Cort McFadden was destined to be a cowboy. The grandson of a rodeo hand and son of four-time PBR World Finals qualifier Cory McFadden, the Novice, Texas, native grew up chasing buckles across the country and dreaming of becoming one of the riders he saw on TV. After competing on the Howard College rodeo team in Big Spring, Texas, McFadden took the next step toward his dream, joining the PBR at just 19 years old.

In his early career, McFadden quickly turned heads with his poise and power, highlighted by a career-best 90-point ride on Ricky Vaughn and a 13-for-29 (44.83%) season that earned him the longest ride streak in Wildcatters team history. His breakout performances and steady climb through the ranks have positioned him as one of the sport’s rising stars, closing out his rookie individual season No. 16 in the world.

Now under the guidance of Oklahoma Wildcatters Head Coach J.B. Mauney, whom he looks up to both as a coach and mentor, the 21-year-old — nicknamed “The Texas Hammer” (or as his teammates joke, “The Rubber Mallet”) — continues to showcase his grit and old-school cowboy toughness against the best bulls in the league.

Off the dirt, McFadden’s world still revolves around horsepower — just the four-legged kind. His three colts — Peanut, Yeller, and Dollar — are his most prized possessions, and he spends his weeks training them as team-roping and heeling horses. Away from the ranch, he loves golfing and admits that if he weren’t a bull rider, he’d be on the green chasing birdies. His go-to post-ride meal is sushi, and his favorite gas-station snack is teriyaki beef jerky — because, as he puts it, he’s “pretty basic.” But there’s nothing basic about his bull riding talent.