What started at a small rodeo in Missouri ignited a lifelong passion for bull rider Hudson Bolton. Now, on the verge of making bull riding history, Bolton is chasing a feat no one has ever achieved: capturing both the PBR and PRCA Rookie of the Year titles in the same season. After securing his PBR rookie title earlier this year, he’s setting his sights on the 2025 NFR in Las Vegas, ready to etch his name into the record books.
“My parents never rodeoed, so I’m first generation. My brother always wanted to ride bulls, so one year at a little Thursday night rodeo in Missouri, he decided to check it out,” Bolton recalls. “I went along, not really caring much about rodeo, just following him. I ended up getting on a mini bull, and I’ve been hooked ever since. After that, I started finding junior high rodeos in Tennessee and getting more involved.”
Throughout high school, Bolton continued playing football while also rodeoing. Eventually, he had to choose between the two – and he chose rodeo. He decided to homeschool so he could focus fully on bull riding. From there, his career took off, leading him to be picked as the New York Mavericks’ first-ever draft pick in 2024.
“It’s been a blessing to be on that team and get drafted like I did,” he praises. “I thought I rode bulls well, but I was just a kid from Tennessee, and I don’t think a lot of people really ever heard of my name before I got drafted. I’ve learned a lot from them, and being able to have a coach that’s been a world champion to ask for advice is great. It’s also been good to have older teammates that have been going longer and have more experience.”
Competing in both the PBR and PRCA has been a demanding yet rewarding challenge for Bolton. While most competitors enjoyed an offseason, he spent his time either on the ProRodeo road or competing in PBR events.
“I’ve been running, and I haven’t really had many breaks like most people this year. I’ve been on a lot of bulls this year compared to most guys and it’s been tough to handle, but it’s pretty cool being the only guy that’s made the NFR, the PBR Finals, and the Team Finals all in one year.”
Heading into his first NFR sitting number one in the rookie standings and sixth in the world may be intimidating for some, but not Bolton. He credits the intensity of the PBR for sharpening his focus and teaching him how to perform when the stakes are highest – an edge he’s carrying with him to Las Vegas.
“I know it’s going to be a big stage,” Bolton says. “But I think the fast pace and big crowds of the PBR have really prepared me for the NFR. I know it can be nerve-wracking, some guys come in riding great and then don’t cover a single bull, but I feel like that PBR experience will carry over well. It’s taught me how to stay calm, handle the pressure, and just do my job.”
For Bolton, the 2025 season is about more than competition; it’s about legacy.
“There’s a world champ every year, but being the first to do something no one’s ever done is what gets remembered,” he shares. “It’d mean the world to me to put my name in the history books like that. Money comes and goes, but making history – that’s something nobody can ever take away from you. That’s truly something awesome.”
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