Q&A: A conversation with 23-year-old bull rider Mason Lowe

Riding a bull is "90 percent mental, and the rest is physical,” says Lowe.

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Cheer on Mason Lowe, who will ride bulls in for the Professional Bull Riders at the PBR Built Ford Tough Series, February 24–26 at Scottrade Center. 

Here's what it's like to be a bull rider, as told to St. Louis Magazine. 

  • Most of the time, people either think I’m dumb or crazy.
  • My dad put me on a calf when I was 3, and that’s where it started. My dad competed on the amateur level, and I had an uncle that rode in rodeos. 
  • I’ve always taught myself through watching other people ride. There are [bull-riding] schools, but I never went to one. I just looked at my heroes. They’re great for a reason. 
  • To practice, a lot of people have barrel machines that buck like bulls. I try to get on real bulls, even if they’re easy ones, just to get the feel for one and where I need to put my body.
  • It’s really all about your reaction and keeping your mind on where you need to be and not what the bull is doing.
  • A lot of people work out, do stretches; some people do yoga. I do work around the house and feed the cows and horses—that’s my exercise.
  • It only takes one bull to change a losing streak. Then you can get right back on top again.
  • I try to not even look at the videos of other people riding the bulls. You can mess yourself up thinking about it. 
  • It’s 90 percent mental, and the rest is physical.
  • This year, I pulled a bunch of stuff in my wrist and hand and cartilage. I split my lip down the middle and got a few stitches in my leg. I got my teeth knocked out. I don’t wear a helmet, so that’s the reason, I guess. I’ve been riding this good without it, so I don’t want to change anything up.
  • Before a competition, I don’t really get too excited. I like to chill out—then I just kind of show up and stay on.
  • A lot of people think that a pair of jeans can give them good luck, but I don’t have any superstitions. 
  • Last year, I wore my dad’s chaps. He was pretty excited that he got to see them on TV. 
  • This year, I had chaps specially made that have a wolf with a headdress on it. No one wants to mess with a wolf.
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