FORT WORTH, Texas – Bob Mitchell’s Round 1 ride at the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Ride For Redemption wasn’t pretty.

He hung onto Mama’s Boy to make the 8-second whistle, but only barely, awarded a qualified ride after a judges’ review deemed him to still have hold of his bull rope despite being unseated.

Mitchell was awarded 81.25 points for his efforts and sits in sixth place heading into Round 2 on Thursday.

But the ride was worth more than the points. It was all about confidence.

After going 0-for-4, Mitchell turned to his Kansas City Outlaws head coach, J.W. Hart.

“I’ve been having problems with into my hand, and I’ve been losing my rope a lot, too,” Mitchell said. “But I went up to J.W.’s house Sunday night and worked out with him, and got on one bull Monday, rode him. Then I got on four bulls yesterday. He kind of worked with me. We went over what I was doing wrong. I wasn’t staying square and everything. Just getting the help from him, (assistant coach) Guilherme (Marchi), all them guys, just gave me the confidence to come in today and actually ride again.”

And while it was close, he definitely didn’t lose his rope. The judges said so.

Mitchell’s gritty effort is emblematic of the mindset of the Outlaws as a whole. Let by Hart, nicknamed the Iron Man for his record-setting streak of 197 consecutive premier series events, the Outlaws value the ability to tough it out.

It’s no coincidence that No. 1 Cassio Dias, No. 7 Koltin Hevalow, No. 17 Julio Cesar Marques and No. 35 Mitchell all competed in more than 20 Unleash The Beast events this season.

“Guys that we drafted from the States, we studied to be that way,” Hart said. “With Guilherme, we studied the guys and researched them. And then we talk to them and recruit who we think are going to be the tough guys. Because there’s no doubt about it: bull riding’s tough, and you’ve got to be tough, and if you’re not, you’re playing second fiddle to the guy that is.”

It’s not that Hart has impressed the value of toughness on his team – it’s what he looks for that’s already in them.

“We just kind of put a little spit polish on them, that’s all,” Hart said. “They’re all great bull riders. We just try to polish them up a little bit.”

Toughness is just one of the qualities Hart will look for in new prospects at the 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series New Rider Draft on May 29 in Nashville, Tennessee.

“I really like youth,” Hart said. “Most all our guys on our team are really young. That’s impressionable. They want to learn, are eager to learn. That’s the guys that we’re looking for, is the guys that want to come ride bulls and get better than they are today.”

Mitchell, the 2022 Rookie of the Year, is still just 20 years old and learning plenty. Spending time with Hart and his wife LeeAnn, Mitchell says, has been invaluable.

“I feel like it’s changed me as not just a bull rider,” Mitchell said. “I feel like being around him and LeeAnn and Guilherme and everybody, I feel like it’s changed me as a person all around. They’re literally like family now. Like, they are family now. I couldn’t be more thankful having them guys in my corner.”

Mitchell will need to use every bit of confidence and toughness he’s got if he wants to advance to the PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Championship on May 18-19 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Twenty riders already earned their places by being in the Top 15 of the standings or the Top 5 performing riders in the four Eliminations rounds.

The five riders atop the Ride For Redemption leaderboard after the two rounds will join them.

So far, Mitchell isn’t letting the pressure cooker situation get to him.

“I guess I just wanted to get on more bulls,” he joked with a laugh. “Not really. But no, it really don’t matter. God’s got a plan for everything. Just ride it out. Just keep your mind straight. No matter how hard it is, don’t let yourself get too far down.”

Mitchell plans to keep things status quo as he looks ahead to Round 2, which begins at 8:30 p.m. ET on RidePass on Pluto TV. He sits sixth in the event standings, and the top five advance. He must ride in Round 2 to have a chance at getting into the Championship.

Stay calm, stay collected, and stay Outlaw tough.

“Just stay focused and don’t think about it too much,” Mitchell said. “Same thing as you did tonight, because when you think about it too much, your mind gets in your rope. When you don’t think about it and keep it simple, it’s way easier.”

Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media