Ezekiel “Zeke” “Blue” Mitchell may be the only professional bull rider to have learned the sport on YouTube. A Rockdale, Texas, native, Mitchell studied clips of his heroes online, built his own drop barrel, and climbed on his first bull at 16. A first-generation bull rider, he turned that self-taught start into a career that’s made him one of the PBR’s most recognizable faces and a mainstay inside the Top 30 of the world standings, with over five PBR World Finals qualifications to his name.

After beginning on the Touring Pro Division and winning the 2017 Touring Pro Division Championship, Mitchell broke through in 2019, finishing No. 15 in the world and quickly earning a spot among the sport’s elite. His high-marked ride of 93 points on Smooth Operator in 2021 remains a career highlight. In PBR Teams, he rode a key role for the Austin Gamblers, and in 2025 joined the Texas Rattlers, studying under Head Coach Cody Lambert and helping the team to a third-place finish that season.

Known for his vibrant style, million-dollar smile, and appearances in Prime Video’s The Ride and GQ, Mitchell has become one of the sport’s most visible ambassadors. Away from the arena, he’s as grounded as he is entertaining. His nieces and nephews call him “Uncle Pickles,” and his favorite post-ride meal is Wingstop — lemon pepper and Louisiana rub wings with Cajun sauce, fries, and honey mustard. His go-to gas station snack? Salami, cheese, and crackers with a strawberry-kiwi Vitaminwater and a handful of gummy bears.

A former football and rodeo athlete, Mitchell now calls Winston-Salem, North Carolina, home. Grounded in his faith and inspired by Jesus Christ, he lives with the same toughness and loyalty that define his favorite movie, the classic Western Tombstone. A devoted Dallas Cowboys fan, he can just as easily be found listening to Chris Young or Marvin Sapp, watching Family Guy, or flashing that trademark smile in the locker room. Zeke Mitchell embodies the modern cowboy — confident, faithful, and unmistakably himself.