BOWIE, Texas – Before the lights. Before the crowds. Before the gold buckles are even in sight, the Texas Rattlers are already putting in the kind of work that doesn't show up on the scoreboard but sure as hell matters when the gate cracks.

Shoeless kids and ranch dogs tear across the Bowie dirt on a Wednesday morning, chasing each other through the arena before the bulls are even in the chutes. The sun’s up, the coffee’s hot and just beyond the arena, the pullup bars glisten in the morning light — simple steel reminders that bull strength is raw, but bull rider strength is earned.

Meanwhile, inside the arena, the Texas Rattlers are already locked in.

Seven riders stand side by side, listening closely as head coach Cody Lambert steps to the center. He doesn’t yell. He doesn’t need to. Lambert speaks slowly, pausing between sentences just long enough to pull every eye and every ear toward him. He’s not just laying out the practice. He’s setting the tone for the season.

Then comes the team prayer. Heads bowed. Hats off. A quiet moment before the chaos.

And then, bulls.

Vinicius Rodrigues Pereira and Macaulie Leather pull on gold chrome and black fringed chaps, don their gleaming gold helmets and prep to nod their heads with their new family crest — Rattlers across their backs, both making their PBR Teams debut this season and finding their place in the Rattlers brotherhood.

The chutes clang, the dust kicks up and the bulls start spinning.

After the last ride, Lambert hands each man a slip of paper. It’s not for show. It’s a moment to get honest. To put into words what each rider is chasing this season. Goals to anchor them through the highs and lows. A reminder to stay strong — mentally, physically and as a team.

Silence falls as pens scratch across paper, a quiet ritual of accountability and intent, far from the cameras but just as much a part of the ride.

No side talk. No jokes. Just quiet focus as each Rattler leans over the table to write down what he wants from the season ahead.

Then the physical work begins.

They start with laps around the arena, feet — not hooves — pounding through the dust. Then come the resistance bands and warmups. After that, it’s straight to the iron. Five stations, done in pairs, rotating through together. Nothing in this workout is done alone. A deliberate shift from the usual solitude of the sport. Here, even the training is built on trust.

Australian native Brady Fielder kicks off an impromptu solo while lifting, belting out some off-key tune that’s more volume than melody. Nobody really knows what he’s singing, but everybody’s laughing.

Meanwhile, Claudio Montanha Jr. hammers out reps and encourages his teammates with his signature kindness and a sprinkle of humor, spoken in his thick Brazilian accent.

“Be strong, brother.”

That’s the Rattlers in a sentence.

They lift like they ride — together. No one coasts. No one lets up. They know what it takes to compete at the highest level, and they know what it means to do it as a team.

Bullfighter Ed trains right alongside the guys. He’s the Rattlers’ bullfighter, but just as much a part of the family as anyone in spurs. Just don’t ask him about lucky gear, he doesn’t have any.

“I took a hookin’ from Dan’s bull once,” he says, shaking his head. “I don’t fight in those underwear anymore.”

Daniel Keeping doesn’t buy into any good luck superstition either.

“Superstition comes from a man that’s unsure about himself or his future,” he says, packing a fresh dip and tucking the tin back into his pocket. “We’re not unsure about anything.”

But if you ask his significant other, Shelby, she swears her chocolate chip cookies are the real good luck — and honestly, she might be onto something. The stats don’t lie.

Their daughter, Saige, was at practice this week, riding her dad like a bull while he did pushups adjacent to the arena. The team couldn’t stop laughing. That moment said more about the Rattlers than any stat sheet ever could.

The Rattlers bring together riders from Brazil, Australia and the United States. But more than that, they’ve built a family.

And when they break huddle after a long morning of riding and lifting, Coach Lambert tells the team to load up. Steaks are on him. But before they roll out, he leaves them with one final message.

“Be strong from the top to the bottom. That’s what separates the guys who get on bulls from the ones who ride them.”

Come July 11 in Oklahoma City, the Rattlers will be ready — strong in mind, strong in body and stronger together. This isn’t just a team anymore. It’s a family. And they won’t be just bull getter-onners.

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Before the gates crack on a new season, take a look back at the rides that brought the Rattlers to the top. Check out the best moments from their 2023 championship run in this photo gallery: See the gallery

Photos courtesy of Bull Stock Media