MESQUITE, Texas — The buzzer, a clean dismount and a flurry of cowboy hats and emphatic cheers are what Dane Cipriani remembers most about the moment he earned his way to the top of the bull riding world.
Cipriani, a Hamlet native, rode his way to his first world championship title in Texas early last month.
Spending five days in Mesquite, the Richmond Senior High School sophomore clinched the senior championship at the World Champion Mini Bull Riding world finals in style.
Competing against other riders from around the country in the senior bracket (ages 11-14), Cipriani bested the field of 73 riders.
Riding bulls weighing between 800 and 1,200 pounds, Cipriani was the lone rider in his championship series to survive all four qualifying rounds to the final horn without getting bucked off.
“It feels pretty good, it’s definitely a dream come true,” Cipriani smiled. “I wanted it really badly this time, so I was really determined to ride well. I was extremely focused and I worked with Michael Lane from PBR and that really cleared my mental state.
“My mindset was just to hang on and do what I was taught,” he continued. “I talked myself up a lot and said that I could do it and it worked.”
Making his third appearance at the WCMBR world finals, Cipriani continued to climb the ranks of the bull riding arena by placing for the first time.
All 73 riders competed through the first two rounds, as Cipriani advanced after successfully riding Raisin’ Cains and Fred.
Riders received scores based on their time on the bull, their positioning while riding and the toughness of the bull’s movements. Cipriani scored third overall (72.0) in the first round, followed by a winning score of 74.5 in the second round.
Making it to the semifinal round of the top 20 riders, Cipriani drew a second-place score of 64.5 while riding 95 Honkey, which sent him to the finals.
Through the first three rounds, Cipriani won a combined $2,109 in prize money and earned a buckle for his first-place finish in the second round.
That set him up for his final ride on T-Bone in the top 10 championship round, which also featured the top 10 bulls from throughout the week.
Vickie Mathis, Cipriani’s mother, knew even before the chute opened on the final ride that her son would be the world champion.
“Me and the other mamas were keeping track of all the scores,” Mathis explained. “And we knew between the semifinal and championship rounds that he had a great shot at winning.
“And then when two other riders were bucked off, we knew Dane’s average score was too high and he couldn’t be caught,” she added. “He didn’t know that himself and he didn’t even need to ride the final round.”
But Cipriani wowed spectators and the judges with his championship ride on T-Bone, collecting the week’s highest score of 77.5.
“I remember that he bucked to the left, which is my weak side,” Cipriani recalled. “But it was a good ride and I stayed focused. After I got off the bull I just saw people throwing hats and cheering and I started running.
“It felt great to win, everyone was hugging me. Afterward we went to the hotel and I fell asleep. That’s how I celebrated.”
In total, Cipriani won $9,140 in cash and prizes for becoming the WCMBR world champion. He also got a customized bull rope, vest and hat from MX, as well as a pair of Apex boots.
Most of the money, Cipriani said, went into savings. But he will also use some of it to pay for his next big event in Las Vegas next month.
What started as a dare from his twin brother Lane to gather the courage to ride bulls, Cipriani will prepare for the Leal’s Junior National Finals Rodeo Bull Riding world championship from Dec. 6-11.
A televised event, Cipriani will contend for another world title in the junior championship bracket, which features heavier bulls.
Between now and then, he’ll return to Texas the day after Thanksgiving to ride in the Stockyards Championship Rodeo, an invite-only event at the Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth.
Since he started competitively riding bulls during Halloween weekend 2021, Cipriani has seen his journey buck up and down. With some early injuries behind him, he hopes to stay on top.
“I didn’t expect all of this success when I started,” Cipriani admitted. “When I broke my arm and was out for a while, I felt like I wasn’t getting noticed. I really had to earn my credit back but now I’m on top of the world.
“I really try not to let it all go to my head, but it is exciting. I hope I can ride the best I can and win some more titles in Texas and Las Vegas.”
Mathis said one of her greatest joys is watching all of her children compete in whichever athletic event they’re participating in. But there’s something special about how bull riding has taught Cipriani several life lessons.
“Bull riding is humbling because he can win worlds one day and be bucked off the next time he goes out,” Mathis said. “He’s come a long way in a short amount of time and we’re really proud of him.”
“I want to thank all of my sponsors,” Cipriani closed. “And of course I want to thank my mom, my friends and my rodeo family for all of their support. They do everything from pull my rope to pray with me before I ride. We’re one big family.”
