Rodeo world mourns 24-year-old bull rider Dylan Grant

The rodeo world is grieving the loss of professional bull rider Dylan Grant, who died after sustaining fatal injuries during the Wharton County Youth Fair Xtreme Bulls event in Wharton, Texas, in front of 2,500 spectators. 

Grant, 24, was bucked off and then trampled by a bull during the second round of competition on April 3. According to a statement from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, medics at the event immediately responded and transported him to a waiting helicopter. He was flown to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in Houston, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Grant’s alma mater, the University of Wyoming, issued a statement, remembering him as a “champion of life inside and outside of the arena.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Dylan’s father, Wade, and Dylan’s mother, Tiffany, during this unthinkable time. Dylan was a proud 2023 graduate, earning his degree in Physical Education Teacher Education. Dylan was a champion of life inside and outside of the arena,” the statement read. “Once a Cowboy, Always a Cowboy.”

In an interview with ABC News, Wade Grant shared that, after being thrown, the bull stepped on his son’s neck.

“He ran out of the arena and straight to the ambulance with these injuries,” Wade Grant said. “Dylan was double tough.”

During the interview, Wade Grant defended bull riding, saying that the event was “very, very, very, very rare. It was a freak accident.”

Originally from Laramie, Wyoming, Dylan Grant was a rising star in the sport. He first obtained his PRCA permit in 2018 and officially joined the association with a PRCA card on February 14, 2024. His profile on the PRCA website lists total career earnings of $15,710, including $3,760 this season.

According to the PRCA, Grant’s talent and grit were on full display during his collegiate years. In 2021, while riding for the University of Wyoming rodeo team, he claimed the bull riding title at the Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo. He scored 169.5 points on two head, including an 86.5-point ride on The Cervi Brothers’ Classic Equine Bad Memory in Round 3.

Wharton County Sheriff Shannon Srubar confirmed the incident and expressed condolences: “Prayers are with Dylan Grant, his family, and the rodeo community,” Srubar said in a statement.

The PRCA echoed those sentiments, stating, “The PRCA would like to send its thoughts and prayers to bull rider Dylan Grant’s family, friends and the entire rodeo/bull riding community.”

The team at Lawton Xtreme Bulls paid tribute to Grant in Lawton, Oklahoma. “In honor of our young pal,” they shared, “Dylan will be the last cowboy ever to draw the great Yelawolf.”

Yelawolf, an NFR-qualified bucking bull was turned out one final time — not for points, not for show, but in memory of a the cowboy.

“A young man with a life lost, doing what he loves, chasing dreams, was a life worth living,” said the announcer. “His life was a celebration.” 

Chuck Coon shared a tribute to Grant from fellow bull rider Brodie Bates. 

“He loved Wyoming and wore brown and gold with unbridled pride,” wrote Coon. 

Grant had competed in numerous PRORODEO and Xtreme Bulls events throughout his career and was known for his dedication and sportsmanship.

The rodeo community continues to rally around Grant’s family, remembering him as a passionate and fearless competitor who embodied the spirit of the sport.

“We have lost one of our own,” read a tribute posted by the PRCA. “Dylan’s legacy will live on in the arena and in the hearts of those who ride for the brand.”