PUEBLO, Colo. – Used to executing strategies while moving upwards of 180 miles per hour, planning ahead has always been effortless for Carolina Cowboys General Manager Austin Dillon.
As a five-time NASCAR Playoff Series qualifier and winner of the 2018 Daytona 500, Dillon is no stranger to victory lane. In NASCAR, the driver gets the spotlight and the glory; the driver gets his picture taken in victory lane.
But what the public doesn’t see is the planning and strategy that goes into winning a race – all under the leadership of a crew chief overseeing a highly driven team on pit row, in the garage, at the race shop, and at a host of other touchpoints. All of whom spend countless hours meticulously analyzing every detail of the #3 Chevrolet Dillon will steer to victory.
When he steps out of the car, Dillon – general manager of the Carolina Cowboys – reverses roles, becoming a “crew chief,” responsible for giving the Cowboys the best riders available for Head Coach Jerome Davis’s lineup card. Assembling a 2023 roster that included the likes of 2022 PBR World Champion Daylon Swearingen, 2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis, and seven-time PRCA World Champion Sage Kimzey, it’s hard to argue with the talent Dillon has brought to the organization.
That roster did not build itself through an idle front office. The Carolina Cowboys are arguably the most active team in the league, fearless on the trade market, relentlessly pursuing desired draft picks and free agent riders alike.
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In fact, on Friday, they picked up eight-time World Finals qualifier Derek Kolbaba from the Florida Freedom in exchange for future considerations.
As the 2024 PBR Teams Expansion Draft and New Rider Draft approaches, Dillon will be one of the most interesting GMs to keep an eye on.
The tendency of his team to wheel and deal with roster changes also parallels how Dillon operates on the racetrack.
Just as they carefully measure and adjust the aerodynamics of his racecar, Dillon and the Carolina Cowboys organization analyze bull riders from every angle, always framing those findings under the lens of who could become the franchise’s next face.
At a recent private practice session, some riders for the Cowboys were there, but more importantly, the team was also scouting talent intending to declare for the 2024 New Rider Draft. Leaving no stone unturned, Dillon and the Carolina Cowboys are putting in the work, determined to feel as prepared as possible for the upcoming draft.
In possession of the Missouri Thunder’s first-round pick in the 2024 New Rider Draft, obtained via trade for Boudreaux Campbell, Carolina may receive a top pick when the draft lottery takes place.
The 2024 Unleash The Beast Tour has introduced a plethora of rookies. With the likes of No. 2 John Crimber and No. 17 Clay Guiton, there is a wealth of other prospects who have yet to make their debut under the bright lights of team competition.
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One of those contenders is Gavan Hauck.
The Bandera, Texas, native attended the previously mentioned practice pen hosted by the Carolina Cowboys last week. The now-18-year-old Hauck participated in basically every sport a child is allowed to try their hand at, but at around the age of 10, he decided bull riding was his true passion.
No stranger to success, Hauck qualified for the 2022 Texas High School Rodeo Association State Finals as a Junior.
This may not sound significant, but in states like Texas, it’s a true accomplishment.
Former Texas High School Rodeo Association State Champion bull riders include Stormy Wing, Cody Teel, Davis, Andrew Alvidrez, Campbell, Dawson Gleaves, and most recently Crimber, all of whom have made an impact at the professional level with the PBR and PRCA.
Iron sharpens iron – exemplified by the crop of top riders emerging from the Texas High School ranks. Hauck is a living example of that, competing alongside current stars Crimber and Kaiden Loud throughout his journey, exposed to a high level of competition for most of his life.
As seen on UTB telecasts, the 28th state is home to some of the best bull riders in the world and some of the fiercest bulls in the industry.
No. 2 Crimber and No. 3 Dalton Kasel are in hot pursuit of the current No. 1 bull rider in the world, Cassio Dias, as was No. 4 Austin Richardson before his season-ending injury—all hail from Texas.
On the bovine side, the No. 3-ranked bull in the 2024 YETI World Champion Bull race, Flyin’ Wired, calls Texas home.
Hauck seems poised to continue the Texas tradition of excelling on the world stage. He recently finished fourth at one of the PRCA’s largest winter rodeos, the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo in San Antonio, Texas. Riding both his bulls throughout the Semi-Final and Final rounds in San Antonio, Hauck put on a clinic.
In the Semi-Final, the Pete Carr bucker that Hauck had drawn stood no chance, as he executed away from his hand like a seasoned veteran.
He says “staying out over the front end and staying small with my free arm” is his key to converting on bulls away from his hand. “That bull was kind of wanting me down on his head, but if you get over the front of them (bulls), they have no power to try and snatch on you.”
Hauck doesn’t make huge moves with his free arm; he consistently matches the bull’s front end every time the bull brings it off the ground, answering the bull with each kick.
One rodeo, one performance, or one particular bull ride does not guarantee long-term success. But here’s a rider who grew up dreaming of riding in those kinds of venues and found a way to succeed during his first trip to San Antonio.
“It means the world to me to be able to do well at a bigger rodeo like that,” he said. “And being one of my first bigger rodeos, it makes me feel like I belong there. There are a lot of riders that dream of riding in a place like that, and I’m thankful that I was able to qualify and make it to the Semi-Finals and Finals.”
What is more encouraging is that the 18-year-old is excited about the opportunities the PBR Teams league presents. He’s eager to potentially set his gear bag down next to his heroes, such as two-time PBR World Champion and Nashville Stampede rider Jess Lockwood.
Hauck values not only Lockwood’s ability in the arena but also his approach to the sport. He’s not the first young rider to look for Lockwood’s guidance. Crimber and Lockwood share a personal relationship, another example of iron sharpening iron.
But where does Hauck fit into the mix of the talented 2024 rookie class?
It’s tough to say. Without knowing exactly who is declaring for the New Rider Draft, it’s hard to predict if he will hear his name called on draft day.
Undeniably, Hauck is a young guy who oozes positivity. One of the most important traits he believes he can bring to an organization is “A positive mindset and way of thinking.” In a sport as mentally taxing as bull riding, positivity is required.
Along with a positive mindset, Hauck clearly has a work ethic.
When he isn’t strapping cattle, you can find him with his farrier tools, doing the back-breaking work of spending extended periods of time crouched over a horse’s hooves.
When he’s not shoeing horses, Hauck enjoys, as he calls it, “cowboy stuff” and getting on practice bulls regularly when his body permits.
The Texan clearly has embraced all facets of the culture – something that is a bit underrated. Bull riding requires feeling the bovine opponent underneath; spending an extensive amount of time with horses and on the back of both a horse and bull will increase a rider’s ability to feel and react to an animal in the arena.
With the 2024 PBR Teams New Rider Draft fast approaching, the fact that the Carolina Cowboys and their general manager Dillon wanted to look at Hauck tells us that Hauck has impressed enough to warrant consideration for draft day, something that the 18-year-old has dreamed of since his journey began.
All organizations are scouting bull riders in the United States and around the globe. We can use the transaction history of the Carolina Cowboys to deduce that Dillon knows exactly what he’s looking for.
The only place success comes before work is the dictionary, a statement that is true for Hauck and the Carolina Cowboys alike.
Hauck got into this sport to be the best bull rider he possibly can be. Dillon and the Carolina Cowboys clearly share the same mindset regarding their organization; it’s about winning a championship in Carolina.
Unlike work, preparation comes before success in the dictionary. Hauck and the Carolina Cowboys organization clearly understand the importance of preparing themselves for what lies ahead during the PBR Camping World Team Series.
Will the two get together and make a perfect fit? Only time will tell.
Cooper Krause is a member of the PBR production team, driving a semi-truck to haul steel and equipment to events around the country. A dedicated student of bucking bulls, he is on point for rounding up the animal athletes when they’re done bucking. The views expressed in this article are independently his own.
