FORT WORTH, Texas – When Sunday afternoon’s final round of the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Eliminations concludes, 20 men will find themselves heading to AT&T Stadium, where the industry’s top honors await.

Riders ranked inside the Top 15 of the Unleash The Beast World Championship standings, alongside the Top 5 performing individuals from the Eliminations event leaderboard, will earn automatic bids to Jerry World, home of the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Championship, May 18-19.

The remaining riders will return to the Fort Worth Stockyards next week for their final chance to earn a spot. And with Daylon Swearingen entering Saturday night’s third round ranked No. 20 overall, he was on the outside looking in despite being just one of three World Champions in this year’s draw.

So, he did what all bull riders do when they’re staying loose and having a grand ole time:

Let 'er rip ‘til 8 and celebrate!

Teaming up with an old friend in Hoka Hey for a round win-tying 89.25 points (alongside No. 2 John Crimber), the Piffard, New York, native got things back on track inside the historic venue. Knowing he’s had some good fortunes when paired with the animal athlete in the past, he couldn’t help but smile when asked about the bovine he’s now 4-0 aboard.

“We’ve had a little bit of a break. We kind of go way back,” Swearingen said of his Round 3 opponent.

“I’ve had him a couple of times this year and he’s kind of helped me get through these tough times I’ve been having. I just knew I had a great bull and a great opportunity to change it around and I just had to make something happen.”

Originally besting the bull last summer sporting his Carolina Cowboys colors for 88.75 points in Kansas City, Missouri, he doubled down during the 2024 campaign, logging 87.25 and 86.75-point strikes in Jacksonville, Florida, and Nampa, Idaho, respectively.

But it was his most recent conversion, marked the highest of the four, which got the talent out of the Danger Zone and officially one spot inside the bubble cutline as things sit heading into Sunday.

Top to bottom, it hasn’t been a great season for Swearingen, now 17-for-59 after improving to 1-for-3 on the weekend Saturday night. Instead of running away from the pressure, or letting it consume him, he’s been embracing it lately. Letting it run through him.

“I’ve been putting pressure on myself,” he shared.

“Pressure is good when you know sometimes you just have to let loose and enjoy it. This is what I love to do and I get the opportunity to do it. I haven’t been doing what I need to be doing, so I kind of just took the pressure off myself and just came to have fun today.”

Jumping up to the No. 15 spot after earning 68 UTB points by finishing off the highest-scored ride of the season, he’s now that much closer to having his spot solidified inside AT&T Stadium next weekend.

Which is 100% still his goal this weekend.

“I definitely want a spot at AT&T, it’s just figuring out how to get there,” Swearingen said.

“It’s kind of a different pressure that we’ve never had that deal where you have to go on and you have to make it there. You don’t want to ride here Wednesday and Thursday (referencing the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Ride For Redemption), so it’s just about making the best out what of what we can.”

For a while there, Swearingen was looking for the light at end of the tunnel.

But with a spark of momentum here, he could be the very train we’ve been waiting for this season.

“This is bull riding. Anything can change at any moment. You just have to take it one step at a time, one ride at a time," he said.

“There’s a lot of points and a lot of money up for grabs this week. I can turn my whole season around just be having a good Finals and making some money.”

Visiting with fans following a few on-dirt interviews, he eventually signed a few autographs and posed for a picture before heading back to the locker room to weigh out his bovine options for Sunday.

RELATED: Teenage phenom John Crimber ties for Round 3 win at World Finals - Eliminations to reclaim No. 2 rank

With the 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series just around the corner, it’s not shocking that the talent intended to tap his coach, Jerome Davis, when considering his Round 4 bull draft selection.

Even if he wasn’t his coach, he’s a legend in his own right. And a figure, nonetheless, in the rider’s life.

“Jerome and I are going to go back there and look at some bulls, draft this next round, and just come back the same as today: Just go out there and have fun. Do what I love to do.”

Set to dance with Doze You Down Sunday afternoon, the very bull Kaiden Loud just posted a flashy 91.75-point on Friday night, the Monster Energy athlete will look to make some noise when the four-round showdown concludes Sunday, May 12 at 2 p.m. CDT.

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media