The 2022 PBR World Champion and Carolina Cowboys rider Daylon Swearingen won’t just be in Sunrise, Florida, this weekend to ride — he’s also there to meet the fans who’ve been in his corner through every high and low.

Before climbing back in the chutes, Swearingen will be at ABC Fine Wine and Spirits in Oakland Park on Thursday, Aug. 7, from 3–5 p.m. for an exclusive autograph signing. It’s a rare chance to swap handshakes and stories with one of the sport’s toughest cowboys, just days before he tests himself in Freedom Days competition.

And “test” is the key word. Swearingen still has to pass concussion protocol on Friday after taking a chin shot from Project X in Duluth that ended his weekend earlier than the buzzer. He avoided stitches, and with no headaches or lingering symptoms, he’s hoping for a much quicker turnaround than last November’s concussion, which kept him out until January.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” Swearingen said. “If it happens again, I’ll take the time — but right now I’m ready.”

Carolina Cowboys coach Jerome Davis isn’t about to waste that readiness, but he’s also not rushing his rider back in. “I don’t do it a lot,” Davis admitted. “We’re gonna sit Daylon after that hit he had the other week. We’ve got all these other guys right now, and I want to leverage them a little more, take a little heat off some of the guys. There’s a good, really good chance Saturday and Sunday we’re gonna see him again.”

That “other guy” is rookie Alisson de Souza, who Davis says has been sharp in the practice pen and will help take some pressure off the team’s veterans.

For Swearingen, this weekend is more than a comeback bid — it’s about showing up for the people who show up for him. “My fans have always stood beside me,” he said. “I’ve had a rough little while, but I love seeing all the fans and look forward to seeing them all there on Thursday.”

Like Cody Johnson sings, “Every scar has a story and leaves its mark.” Johnson might be a better singer than bull rider, but the sentiment still hits home. Texas Rattlers coach and bull riding great Cody Lambert told Swearingen the same thing: “You’re not a bull rider until you have one of these scars.” His response? “I guess I’ve been a bull rider long enough.”

If all goes as planned, those fans will see Swearingen back in the fast lane, with little more than a smudge on the chrome, by Saturday, chasing another ride, another win, and another reminder that a cowboy’s toughness isn’t measured by how hard he hits the dirt, but by how fast he gets back up.

Photos courtesy of Bull Stock Media