Triplett returns to PBR action in Billings

Columbia Falls professional bull rider Matt Triplett recently returned to Montana to compete at this weekend’s Stanley Performance in Action Invitational in Billings in the Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series.

Four weeks ago Triplett tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee at a PBR event in Albuquerque.

He said he wasn’t going to let a bum knee stop him from riding in front of the fans that have supported him his whole career.

“The knee feels pretty good,” Triplett said. “I still have a torn MCL, but a lot of bull riders ride with a torn MCL. It’s feeling a lot better. I’m getting a lot of movement back.”

Triplett is currently ranked No. 2 in the world and is in the midst of the best season of his career, leading the PBR in round wins and event wins. He was the top-ranked bull rider in the world for eight weeks before getting injured and has his sights set firmly on a world championship at the end of the year.

Doctors quickly determined Triplett wouldn’t need surgery on his knee. After working out with trainers the last few weeks at Michael Johnson Performance in McKinney, Texas, Triplett has improved significantly and will ride with a brace. It’s the first time in his career he will compete with a brace.

“I got it a couple of days ago in Texas, and I rode the barrel there,” Triplett said. “I don’t think it’s going to affect my game at all.”

The PBR event runs tonight, April 17, through Sunday at Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark. Triplett is also set to compete in the 15/15 Bucking Battle on Saturday night.

“This is a big event for me just because the fact that it’s in Montana,” Triplett said. “I always put it on the map as a target. This is one I want to win and it would be a huge accomplishment to win it.”

The event will be streamed live online at carbontv.com/pbr-live and a replay will run on Sunday at 4 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. A replay of the 15/15 Bucking Battle will run on CBS at 1 p.m. on Sunday.