Yeti Junior World Finals

Bull Riders Talk Goals and Mindset

Rough stock week of the 2022 Junior World Finals wrapped up in Las Vegas with Championship Monday, where the next group of World Champion Bull Riders was crowned. Riders making it to the short go battled through three rounds of tough competition, with may posting scores in the upper seventies and even the eighties.

Several of the riders competing in Vegas have been here before, but maybe none as many times as 15-year-old-up-and-comer Trigger Ladd. This year marked Ladd’s 12th trip to Las Vegas.

Trigger Ladd

He has qualified for the Junior World Finals seven times, riding both bulls and bareback his first year along with being a fivetime qualifier and 2021 Senior World Champion in the PBR Miniature Bull Riders Series.

Ladd started out mutton busting when he was just three years old and worked his way up to bareback. A few years later he climbed on his first bull and never looked back. A varsity catcher for his baseball team, Ladd balances public-school and sports with a hectic travel schedule, rodeoing as many weekends as he can.

Learning to find balance is just one of the lessons bull riding has taught him. He has also learned how to find his own sort of calm before each ride. Ladd says his routine before he rides is pivotal to his success. Having a clear head and limiting distractions allows him to lock in on what it felt like the last time he had a great ride. Using this visualization technique propelled him to a top five finish this year at the Junior World Finals.

“Bull riding has taught me not to take anything for granted,” Ladd said. “It can all be taken away from you in an instant. I am grateful for the chances I have had in this sport.”

Trigger Ladd

Ladd continues to take hold of any opportunities that come his way, practicing every day, and getting on new bulls whenever he can.

“It all comes down to practice and the work you want to put in. You will never make it to the top if you are not willing to do the work. Consistency is key. You have to work even on the days when you do not feel 100%.”

Working hard is something Ladd takes seriously because he has seen a huge amount of growth in his riding. Others see it too including American Hats, Rock & Roll Denim, and Priefert, sponsors who help support Ladd by providing him with new gear.

“I have gotten to meet a lot of professionals through my sponsorships, which is an amazing opportunity.”

Having these people in his corner gives Ladd the chance to chase his future goals, including someday winning Rookie of the Year.

“The lessons I have learned from riding are too many to count but the one that I think I have learned the best is to stay humble and stay true to yourself.”

Staying true to himself has allowed Ladd to find success and has given him the chance to do what he does best, to get on good bulls and ride his heart out.

Ladd is not the only young rider making a name for himself in the sport of bull riding. For Ryder Carpenetti, his journey into the world of bull riding was not supposed to turn into a career. He and his father saw a sign for riders, and his father said, “We are going to put you on a sheep one time.”

His father had ridden bulls before but did not expect his son to latch onto it as quickly as he did.

They thought it would be a one-time thing, but “I just kept going back,” Carpenetti said. “I fell in love with everything about riding.”

Ryder Carpenetti

16-year-old Carpenetti lives in Moody, Alabama and attends public school, where he also wrestles, and plays football. Bull riding, however, is his top priority. The adrenaline rush he gets is better than any game on the football field. “It just feels good, and I want to keep coming back,” he said.

Carpenetti loves the feeling of riding, but when it comes to the actual ride, he works to block out the distractions around him. He tries to think of every ride, even one as big as the Junior World Finals, as just another ride in the practice pen. This mindset allows him to settle into the chute and concentrate on getting the job done.

Being in the practice pen is where Carpenetti feels at home.

“There has never been a point where I have wanted to quit,” he said. “You have to learn to love practice if you want to be good at bull riding. It comes down to the process. You have to have the process right to see winning results.”

Even though he did not win a buckle this year in Las Vegas, he remains focused on making himself better. Back at home he continues to get on bulls every weekend, riding in another rodeo just days after flying home. He also works out both in and out of his high school sports seasons to build his strength and improve balance.

Ryder Carpenetti

Along with working out, he watches professional riders in the arena to see what they are doing and he also likes to watch his previous rides, breaking them down with his coaches when he is having a slump. A lot of the time the problem may be missing the front end, causing him to buck off before the buzzer. Seeing what he is doing wrong allows him to visualize his position on

the bull when he is riding, keeping him centered.

Like every bull rider starting out, he has big dreams, “I want to win more money than JB Mauney, and be a world champion,” he says with a grin.

Before he can achieve that, he must continue to improve his skills while anxiously waiting for his 18th birthday, and his PRCA permit. At that point, he plans to make the decision about chasing his dreams in the pros or going to college and rodeoing on a team. Whichever path he chooses, Carpenetti knows that bull riding belongs in his future.

A story about the Junior World Finals would not be complete without talking to the newly crowned world champion, which happens to 16-year-old Hudson Bolton of Milan, Tennessee. Bolton found himself wrapping up an excellent year with a new saddle, new buckle, and the world championship title.

Hudson Bolton

He has been riding for the past five years at the Junior World Finals, but this year is the first year he won the short go. Just last year, he fell short of the championship coming in second by half a point. Second place was not where Bolton wanted to be, and he worked all year long to make sure he came out on top.

This work started a few short weeks after the 2021 finals, when he traveled to Texas to train with riding coach Gary Leffew. Leffew is himself a world champion bull rider, qualifying for the NFR eight times in his career. Now he helps the next generation of riders like Bolton focus on the fundamentals and doing everything right on the bull you draw.

“Working with Gary was a great experience,” Bolton said. “I learned a lot and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with someone of his expertise.”

He knows that in order to maximize what he learned, he needs to do the basics right, which includes maintaining a healthy diet and a regular workout schedule. Ahead of a ride, Bolton likes to stretch, listen to music, and most importantly say a few prayers, before climbing over the gate.

Hudson Bolton

“Praying puts you in the right frame of mind,” he said. “It is the most important part of my pre-ride routine.”

Sure, he gets a little nervous, but like many other riders, Bolton is drawn to the sport because of the rush of adrenaline he gets before he rides. “It’s like jumping off a cliff; you just have to do it. When you’re scared that’s the perfect time to jump.”

This need to “do bull riding” has shaped the person Bolton says he is today.

“I think I will always ride if I am able to do so. There isn’t anything else I want to do. Being a bull rider is who I am, now and in my future.”

That future is something Bolton thinks a lot about.

“I reached a big goal this year but there is still more to do. I also rope and I want to be known for my skills at both riding bulls and roping. I want to be the best at both.”

In a few short years, he will be leaving behind the junior circuit and focusing his energies on making it into the NFR.

“I want to know what it is like to win at that level,” he said. “Winning here is amazing, but to win on that stage would be incredible.”

For more information about the Yeti Junior World Finals, you can follow them on Facebook or check out the website nfrexperience.com/juniorworldfinals. Be sure to check in next month as we feature one young rider in our new column Rider Rundown.

Photos provided courtesy of CAC Media Group.

Katlin Truelson

Katlin Truelson is a member of the CAC Media Group who lives on her family farm and enjoys showing cattle.

The CAC Media Group is a high school student agricultural media team led by Jenna Stevens who strives to give students experience and opportunities to learn more about agicultural communications. To learn more about their group, please visit their website at www.currentagconcerns.com