Dallee Mason Captures First Career Xtreme Bulls Division 1 Win
FORT WORTH, Texas – The plan Dallee Mason had for the Division 1 Xtreme Bulls event in Fort Worth, Texas, wasn’t a plan at all.
After competing at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver, Jan. 21, the Weiser, Idaho, cowboy caught a ride to Fort Worth hoping he would get to compete in the Xtreme Bulls Division 1 event Jan. 22. Some things had to fall Mason’s way to get to ride in Fort Worth because he was an alternate – and they did.
“I got the call about halfway to Fort Worth that I was in and I had a bull,” he said.
Mason entered the 80-rider field and took full advantage of the opportunity.
He won the two-head average with 174 points at the Will Rogers Coliseum.
“This win ranks right up at the top of my career list,” Mason said after winning an Xtreme Bulls Division 1 event for the first time. “I’m really excited about this. I like it when a plan works out. The roll always starts with one.”
The Fort Worth Xtreme Bulls was a two-day event, concluding Jan. 23. Trevor Kastner, who rode the final night of the competition, finished second in the average with 172.5 points, followed by Clayton Sellars (170.5).
Mason, 31, had a strong start, registering an 86.5-point ride on Andrews Rodeo Company’s Western Rebel. He answered with an even better trip in the short round, posting an 87.5-point ride on Hurst Pro Rodeo’s Yellow Hair.
“I had never been on either of the bulls,” Mason said. “I had a good start (in the long round). In the short round, I knew the bull I had (Yellow Hair) and I was pretty excited to get on him. I knew I just needed to stick to the basics and keep riding through the whistle. I was told he would be right there in the gate and that’s what he was. I just kept hustling and riding, and it worked out well. He was a good bull to have.”
Yellow Hair bucked off Chase Dougherty (Round 3) and Tyler Bingham (Round 7) at the 2018 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December in Las Vegas.
Mason earned $13,198 for his performance.
“That could not have come at a better time,” Mason about the payday. “I was in need of winning something. This sets me up for the rest of the year.”
Sage Kimzey, the reigning five-time world champion, had the top ride in the long round – for both nights – with an 89-point trip on Silver Creek Pro Rodeo’s Sudden Debt. However, the Strong City, Okla., cowboy was bucked off by Andrews Rodeo Company’s Slingshot in the short round.
Kimzey has won three of the last four regular-season Xtreme Bulls titles, including the last two.
This was the season-opening Division 1 Xtreme Bulls event. The remaining Division 1 events take place in San Antonio (Feb. 23); Fort Mohave, Ariz. (March 1-2); Del Rio, Texas (April 26-27); Reno, Nev. (June 20); Spanish Fork, Utah (July 20); Lovington, N.M. (Aug. 6) and Ellensburg, Wash. (Sept. 1).
Mason wants to use his Fort Worth win as a springboard to qualifying for his first Wrangler NFR.
“The plan is to get to Vegas,” he said. “I just have to keep my mind straight and keep hustling and staying on bulls.”
Mason’s top three seasons money-wise came in 2014 ($46,389), 2016 ($45.977) and 2015 ($45,509).
“I’m going to keep riding bulls as long as I can keep winning,” Mason said. “Right now, I feel like I can ride any bull.”
Courtesy of PRCA