Swearingen Must Overcome Multiple Injuries at Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals to Keep World Title Dream Alive
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – There are two upcoming surgeries in Daylon Swearingen’s future that are going to keep him sidelined for roughly a combined six months, but the No. 4-ranked bull rider in the world knows being mentally strong is part of the career path he signed up for.
Swearingen understands if he wants to have any chance at winning the 2020 world title that he has to grit his teeth and try to overcome any pain in his body with his season coming down to its final eight bulls before a trip to the operating room.
The 21-year-old heads into the 2020 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals on Friday and Saturday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 738.84 points behind world No. 1 Jose Vitor Leme before turning his focus to the 2020 PBR World Finals in Arlington, Texas, on Nov. 12-15.
“Oh, I just need to make these last couple of rides count,” Swearingen said. “I won’t be able to ride for a little while, so I might as while try and step up and do as best I can. You see J.B. (Mauney) do it so much in his career, and he’s had a great career.
“Being mentally strong is one of the biggest things about being a bull rider. I am trying to push through it and make the best of it.”
The humble Swearingen is facing more than a “little” trip to the sidelines; it is more like six months.
Swearingen learned over the summer that he would need to undergo surgery on his hip following the 2020 World Finals. Swearingen then tacked on the need for another surgery, this one on his right shoulder, when three-time World Champion SweetPro’s Bruiser stepped on him following his 88-point ride in Lincoln, Nebraska.
“I am going to get surgery on my hip after the Finals on that Tuesday,” Swearingen said. “I got a spur on my femur, and I am not sure if I tore my labrum all the way, but they want me to get it fixed. My hip doesn’t bother me. It bothered me a little bit in Guthrie, my groin, and that is how we got to figuring out the problem. Then I took it easy, and worked it out and built up the muscles around it, and I feel pretty good, but they said I need to get it fixed before it starts breaking down my cartilage. My shoulder happened when Bruiser stepped on me. He stepped on my left shoulder, but my right shoulder was up, and the way it was, it tore a couple things in there.”
Swearingen is going to focus for now on trying to do the unthinkable and make a late push at the world title.
He understands he is facing a large climb up the world rankings, but the only way to make it up the mountain is one step at a time.
“Anything can happen,” Swearingen said. “This is such a crazy year with all the COVID and all the protocols. Anything can happen. There is nothing impossible. I have to go in there with the mentality to win, but I can’t put pressure on myself. I need to remember I am doing what I love to do.”
If Swearingen can win every round this weekend, as well as the event average, he could pick up 105 world points. He would then be within less than 635 points of Leme, of course depending on how Leme rides in Sioux Falls, heading into the World Finals on Nov. 12-15 in Arlington, Texas.
For a rider to have a good chance at winning the 2020 World Championship, he will likely need to be within 650 points of the world No. 1 ranking, but there are still a maximum of 1,165 world points available at the Velocity Tour Finals and World Finals.
The trek to what would be a stunning World Championship for Swearingen begins in Sioux Falls on Friday night against Here to Party (5-2, all levels) in Round 1. Here to Party bucked Swearingen off in 7.79 seconds during the Monster Energy Team Challenge in Las Vegas this past summer.
Fans can watch all of the action from the 2020 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals exclusively on RidePass beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET.
In regards to winning the 2020 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour championship, Swearingen is ranked No. 55 and is 67 points behind Leme. Swearingen will need to win the Velocity Tour Finals event average, which is worth 60 points, and then get some help to leapfrog the 54 riders in front of him in the standings.
The big picture, of course, is chasing after the 2020 World Championship, which also comes with the $1 million Monster Energy Bonus and a brand new Ford truck.
Swearingen admitted that his injuries may have played a role in his inconsistencies this season. The second-year pro is 23-for-61 (37.7%) on the premier series with one win and three 90-point rides. Swearingen could have been that much closer to Leme in the world title race if some of his five Top-3 finishes wound up as event victories.
The Velocity Tour Finals will be a good litmus test for Swearingen and his health. He explained his hip is less of an issue for him than his shoulder. The Piffard, New York, native got on a practice bull at his house in Texas and tested out a shoulder brace.
“The hip doesn’t really bother me,” Swearingen said. “It was sore after Bruiser stepped on me, but that is one I can handle really good. My shoulder is a different story. If I get it above my head, it bothers me pretty good. I got on a practice bull just the other day and it didn’t bother me when I got off, but it bothered me that night. I am starting to wear a brace, so I can’t really get my arm above my head really that good, but it still works.”
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/Bull Stock Media
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