Colorado State University Athletics
Cross Canadian Ragweed to Perform at PBR Last Cowboy Standing in July at Colorado State University
6/23/2025 10:00:00 AM | General
Following a 15-year hiatus, Cross Canadian Ragweed to open two-day “Best of the West” in Fort Collins, Colorado, pairing PBR’s Last Cowboy Standing with full blockbuster concerts
FORT COLLINS - Colorado State University (CSU) and Professional Bull Riders (PBR) have announced that Cross Canadian Ragweed will headline the opening night of the two-day CSU PBR Last Cowboy Standing event on July 21-22. The concert will take place on Monday, July 21, at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins, Colorado.
The iconic band, widely regarded as one of the most influential bands in Red Dirt Music, will take the stage in place of country superstar Tim McGraw, who has been forced to cancel his Fort Collins performance due to a recent back surgery.
Following a 15-year hiatus, Cross Canadian Ragweed played their first full concerts in April at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma, welcoming more than 185,000 fans in four sold-out shows. Known for their energetic live performances, the band will open the two-day event at CSU pairing PBR with full blockbuster concerts. Jon Pardi will perform as scheduled following the bull riding action on Tuesday, July 22.
In a joint statement, PBR and CSU said, PBR and CSU are excited to announce that Cross Canadian Ragweed will headline the opening night of this groundbreaking sports and entertainment event, promising an unforgettable performance. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience to fans who wanted to see Tim McGraw, and we wish Tim the very best in his recovery.
PBR and Cross Canadian Ragweed first crossed paths in 2005 when the band played at the official PBR After Party in Bentonville, Arkansas, following a PBR premier series event in nearby Springdale. PBR and Cross Canadian Ragweed partnered up at several other PBR events after that.
Twenty years ago, Cross Canadian Ragweed brought the house down with an unforgettable after-party, and we immediately recognized the power of this up-and-coming band, said Sean Gleason, CEO and Commissioner of PBR. We couldn't be more pumped that the band is back together and have agreed to open the Last Cowboy Standing event in Fort Collins. It's going to be an epic night of great music and the greatest bull riding on earth.
The Best of the West CSU and PBR Concert Series begins on July 21 at 7:30 p.m. MT with Round 1 of PBR's Last Cowboy Standing. In this intense, ride-to-survive showdown, 35 of the world's top bull riders will battle through a challenging two-night competition for their shot at a $100,000 first-place prize from the $200,000 total purse. The action continues July 22 at 7:30 p.m. MT with the dramatic conclusion of the grueling event, where only the toughest and most committed will remain in the hunt for the title.
Each night wraps up with full 90-minute concerts: Cross Canadian Ragweed takes the stage after Round 1, while Jon Pardi brings the festival to a celebratory close following the championship round.
Fans can purchase tickets at: https://csurams.evenue.net/events/PBR
About Cross Canadian Ragweed
Formed in Yukon, Oklahoma in 1994 by band members who were childhood friends, Cross Canadian Ragweed is known for their blend of country and rock music, particularly within the Texas Red Dirt scene. The band consists of Cody Canada (lead vocals, lead guitar), Grady Cross (guitar), Randy Ragsdale (drums), and Jeremy Plato (bass). Blending different elements of rock, country and jam band music, they released seven studio albums and three live albums between 1994 and 2010, achieving significant success and influencing the Red Dirt genre. At their peak, the band played over 250 shows a year. While the band disbanded in 2010, they reunited in 2025 for sold-out stadium shows in Oklahoma and Texas.
About PBR (Professional Bull Riders):
PBR is the world's premier bull riding organization. More than 1,000 bull riders compete in more than 200 events annually across the televised PBR Unleash The Beast tour (UTB), which features the top bull riders in the world; the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT); the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD); and the PBR's international circuits in Australia, Brazil, and Canada. In 2022, the organization launched PBR Teams—10 teams of the world's best bull riders competing for a new championship—as well as the PBR Challenger Series with more than 50 annual events nationwide. PBR events are broadcast on CBS Television Network and Paramount. PBR is a subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), a premium sports and entertainment company. For more information, visit PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, X at X.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.
About Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university that serves more than 33,000 students. Founded in 1870 as Colorado's land-grant institution, CSU ensures that students with the talent and desire for a college degree have access to world-class faculty, research and academic excellence. CSU has leading programs in veterinary medicine, occupational therapy, and atmospheric sciences, and excels in areas ranging from infectious disease to clean energy to business. CSU is rooted in the Fort Collins community, has a presence in every county in Colorado, and its academic excellence and innovation impacts the nation and the world.