Tumut cowboy Dylan Weir has claimed the top spot on the 2023 Xtreme Bulls Tour, finishing strongly to take home over $12,000 in prizemoney.
Competing at the Penrith Xtreme Bulls event in November, the 23-year-old was the only cowboy to stay on his bull for the required eight seconds, scoring 82.5 on Road Runner to
claim victory and $9000 in winnings.
Then, at Tamworth on January 20, Weir finished third in the Xtreme Bulls event, riding Josey Wales to a score of 81.5, which made him another $3,400 richer.
Overall, his efforts at Penrith and Tamworth were enough for Weir to be declared the Xtreme Bulls champion for 2023.
“I wanted to win it,” Weir said.
“I said to the Mrs at the start of the year that I wanted to win it, and I went to the last event of the season and won at Penrith, and I was the only one that stayed on and won $9000,
which put me in front.
“At Tamworth, I got on three bulls and rode one of them, and that got me the win, and I ended up with about $3,500 and over $12,000 for both events.”
It was tough going at Penrith, with Weir, the only cowboy to get the job done despite 14 competitors taking two rides apiece.
“They had a different contractor at Penrith, and no one was used to getting on them, which made it hard,” Weir said.
“Still, it was good to have a challenge and get on stock we didn’t know.”
Weir, one of the best young bull riders south of Sydney, claiming victories in most local events over the years, attributed his recent success to his work with Tumut thoroughbred trainer Kerry Weir.
“I think it helps that I’ve gone back trackwork riding; that is the biggest thing,” Weir said.
“When I’m back doing that, it keeps me fit and helps with my natural balance and reaction time.
“I ride five or six a morning, and the way I see it, riding a horse and bull are pretty similar.”
While he’s an established name on the APRA (Australian Professional Rodeo Association) circuit, Weir is eying bigger things.
He would love to progress to the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit before moving to America.
“That’s the goal,” Weir confirmed.
“My next step is to get my PBR card, ride the main events in Australia, get a start over here, and hopefully, that gets my foot in the door before I look to make a move to the States.”
For now, Weir will compete in APRA events closer to home, taking on the Cooma rodeo on Friday, which he won back in 2017.
Then he heads to Wagga on Saturday, taking on the Wagga Pro Rodeo, another event he won in 2020.
There is the Tumut Rodeo in April, and Weir will be searching for his first hometown victory since 2019.
“I’ve got Cooma and Wagga this weekend, and there is a bit coming up,” Weir said.
“I will be doing every APRA rodeo down this way until they go to Queensland, and hopefully, I can get a few results.”
