded by the PBR, recognizes a non-bull rider for significant contributions made to the sport.
“I am extremely humbled and honored to receive this recognition,” said Allen. “I have many passions in my life including God, family, our great country, conservation, hunting and helping the PBR grow. My associates at the PBR are among my greatest friends. I could hardly begin to thank all of them enough including, Ty (Murray) and Cody (Lambert), Tuff (Hedeman), Randy Bernard and many, many others.”
“David Allen has been one of those people behind the curtain since the inception of the PBR willing to do whatever it took to help the PBR succeed,” said Randy Bernard, former long-time CEO of the PBR. “Every bull rider in this world is a little better off thanks to all the efforts of David in the early years of PBR. He was an incredible sounding board/advisor/promoter that helped PBR reach its accomplishments. It is truly wonderful that he is being honored with the Jim Shoulders award as he is so deserving of it.”
“The original 20 founders of the PBR (the bull riders) were all friends of mine as I had been in the pro rodeo world for over 20 years at that time,” said Allen. “They had asked me to help them with marketing and sponsorships and they were up front that they didn’t have any money to pay me. But they offered me the rights to some PBR events as the promoter, so I took them up on the opportunity. The PBR has evolved into a world class entertainment product beyond any of our wildest dreams from the beginning days.”
Allen supported the PBR since its beginning in 1992 and was behind its first event in Kansas City where he hired Flint Rasmussen. He establish the Ty Murray Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which recently concluded its 18th year. He also started the Denver event, which is held every January in conjunction with the National Western Stock Show.
“David’s one of the most unique individuals,” said Jim Haworth, PBR CEO. “What I love about David is he has a no-nonsense approach to anything you ask him. If you want to know something and you ask him, be prepared, because he’s going to give you a straight answer.”
“The concept of putting decals from sponsors on vests came from Randy and I trying to figure out how to make sponsorships of bull riders have value and not look cheap. It was a natural to borrow from how NASCAR did things in those days and so we did,” added Allen.
Allen will receive the award at the PBR Ring of Honor ceremony which is part of PBR Heroes & Legends Celebration on Tuesday, October 21, in Las Vegas.
The Jim Shoulders Lifetime Achievement Award is named for Shoulders, a cowboy and bull rider who won 16 World Championships during his career, including seven bull riding titles. It recognizes a non-bull rider whose efforts helped build the PBR into the success it is today.
About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Founded over 30 years ago, fueled by hunters and a membership of more than 200,000 strong, RMEF has conserved more than 6.4 million acres for elk and other wildlife. RMEF also works to open and improve public access, fund and advocate for science-based resource management, and ensure the future of America’s hunting heritage.
About the Professional Bull Riders
Headquartered in Colorado, the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. was created in 1992 when a group of 20 visionary bull riders broke away from the traditional rodeo scene seeking mainstream attention for the sport of professional bull riding. They felt that, as the most popular event at a rodeo, bull riding deserved to be in the limelight and could easily stand alone. Each rider invested a hard-earned $1,000, a few of them borrowing from family and friends, to start the PBR.