Rider Rundown with Macon Thomas

For Macon Thomas, rodeo wasn’t something built on a family tradition and passed down from generation to generation. It was something you watched on television with your grandpa on the sofa on Saturday night. Rodeo was something that someone else did, not him. Eventually, though, that little kid who watched from the sidelines stepped up and took a chance at riding bulls, and in 2023, he found himself competing at the Junior World Finals in Las Vegas and getting his moment to shine.

KT: Can you tell us your name, age, and where you are from?

MT: My name is Macon Thomas, I am 17 and I am from Cuero, Texas.

KT: What made you get into bull riding?

MT: I don’t come from a rodeo background and none of my family does anything with rodeo. I was just one of those kids that when I was younger, I loved following the PBR with my grandpa. I watched Eight Seconds and thought it was the coolest movie, but I didn’t get on my first bull until I was 14.

KT: You definitely have come a long way in four years. How many times have you been to Vegas and what did qualifying look like for you?

MT: This was my first time out here. I qualified in a previous year, but I got hurt beforehand and couldn’t ride. This year though, I qualified through a Branded for Christ series in Texas. I won the series, so I was able to come to Vegas.

KT: What are some big challenges for you bull riding?

MT: I have faced a lot of injuries; I had surgery in July on my collarbone for the second time. I also have to have surgery on my shoulder when I get back home.

KT: That sounds like a lot, what makes you keep going?

MT: There isn’t an option to quit. I have already come really far, and I plan to keep going.

KT: Who are some role models that have helped you?

MT: I have a few role models that have helped me out. One is Dean Huff. He rode bareback horses and bulls in the 90s. He helped me with advice and figuring out what to get on and what rodeos I should be going to.

KT: How does that help you when it comes to practice?

MT: Well, I would say practicing is a big part for me. I get on way more practice bulls than competition, that’s the biggest part for me. I love to get on practice bulls to help keep me fresh and ready for competition.

KT: And with all your practicing and riding in competitions, talk to me about some of the friendships you have made.

MT: I have found my best friends in this sport. They are the guys that push me and make me better and I bring those types of guys with me to these rodeos when I can because they help me to become a better rider and an all-around better person.

KT: Does it ever get competitive between you guys?

MT: Oh yeah, it is pretty competitive. For me, if I fall off, I am hard on myself, but my guys don’t make it any easier. We bet among ourselves a lot that whoever falls off or falls off the soonest has to buy dinner and stuff. We get pretty tough on one another, but it is always in good fun.

KT: Well hopefully you aren’t the one buying dinner too much this year.

MT: I hope not either!

KT: What are the kinds of things that set you apart as a rider?

MT: I have a strong faith in God and my faith is very important to me. I try to be a good example of a Christian.

KT: What do you do in bull riding that allows you to practice this?

MT: I always try to be on my best behavior when I am around others and try to model what a Christian should look like by being respectful and kind. I read my Bible every time before I ride and I try my best to be a positive influence, so others see me and they may also want God to be a part of them. He has allowed me to impact others because of my faith in Him.

KT: And how has your connection to your faith grown as you make your way in this sport?

MT: I would say that learning to be grateful and seeking God out in tough times as much as I do in good times is important. I have learned this from Him through the hardships I have faced in this sport. It has not been easy, but I have continued to find success in spite of the challenges, and it is because of God that this has happened.

KT: What advice do you have for younger kids?

MT: Find the right bulls and don’t get on too quickly. Take it slow. Since I started so late, I found myself trying to get on big bulls too fast instead of getting on smaller ones and learning. All it did was get me hurt. I broke something every few weeks and I didn’t get anywhere. You have plenty of time to get on bigger stuff, but you need to learn the basics first.

KT: That is good advice. We hear that from a lot of riders. It sounds like it is pretty common to want to get on bigger bulls too fast. What are your plans for the future?

MT: I plan to go to college for rodeo at Sul Ross State University. I want to spend a few years there and then hopefully go on to the PRCA.

KT: What are you planning on studying?

MT: I am not a hundred percent sure, but I am thinking ag business.

KT: That is a good degree choice. To wrap up, we always ask some fun questions at the end.

MT: Okay, sounds good.

KT: What was your favorite thing you got to do outside of the JWF while you were in Vegas?

MT: Going to the watch parties. I got to go to the one at Westgate and it was a great experience.

KT: What is your favorite place you have ever ridden?

MT: Probably Del Rio, Texas out of the old-school bucking chutes.

KT: What is your favorite food?

MT: Whataburger. Chicken strip sandwiches are about my diet. I’ve been to the Midwest before and y’all don’t have Whataburgers, so we had to eat stuff like pizza.

KT: Yeah, I have never had Whataburger before. Maybe I will put that on my bucket list this year.

MT: You should definitely try it. The chicken strip sandwich.

KT: I will see if I can get that done in 2024. Okay, last question. If you could take a trip to any other country, where would you go?

MT: I want to go to Australia.

KT: Thanks for chatting with me, Macon, and I hope you have a great 2024 season!

MT: Thank you, ma’am.

KT: For more information about junior bull riding, you can check out the National High School Finals Rodeo page or the Yeti Junior World Finals on Facebook. Be sure to look for a new rider highlighted in our Rider Rundown next month.

Katlin Truelsen is a member of the CAC Media Group and specializes in digital and print media. She is currently a high school junior and lives with her family on a diversified grain and livestock farm in Eastern Iowa.