PBR | Ethan Winckler

Biography

Ethan “Wink” Winckler — or “Baby Gorilla” to his best friends — has been turning heads since he was crowned the Miniature Bull Riders Junior World Champion at just 12 years old. The Winnie, Texas, native grew up in the dirt, the kind of kid his parents say could only be compared to J.B. Mauney’s son, Jagger — a kid who brought new meaning to the term wild child.

When he turned 18, Winckler wasted no time going pro, and the Carolina Cowboys quickly took notice, selecting him in the first round of the 2024 PBR Teams New Rider Draft. Under the guidance of Head Coach Jerome Davis, he delivered one of his biggest rookie-year moments — an 88.5-point ride on Mr. Wilson in Brooklyn — before helping Carolina charge all the way to the 2025 PBR Teams Championship inside T-Mobile Arena.

Away from the dirt, Winckler keeps a tight circle of best friends who keep him grounded and laughing. His dog Bellie is rarely far from his side, and if he had to pick a most-prized possession, it’d be his mom. Before every ride, he grabs a banana, celebrates afterward with a steak dinner, and fuels long hauls with Funyuns and good stories. Back home, his favorite bull Sling Shot is more pet than practice, and his go-to pump-up song, Mount Everest, gets him locked in before every out. Still a kid at heart, his favorite show is Tom & Jerry — fitting for a cowboy who never seems to stop chasing the next ride.

Dec 12 - 13, 2025

Manchester, NH

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