PUEBLO, Colo. – Tate Pollmeier had kept his cell phone close to him throughout the 2022 PBR Team Series Draft, presented by ZipRecruiter, especially once Kansas City Outlaws’ coach J.W. Hart told him during the third round that he was hoping to select him come Round 5.
Pollmeier was at home in Fort Scott, Kansas, with his dad, Mark, and his mother, Jamie, watching the draft live via RidePass on Pluto TV. Pollmeier didn’t expect to get drafted, so he decided to spend the night with his parents at home watching the draft.
The family certainly became excited when Hart had reached out to Pollmeier during the eventful evening. According to Tate, he had conversations with about four teams prior to the draft, but those convos made the three-time Kansas High School Rodeo Association state high school bull riding champion believe free agency would be his best path toward joining one of the eight inaugural PBR Teams.
As the draft continued, Pollmeier peered down to a text from Hart during Round 5 showing his name on the official draft card that the Outlaws General Manager Jim Smith would be handing over to the PBR backstage with the 36th overall selection in the draft.
“When I saw that picture, I knew it was happening,” Pollmeier recalled during the PBR Teams Preseason Event in Tryon, North Carolina. “We were watching it live at home. I had people telling me congratulations before I even saw it because it was delayed in our TV. My mom and dad, all of us, were just so excited knowing I was going to the big leagues.”
Hart knew of at least one team that may have considered selecting Pollmeier, so he said during the draft that he and Nashville coach Justin McBride agreed to not take any of each other’s preferred youngsters in the draft.
“This is a kid I have had my eye on for a couple of months now and I think there are a lot of guys down at the end of the line, I know me and Justin (McBride) made us a little deal a couple weeks ago that I would stay off one of his young guys if he stayed off one of my young guys,” Hart said during the draft. “I am excited to have him. I know he is watching at home. He is going to be a player. He is going make an impact, a big impact, just like the other four young guys he will be competing with.”
Not only is Pollmeier slated to compete in the PBR Team Series, but he will do so by riding for essentially what would be considered his hometown team.
Fort Scott is only 100 miles south of T-Mobile Center – the home venue for the Kansas Outlaws and Outlaw Days on Aug. 5-7 – in the Power & Light District in Kansas City. Tate’s parents met in Fort Scott when Mark was college rodeoing for Fort Scott Community College and he would go on to spend a few years riding in the PRCA.
Tate believes many bull riding and rodeo fans in Kansas will adopt the Outlaws as their favorite team.
“It is pretty cool that out of all eight teams, I am getting to be on the one closest to home,” Pollmeier said. “I know I brought a lot of Outlaw fans from Kansas and my dad’s family is from Iowa. I am sure there is going to be a lot of people in Kansas City I know. There will be a little bit of nerves. Mainly I will focus on doing my job and staying on.”
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Pollmeier went 1-for-4 in two preseason events for the Outlaws and he now will turn his focus to the short round at the International Finals Youth Rodeo on Friday night where he is looking to win a second consecutive bull riding championship in that association. Pollmeier is currently sitting first in the event average.
Then he heads to the National High School Rodeo Association Finals taking place July 17-23 in Gillette, Wyoming. Pollmeier is tentatively slated to ride on July 19 and July 21. Also expected to compete at the high school finals is Nashville’s Mason Moody and Jaxton Mortensen.
The youngster has yet to find success at the high school finals, but Pollmeier is hopeful to change that this month before gearing up for the PBR Team Series season-opener in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on July 25-26.
"Everything can be used as a steppingstone, and that is a pretty good size one going up to nationals, knowing you were the best in the state,” Pollmeier concluded. “It is a confidence booster for sure. I have two Top-15 finishes (at nationals). Hopefully we do better than that this year.
Photo courtesy of Andre Silva/BullStockMedia.com