Entertainment
28 June, 2026
Cowboys HQ
BULL riders, country music fans and partygoers are set to descend on Cairns when the PBR Australia 2026 Monster Energy Cairns Invitational returns on 4 July.
The Cairns Convention Centre will host the national event, which brings more than $50,000 in prize money and some of Australia’s leading bull riders and bucking bulls to the city.
The action will continue beyond the arena with The Reef Hotel Casino hosting The Reef Stampede from 1-5 July as the official hoedown of PBR Week.
The five-day program will include live country music, rider meet-and-greets and the official after-party following the Cairns Invitational.
A highlight of the entertainment line-up will be Brisbane act The Dusty Trail Troubadours, who will perform at BAR36 on Friday, 3 July.
The evening will begin with a ‘Meet the Cowboys’ event at 8pm before the band takes the stage from 9pm.
The Dusty Trail Troubadours have previously performed at the casino and will headline a country-themed weekend alongside local acts Dusty Haven and Good Ol Boyz.
Leading the charge in the bullring will be Mareeba’s Kurt Shephard, the current Australian Gold Buckle holder and fellow Mareeba rider Leith Malone.
“Cairns PBR is my favourite event of the year. It’ll be great to have my family and friends there on the night and the crowd is really supportive of me which is an unreal feeling,” Mr Shephard said.
“It’ll also be cool to compete alongside my travelling partner Leith Malone, who is also from Mareeba, and has qualified for his first Cairns PBR. I can’t wait.”
Malone joins a field of 30 elite cowboys chasing valuable championship points in the lead-up to the $150,000 PBR Grand Finals in Townsville this November.
PBR Australia managing director Glen Young said the season was reaching a crucial stage.
Also see sport P26.
