6 minute read
DYLAN SMITH ISN’T JUST OUT FOR THE BIG BUCKS
Dylan Smith is on one heck of a ride.
The 20-year-old PBR pro from Ararat, Virginia, rapidly rose from a PBR novice to a 2019 World Finals contender.
Stunning performances have garnered him an impressive array of sponsors that include MV Outdoors & Hunting, Driven PCR, Bucked Up Supplements, Manscaped, Little River Customs, as well as agency representation via VM Sports. He documents the rodeo lifestyle for his 367,000 followers on TikTok, where one of his videos has more than 59 million views.
Yet Smith remains humble. It’s not the fortune and fame that drives him. It’s something far less tangible.
“It’s the feeling when you step off,” he says. “It’s kind of indescribable, honestly, unless you’re a bull rider. But every bull rider would probably agree.”
Rodeo Roots
There was never a question in Smith’s mind that he would one day make a name for himself in the PBR.
“Ever since I was young, I watched the PBR. That’s always been what I wanted to shoot for.”
He recalls seeing the movie 8 Seconds and finding himself drawn to sheep riding, with the film’s depiction of a young Lane Frost as his inspiration.
As Smith progressed from sheep to calves to steers and, eventually, bulls, it became clear he had innate talent. With his family’s support, he set out to chase the PBR dream.
Once he turned 18 and was eligible, he began entering PBR events. From there, it was a relatively fast ascent: A few early PBR wins led to a spot on the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour, and more strong placements led to the elite Unleash the Beast Tour.
Just over a year and a half after his first-ever PBR, he’d find himself at the World Finals in Las Vegas. Through years of hard work, dedication and prayer, he’d earned his place among the best bull riders in the world.
Smith’s Rising Star
Well before the World Finals, the rodeo community knew Smith was something special.
Marc Mortellaro, the CEO, President and Co-founder of MV Outdoors & Hunting, was one of many people who recognized Smith’s talent.
“I was watching one of the PBR events on TV, and I just noticed the way he was riding, the way he carried himself,” says Mortellaro.
Trusting his gut instinct, Mortellaro contacted Smith to offer him the chance to become the first-ever sponsored athlete with MV Outdoors & Hunting. Smith was thrilled to accept the opportunity.
“It was my first sponsor, and I was just excited to work with them. I’d seen some of their stuff, and I thought it looked pretty sweet,” Smith recalls.
Mortellaro started MV Outdoors & Hunting on the tenets of strength, perseverance and determination, values he sees in Smith. The brand logo, which company co-founder, Vanessa Poli designed, is an image of a bull. While there’s an obvious connection to bull riding, the duo also chose the animal because it symbolizes those core beliefs. Mortellaro cites the 2019 PBR Unleash the Beast opener at Madison Square Garden as a source of inspiration. A year later, MV Outdoors & Hunting would announce a collaboration with the PBR at the same event, featuring a line of PBR co-branded clothing.
The company’s rapid growth is at least in part thanks to Smith, whose enthusiasm bolstered the company’s profile among the PBR fanbase. But for Mortellaro, the partnership isn’t about reach or influence. It’s about having a connection with someone who authentically represents the brand.
The two are close. When Smith was ready for an agent, he sought Mortellaro’s guidance. Presented with the opportunity to help the young athlete build an incredible future, Mortellaro acquired a license to become a professional agent. He now represents Smith through VM Sports.
“That personal relationship has blossomed into something where I consider him family to me. His mom, dad, brother, everybody,” Mortellaro says. “My gut instinct was right.”
A Dream Come True
Though Smith spent years training for the PBR, it was still shocking to find himself sharing locker rooms with pros he once idolized.
“I had to tell myself every weekend that I belonged there,” he says. “I knew I was there for a reason. I knew I’d worked hard. I knew I could ride the bulls there. But going in the locker room and seeing the guys that I’ve been watching on TV for the past five, six, seven years, it just kind of hit me.”
Of course, having all been beginners themselves at one point, they immediately accepted him as one of their own.
“It felt like I was riding with some superheroes,” Smith says.
Those riders he once admired from afar are now his friends. He describes them as “one big family.”
The 2019 PBR Finals marked a significant milestone for Smith. It was a culmination of everything he worked so hard to achieve. As one of the youngest competitors at the event, he rode alongside world-class pros like Jess Lockwood, Chase Outlaw and José Vitor Leme.
“Even the introduction, when they announced my name out in the arena, that was a surreal moment for me. I’d always just watched it on TV. The top 35 bull riders in the world, all wanting to compete there,” he says.
Smith completed his first ride in Round 4, which only furthered his conviction that he was exactly where he was meant to be.
“It just goes to show that even for a guy from a small town like me, with hard work, you can make any dream come true.”
Photo: Andy Watson / bullstockmedia.com
The Grind Keeps On Going
Though he admits it can be a tough grind, he stresses the importance of cultivating the right mindset.
But Smith looks to God to lead him and encourages others to do the same.
“If you want it, then God will bring it to you. He will take care of everything that’s in the way and clear out your path,” he says. “You gotta give it time and pray with God and try to figure out if this really what you want with your life, or, more importantly, if it’s what He wants for your life. And if it is, and you know a hundred percent without a doubt, then the work won’t really seem like work.”
A Focus on the Future
Though the COVID-19 pandemic left an impact on the PBR, Smith remains optimistic about 2020. He prays for those suffering and for a return to normalcy, with the hope that the second half of the PBR season can continue as planned.
In the meantime, he imparts some sage advice.
“For anyone out there that wants to be a bull rider, that wants to be a world champion or anything… Even if it’s not bull riding, if you just want to be the best at what you do, just trust God. Pray, pray, pray,” he says.
“And don’t worry. Because when you worry, you just increase the chance of whatever you’re worried about happening. Just let it happen. Put in the work that you know you need to put in. And if it’s something that you really want, it’ll happen.” •
