Outlaw Finally Rides in Front of Home-State Crowd

By: Justin Felikso

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Chase Outlaw took off his helmet and spun around in a 360-degree salute to the Simmons Bank Arena crowd that had just erupted following his first qualified ride in The Rock in three years.

For the last two years, an injured Outlaw would wave to the crowd and politely tip his hat.

This time around, with his father Greg pulling his bull rope on the back of the chutes, Outlaw finally got to give his loyal fan base the show he has so desperately been wanting to give them. He rode Night Moves for 88.75 points and a sixth-place finish in Round 1 of the PBR Bad Boy Mowers Mowdown.

“Man, I’m fired up to be riding here,” Outlaw said. “First time since 2019, and before that, I only rode here one time. Half of the people out there, they’re probably here just to watch me. There’s countless people that’s never been to an event before, that don’t even spend money (on things like this). I know there’s quite a few people that surprised me that said they bought tickets and are coming.

“To give the people from Arkansas something that they’ve been cheering for and wanting to see all these years means a lot.”

Outlaw nearly had to miss his home-state event for the third consecutive year after he partially tore his left groin in the practice pen at the end of January.

The Hamburg, Arkansas native missed five consecutive UTB events before finally determining this past Monday he was healthy enough to make his long-awaited return to the Little Rock dirt.

“I couldn’t hardly walk two weeks ago,” Outlaw said. “Hell, I had to rope a cow last week on a horse, and it was the first time I’d got on a horse, and I had to ride, and it never bothered me. I didn’t realize it until I got on that horse. I didn’t want to go too far because, heck, I didn’t even turn my Buckrite on before I got on that horse last week. It felt fine. It didn’t hurt. I didn’t have any sharp pain. I knew I was just ready to be back.

“We’ve been grinding it out up at physical therapy to get to this day.”

Fans can watch the conclusion of the PBR Bad Boy Mowers Mowdown Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.

Outlaw admits that his own bad decision led to his injury a month ago. He knows getting in the practice pen in below-freezing temperatures was a very poor decision.

“I knew I messed up when I went out and got on practice bulls,” Outlaw said, shaking his head and looking at the floor. “I’ve been riding these son-of-a-guns for 29 years, and I know how to do it. Hell, it was 29 degrees, wind blowing 30 miles an hour. I was out there when my groin popped. I didn’t stretch good enough. I was just wanting it so bad.”

Outlaw has been chomping at the bit to get back after things, but he patiently rehabbed with Nat Grubbs at South Arkansas Rehabilitation. Grubbs has been Outlaw’s go-to trainer ever since he underwent reconstructive left shoulder surgery following his third-place finish in the 2019 world title race.

Two reconstructive left shoulder surgeries and a right knee surgery/hip injury have limited Outlaw to only three Unleash The Beast events the past two seasons and seven PBR events in total.

Outlaw had competed in only three UTB events and one Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event this year before he partially tore his groin.

“Now that that’s happened, heck, we want it twice as bad,” Outlaw said. “Sitting there watching all these bull ridings that’s been happening, points going up, it’s just been sitting there fueling my fire. It might be a short season, and we might be almost halfway through it, but there’s still a lot of bulls left.”

The eight-time PBR World Finals qualifier earned 14 world points Friday to move up to No. 42 in the world standings. Outlaw is down to his final injury exemption dating back to last season, but he is in a good position to potentially earn an alternate position for future UTB events.

The 29-year-old grew up two hours south of Little Rock in Hamburg, Arkansas, and always has a strong contingent of fans whenever the PBR visits Razorback country.

However, just having his father on the back of the bucking chutes with him this weekend is the only reminder Outlaw needed to bear down on Friday night and to get back to pursuing his ultimate goal.

“That’s what it’s all about. I mean, it is having fun and remembering the reason why you do it is that right there,” Outlaw said. “It makes my day having him here just as much as it does his to come out and see his son. All the hours and miles and sweat and welding rods he burned through building me bucking pens for me to get where I am today, and the miles he drove when I was a little kid that was going to junior rodeos that wasn’t paying nothing – to get back to that, that’s really the reason I want to win that gold buckle. To do it for myself more than anything, but just keep making it happen for everyone that’s ever pulled for me and sacrificed anything to get me where I am today is – do it so all that ain’t in vain, and do it for myself to show that – what I’ve worked on my whole life is to be a World Champion.”

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media

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