2019 Rookie of the Year and Team USA Eagle Kasel to Debut in Los Angeles
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – 2019 Rookie of the Year Dalton Kasel looked up at the sparkling 67-pound PBR World Championship trophy that features 5.08 pounds of gold and 30.8 pounds of silver during the Monster Energy Garden Party on Jan. 3 and became inspired.
The trophy, which was crafted by Montana Silversmiths in three different countries (the U.S., Mexico and Italy), has 67 diamonds on it, but Kasel was not overwhelmed by the estimated $500,000 pillar displaying bull riding excellence.
Rather, the thought of one day seeing his name on that trophy that had him glowing.
“It was a big eye-opener in New York,” Kasel recalled this past weekend. “I saw it and thought, ‘My name is going to be on that.’
“It just really clicked after my season last year.”
One month later, and Kasel has confirmed he is set to make his season debut Friday night at Iron Cowboy, presented by Ariat.
Round 1 airs exclusively on RidePass beginning at 10:45 p.m. ET.
“I haven’t felt better and craved something so much,” Kasel said. “This last week has been absolutely awful, just wanting to get on bulls. I want to get on bulls, and I wanted to get on them already, but I knew I needed to trust the process. Just being patient sucks at times.”
Kasel missed the first five events of the season recovering from offseason surgery on both of his torn groins. The 21-year-old attempted three practice bulls on Monday night at Riley Samford’s ranch in Texas.
“Bucked off, and then was good on the other two,” Kasel said. “I am sore but not hurting. I’m pumped.”
Kasel still has plenty of time to make a push at the 2020 World Championship.
Only two PBR Rookie of the Year winners have went on to win the world title the following season – Silvano Alves (2011) and Jess Lockwood (2017).
Lockwood only competed in 20 events in 2017, and last year he competed in only 18.
“That (world title) has been a big deal to me,” Kasel said. “That is right there in the back of the mind this whole time. I can’t wait.”
Kasel finished 2019 ranked eighth in the world standings despite not even making his Unleash The Beast debut until Aug. 10 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after he was given an invite from the PBR’s competition committee.
That invite turned into a Rookie of the Year title as Kasel quickly proved he belonged alongside the PBR’s best riders.
Kasel went 14-for-35 with two 90-point rides, the Nampa victory and four Top-5 finishes in 10 events.
Lockwood averaged 88.25 points per ride, which was the best ever by a PBR World Champion.
In comparison, Kasel averaged 87.93 points per ride in those 10 UTB events.
Most of all, Kasel did all of this with his right groin getting worse and worse, to the point that it was completely torn off the bone by the time Dr. William Meyers performed surgery on Kasel in Philadelphia the week after the 2019 PBR World Finals.
A healthy Kasel should be able to accomplish that much more in 2020 with nearly a full season on tour.
Kasel has eight guaranteed Unleash the Beast events before being subject to the cutline.
He has been rehabbing his injury daily, and has been testing it on the ranch as much as he can.
“I was roping some cows the other day,” Kasel said. “I leaned over and my saddle slipped some, and I was like, ‘Oh, this is going to hurt.’ Before I had surgery, it would have hurt a little bit. But I had no pain. I was like, ‘Oh shit, it is about to go down.’
“I am excited.”Only two PBR Rookie of the Year winners have went on to win the world title the following season – Silvano Alves (2011) and Jess Lockwood (2017).
Lockwood only competed in 20 events in 2017, and last year he competed in only 18.
“That (world title) has been a big deal to me,” Kasel said. “That is right there in the back of the mind this whole time. I can’t wait.”
Kasel finished 2019 ranked eighth in the world standings despite not even making his Unleash The Beast debut until Aug. 10 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after he was given an invite from the PBR’s competition committee.
That invite turned into a Rookie of the Year title as Kasel quickly proved he belonged alongside the PBR’s best riders.
Kasel went 14-for-35 with two 90-point rides, the Nampa victory and four Top-5 finishes in 10 events.
Lockwood averaged 88.25 points per ride, which was the best ever by a PBR World Champion.
In comparison, Kasel averaged 87.93 points per ride in those 10 UTB events.
Most of all, Kasel did all of this with his right groin getting worse and worse, to the point that it was completely torn off the bone by the time Dr. William Meyers performed surgery on Kasel in Philadelphia the week after the 2019 PBR World Finals.
A healthy Kasel should be able to accomplish that much more in 2020 with nearly a full season on tour.
Kasel has eight guaranteed Unleash the Beast events before being subject to the cutline.
He has been rehabbing his injury daily, and has been testing it on the ranch as much as he can.
“I was roping some cows the other day,” Kasel said. “I leaned over and my saddle slipped some, and I was like, ‘Oh, this is going to hurt.’ Before I had surgery, it would have hurt a little bit. But I had no pain. I was like, ‘Oh shit, it is about to go down.’
“I am excited.”
This weekend will be a good test for Kasel, especially if he advances to Round 5 and attempts four bulls on Saturday night. Team USA Eagles coach Justin McBride can get a good look at Kasel’s health in person. McBride had no qualms about putting Kasel on his squad at the end of the December. He was fully aware of Kasel possibly not having much time, if any, to prepare for the 2020 WinStar World Casino and Resort Global Cup USA, presented by Monster Energy, on Feb. 15-16 in Arlington, Texas.
“If he is ready, he is definitely a guy we want,” McBride said in December. “We are hoping that he is ready. It is going to be cutting it really close, but what I have seen out of Dalton, I am not worried about him not riding for a few months leading up to it. I am not concerned with it at all. I would even be fine with him not going to an event and coming over to (Cody) Lambert’s and getting on a bull of J.W. (Hart)’s before just to be ready a week or two out, because he has a natural understanding of bull riding that most guys don’t have.
“Is he technically as sound as where I think he can get? No. But he has a really good feel for the middle, and I think we can match him up. If we get Fearless, he is getting on him. Hopefully he heals up and is ready to go.”
Kasel said he was not surprised to still get the call from McBride.
“I wasn’t completely surprised, but I was honored that it actually happened,” Kasel said. “It is that he trusts me to do that even with me being out for three months.”
Kasel has never ridden inside STAPLES Center, and this will only be the second PBR Major of his career. It was in Nashville last August where Kasel broke onto the scene with a 92-point ride on Fearless during the Music City Knockout PBR Major.
The Muleshoe, Texas, native finished runner-up in the event to Marco Eguchi after three-time World Champion Bull SweetPro’s Bruiser bucked him off in 7.7 seconds.
The idea of winning more than $100,000 and riding in a historic venue in downtown Los Angeles is meaningful, but Kasel admitted that right now he is just happy to be back doing what he loves to do.
The practice pen on Monday night was his Super Bowl.
“I just have been wanting to get on bulls so bad right now,” Kasel said. “I was excited to get on practice bulls. I light up when I talk about getting on. I am excited. I missed it so much. It has been too long.”
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko