PBR plans to host bull riding aboard USS Lexington

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (KBTX) -The Professional Bull Riders will buck bulls on the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi on Dec. 5 for PBR Air Force Reserve Cowboys for a Cause. Each cowboy participating will ride to support military members and their families.

The PBR has an established reputation for hosting bull riding events in exotic locations, but now ''The Toughest Sport on Dirt" will take to the sea and is set to build a bull riding arena on the USS Lexington’s 872-foot long launch deck.

According to the PBR, 300 tons of dirt and steel and more than 15 miles of copper and fiber optic cables will be brought in to make the special broadcast event possible. “Bucking bulls will be brought on board via the ship’s still-functioning aircraft elevator, the same system that brought planes up to the flight deck from the hangar during battle," according to the PBR.

“Bucking bulls on the deck of the USS Lexington has long been on our list of iconic places for the most exciting 8 seconds in sports. We’re excited and honored to partner with the Air Force Reserve to bring this once-in-a-lifetime event to life. Air Force Reserve’s motto is ‘Fly, Fight, & Win,’ which represents the spirit embodied in our own ‘Be Cowboy’ mantra.”

The event will be closed to the public, but the PBR will offer the chance for exclusive viewing for VIPs, ultimate experience ticket packages, and military members.

According to the PBR, all COVID-19 protocols will be in effect at this event.

Fans can watch the event on Dec. 5 on CBS Sports.

This bull riding will be set up as a team style event, which will feature five teams of three cowboys. Each of the cowboys riding will be riding in support of military members and their families. This event will raise money for Operation Homefront, a nonprofit that provides support to U.S. military families. The PBR will also donate money for each second a cowboy rides his bull, according to the PBR.

The USS Lexington, otherwise known as “The Blue Ghost", was an essential aircraft carrier during World War II, and participated in almost every major operation in the Pacific Theater, according to the PBR.

“Her planes destroyed 372 enemy aircraft in the air, and 475 more on the ground," according to the PBR. “She sank or destroyed 300,000 tons of enemy cargo and damaged an additional 600,000 tons. The ship’s guns shot down 15 planes and assisted in downing five more.”

“The Blue Ghost” was decommissioned in 1991, and at that time it was the Navy’s longest-serving working carrier, according to the PBR.

Copyright 2020 KBTX. All rights reserved.