Christopher Lee Shivers (born December 30, 1978) is an American former professional

rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaqu ...

cowboy who specialized in

bull riding Bull riding is a rodeo sport that involves a rider getting on a bucking bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal tries to bucking, buck off the rider. American bull riding has been called "the most dangerous eight seconds in sports." ...

, and competed on the

Professional Bull Riders The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) is an international professional bull riding organization headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. It is the largest bull riding league in the world, sanctioning hundreds of events every yea ...

(PBR) circuit. He turned pro in 1997, and won the PBR world championship in 2000 and 2003. In 2023, Shivers was ranked No. 6 on the list of the top 30 bull riders in PBR history.

Background

Chris Shivers was born on December 30, 1978, in

Natchez, Mississippi Natchez ( ) is the only city in and the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,520 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Mississippi River across from Vidalia, Louisiana, Natchez was ...

Career

Shivers has twenty-two career Bud Light Cup Series (BLC) and Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) wins. The BLC was the name of the PBR's elite series from 1994 through 2002. The BFTS was the name from 2003 through 2017. Shivers has recorded the following history-making firsts: the first PBR bull rider to win more than $300,000 in prize money in one year (1998); the first PBR bull rider to reach the $1 million mark (2001), the $2 million mark (2003) and the $3 million mark (2006); the first PBR bull rider to register 13 90-point rides in one season (1998); the highest marked ride in PBR history (96.5 points - twice) (a record later broken by José Vitor Leme); and the first bull rider to win three consecutive Bud Light Cup events (2000). Shivers is the second man to win multiple PBR world titles, after Adriano Morães (1994, 2001). Shivers rode with a cowboy hat for most of his career. However, after a wreck fractured his nose at the 2009 BFTS season opening event in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

, he rode with a helmet for the remainder of his career. He had suffered multiple head and facial injuries throughout his career, but only made a helmet a permanent part of his riding gear after this specific injury.

Career highlights

*National High School Finals Rodeo qualifier (1996) *First PBR bull rider to register 13 90-point rides in one season (1998) *First bull rider in PBR history to win more than $300,000 in a single season (1998) *First PBR bull rider to earn $1 million (2001), $2 million (2003) and $3 million (2006) *First PBR bull rider to earn $1 million World Champion bonus (2003) *94 career 90-point bull rides (most of any rider in PBR history) *Tied PBR record high-mark ride (96.5 points in 2000 Tampa Open & 2001 PBR World Finals) (Record for highest-marked ride in PBR history later broken by Jose Vitor Leme with 98.75 points in 2021) *22 career Bud Light Cup/Built Ford Tough Series wins *15-time PBR World Finals qualifier (1997–2003, 2005–2012) *3-time Mossy Oak Shootout winner: **$5,000 in

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...

; 2000 **$10,000 in

Billings, Montana Billings is the most populous Lists of populated places in the United States, city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, i ...

; 2000 **$25,000 in

Reno, Nevada Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada–California border. It is the county seat and most populous city of Washoe County, Nevada, Washoe County. Sitting in the High Eastern Sierra foothills, ...

; 2006

Awards

*1996 Louisiana State High School Bull Riding Champion *1999 Lane Frost/Brent Thurman Award (96 points on Trick or Treat) *2000 Copenhagen Master Pro Series Champion *2000 PBR Touring Pro Division Champion *2000 PBR 90-Point Club Champion *2001 Lane Frost/Brent Thurman Award (96.5 points on Dillinger) *2012 Lane Frost/Brent Thurman Award (90.75 points on Shepherd Hills Sod Buster) *2-time PBR World Champion (2000, 2003)

Championships

* 1998 PBR

Marshall, Texas Marshall is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat of Harrison County, Texas, Harrison County and a cultural and educational center of the Ark-La-Tex region. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the population of ...

Touring Pro Champion * 1998 PBR

Springdale, Arkansas Springdale is a city in Washington County, Arkansas, Washington and Benton County, Arkansas, Benton counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city had a population of 84,161 at the 2020 census, making it the List of cities and towns in Arkan ...

Touring Pro Champion * 1998 PBR Hell on Hooves III

Vancouver, British Columbia Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

Champion * 1998 PBR

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Bull Riding

Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

Champion * 1998 PBR

Lafayette, Louisiana Lafayette ( , ) is the most populous city in and parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, Lafayette Parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located along the Vermilion River (Louisiana), Vermilion River. It is Louisiana's List of municipaliti ...

Touring Pro Champion * 1999 PBR

San Antonio, Texas San Antonio ( ; Spanish for "Anthony of Padua, Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the List of Texas metropolitan areas, third-largest metropolitan area in Texa ...

Touring Pro Champion * 2000 PBR

Weatherford, Texas Weatherford () is a city in and the county seat of Parker County, Texas, United States. In 2020, its population was 30,854. Weatherford is named after Thomas J. Weatherford, a State senator and advocate for Texas's secession to the Confederate ...

Touring Pro Champion * 2000 PBR

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

Open Champion * 2000 PBR

Tampa, Florida Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...

Open Champion * 2000 PBR

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

Open Champion * 2000 PBR

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...

Open Champion * 2000 PBR Canadian Open

Calgary, Alberta Calgary () is a major city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a Metropolitan area, metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the List of ...

Champion * 2000 PBR

Denver, Colorado Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

Touring Pro Division Finals Champion * 2001 PBR

Open Champion * 2001 PBR NILE Invitational

Champion * 2001 PBR

Jackson, Mississippi Jackson is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Mississippi, most populous city of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city sits on the Pearl River (Mississippi–Louisiana), Pearl River and is locate ...

Challenger Tour Champion * 2002 PBR

Alexandria, Louisiana Alexandria is the ninth-largest city in the state of Louisiana and is the parish seat and largest city of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River of the South, Red River ...

Challenger Tour Champion * 2003 PBR

Mohegan Sun Mohegan Sun is a large casino and entertainment complex located on 240 acres (97 ha) of the Mohegan Indian Reservation in Uncasville, Connecticut, along the banks of the Thames River (Connecticut), Thames River. It is owned and operated by the fe ...

Invitational

Uncasville, Connecticut Uncasville is a village in the town of Montville, Connecticut, United States. It is located in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River where it flows into the Thames River. The name is now applied more generally to all of the ...

Champion * 2003 PBR Jerome Davis Challenge

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; ) is a city in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 299,035; it was estimated to be 307,381 in 2024. It is the List of municipalitie ...

Champion * 2003 PBR

Open Champion * 2004

American Bucking Bull American Bucking Bull, Inc. (ABBI) is an organization dedicated to the registration of bucking bulls and establishing the American Bucking Bull as a documented breed of cattle. American Bucking Bull, Inc., is owned by the Professional Bull Ri ...

(ABBI) Bucking Bull Classic

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

Bull Riding Champion * 2005 PBR Denver, Colorado Chute Out Champion * 2005 PBR Southern Ford Dealers Invitational

Champion * 2005 PBR Jerome Davis Challenge

Champion * 2005 PBR

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

Invitational Champion * 2006 PBR

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

Classic Champion * 2006 PBR

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the list of United States cities by population, 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester ...

Classic Champion * 2006 PBR

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...

Open Champion * 2006 PBR Myron Duarte

Maui, Hawaii Maui (; Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ) is the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the List of islands of the United States by area, 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of ...

Invitational Champion * 2008 PBR

Tacoma, Washington Tacoma ( ) is the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, southwest of Bellevue, Washington, Bellevue, northeast of the state capital, Olympia ...

Classic Champion * 2009 PBR U.S. Army Invitational

Champion * 2011 PBR

Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...

Invitational Champion * 2012 PBR

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

Invitational Champion * 2015 PBR Unfinished Business

Decatur, Texas Decatur is the county seat of Wise County, Texas, United States. Its population was 6,538 in 2020. History Wise County was established in 1856, and Taylorsville (in honor of Zachary Taylor) was made the county seat. Absalom Bishop, an early s ...

Co-Champion

Retirement

Shivers announced that the 2012 PBR season would be his last. He retired after the World Finals that year. His final earnings during his 16-year PBR career total nearly 3.3 million dollars. He was inducted into the PBR's Ring of Honor in 2013.

Unfinished Business

On May 30, 2015, Shivers came out of retirement for one more ride at "Unfinished Business" (a special event featuring several PBR legends coming out of retirement to attempt one final bull, held during the PBR's J.W. Hart Challenge at the Wise County Sheriff's Posse Arena in

). There, he rode a bull named Black Cat for 88.5 points and split the event win with J.W. Hart (whose 88.5-point ride came aboard King Buck). Shivers and Hart were the only two PBR legends to ride their bulls for the full eight seconds in the event.

Honors

* In 2013, Shivers was inducted into the PBR Ring of Honor. * In 2017, he was inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame. * In 2023, he was ranked No. 6 on the list of the top 30 bull riders in PBR history.

Personal life

In 2001, Shivers married his girlfriend, Kylie Morphis. They have three children. In 2019, Kylie was awarded the PBR Sharon Shoulders Award. The Shivers family resides in Jonesville in Catahoula Parish,

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

References

External links

Chris Shivers on PBR.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shivers, Chris 1978 births Living people People from Jonesville, Louisiana People from Natchez, Mississippi Bull riders Professional Bull Riders: Heroes and Legends Bull Riding Hall of Fame inductees