Born into bull riding, Luciano De Castro grew up in Brazil’s rodeo country, where his father worked as a stock contractor and bulls were part of everyday life. He didn’t start competing until 16 — but once he did, he rocketed to the top, winning both the PBR Brazil Championship and Rookie of the Year in 2015.

De Castro moved to the United States in 2017 and quickly proved himself among the world’s best. With more than 800 career outs, he’s become known for his consistency and unmatched focus. A six-time PBR World Finals qualifier and was drafted by the Arizona Ridge Riders in the first round of the 2022 Teams Draft, helping lead the team to a runner-up finish in its debut season. In 2025, he capped another strong campaign by finishing 11th in the regular-season Teams MVP race.

Off the dirt, De Castro is a devoted husband and father whose family travels with him to nearly every event. After almost every ride, he looks up to the stands to flash his kids a thumbs-up. In the locker room, he’s known to drop to his hands and knees so his son can ride him like one of his bulls, a playful moment that reminds everyone what grounds him most.

Grounded in faith and discipline, the soft-spoken Brazilian trains several times a week, enjoys jiu-jitsu, and unwinds with soccer, fishing, and Brazilian gospel music. When he’s not riding, he enjoys Brazilian barbecue with his wife, Isabella, or relaxing to a game of soccer — always keeping life as balanced as his form on a bull.