By Michael Kinney
J.B. Mauney’s life has centered around bull riding. Some of the North Carolina native’s earliest memories were of him studying the sport.
“From the time I was old enough to put a tape in the VCR, all I watched was bull riding. That’s all I watched,” Mauney said. “When I came home from school, the rule of thumb was I had to do my homework before I could watch bull riding. And it was eating and sleep bull riding every day in my life.”
More than 1,000 bull rides, $7.6 million in prize money, two PBR World Championships and a host of records later, Mauney had elevated himself to the level of the premier rider in the sport and showed no signs of slowing down.
But on Sept. 6, 2023, Mauney’s career came to a sudden and untimely end on a fateful night in Idaho when he was bucked off the bull Arctic Assassin and landed on his head and broke his neck. Four days after surgery, Mauney announced he was done.
“I was forced into retirement all of a sudden,” Mauney said. “They always say bull riding’s a game of inches. And I always said, one day it’s here and the next day it could be gone. And that’s pretty much how it happened. Broke my neck, had to retire and I was pretty much sitting at home with a neck brace on not being able to do a whole lot.”
At just 37 years old, Mauney had to find something to do. After chasing the thrill of taming a 2,000-pound beast for the past two decades, sitting at home on the couch was not going to cut it for him.
“I didn’t know exactly what it was. Everybody told me that I could be a good commentator,” Mauney said. “I can do it, but liking doing it is different. And so I actually kind of said “What do I do? Do I want to do that? And then when Brandon (Bates) called me, I was like, ‘Hell yeah, that’s way better. That’s way better than having to sit in front of a camera all night.”
As the General Manager of the newly formed Oklahoma Wildcatters, Bates was searching for a coach to lead the franchise into a new era as a member of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) league. Headed by Midwest City native and Liv Golf Champion Talor Gooch, the Wildcatters wanted the best bull rider ever to be the face of their venture.
“What I expect is the state of Oklahoma to rally behind Talor Gooch and what he’s trying to do in this state and come see a very talented team whose number one goal is to represent Oklahoma,” said Gooch’s manager Preston Lyon. “And that’s going to be done by our leader, JB Mauney. And so if all I can tell him is buy a ticket, sell it out because we’re bringing the best bull rider to ever do it back and he’s going to lead the charge for the state of Oklahoma.”
Mauney was introduced as the Wildcatters coach on Feb. 27 at a press conference at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in downtown Oklahoma City. Gooch was overseas working at his day job as a professional golfer and was unable to be at the event. However, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell were both on hand.
“I have always been a fan,” Stitt said of bull riding. “When this team concept came up, and then obviously you look at the ownership of it with Talor Gooch and what the team concepts meant to professional golf now, I just think it’s a great idea, great concept. I thought absolutely anything that’s going to promote Oklahoma, I’m all for it.”
When Mauney was first approached about the idea of coming out of retirement to join the Wildcatters, he had a few questions that needed to be answered.
“Brandon called me and said, ‘Hey, would you be interested in maybe coaching a team? I would entertain the idea but I said, ‘Who’s team? What are All the details? He told me and two days later, he was at my house talking to me in person,” Mauney said. “I met Talor and I said, ‘Hell, I’m in. Let’s do it.’ And it worked out good. It was a way for me to continue to help bull riding. I love bull riding. Bull riding It’s been my life since I was three years old and I can give back to it at the same time.”
With the addition of the Wildcatters and the New York Mavericks, the PBR now consists of 10 teams. They include the Austin Gamblers, the Carolina Cowboys and the Nashville Stampede.
Each team is made up of a group of riders and they tour the country battling head-to-head for a season-ending championship. The PBR made a stop in Oklahoma City last year.
Mauney and Bates will build the Wildcatters’ roster through the 2024 Expansion Draft. The team will be able to add to the team by signing unrestricted free agents as well
Even though he is going straight from bull riding to coaching, Mauney is confident he can make the newer generation of riders better at their craft.
“They’ll come around. A lot of guys take me the wrong way because I don’t sugarcoat a whole lot of stuff,” Mauney said. “And especially for sure when it comes to riding bulls, I shoot it like it is and I tell them what I think. But the proof’s in the pudding. Look at what I’ve accomplished and I didn’t have all the talent in the world when I was younger. I had to work at it every day of my life to get there. And that’s what I wanted to do. And I was going to do whatever it took to be the best. So, if they want to get gold buckles and win championships, you’re going to have to work every day, and I’m damn sure going to make them.”
The Oklahoma Wildcatters will open the 2024 PBR season July 12-14 at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The same building that houses the Oklahoma City Thunder will be the Wildcatters’ home. Tickets go on sale March 4.
Lyons said the same things that drew Gooch to bring a team back to his home state is what will get fans to pack the arena to watch bull riding.
“It’s easy to follow and the passion seeing six guys on the back of the bucking chutes going crazy when their guy holds on for eight seconds to win,” Lyons said. “It’s the excitement that the fans will get to see, and that’s really what drew (Gooch) to it. It’s already an electric sport due to the danger of the sport. So now that it provides an easier way to follow in a sense that I’m pulling for this team and I know he needs to ride to do that from a fan standpoint, it makes it electric for them.”
IG: mkinneymedia
X (Twitter): MKinneyMedia
Youtube: Michael Kinney Media
Photos (SmugMug): Michael Kinney