WICHITA, Kan. – With 17 other guys on the scoreboard alongside Hudson Bolton when Friday night’s opening round concluded, the cowboy knew he would need to bring everything he had to the dirt when Saturday rolled around should he want to make some noise inside INTRUST Bank Arena.

At the same time, he was already ahead of 20-some of the tour’s other top talents who had failed to the make the 8 on night one.

And hell, anytime you can drum up some momentum, it makes it a little easier coming back into work for another shift. 

But that could be said for any of the weekend’s riders.

This weekend was Bolton’s Unleash The Beast debut – so, naturally, nerves were a plenty for the 18-year-old. And he was more than ready to climb back into the chutes for a second shift.

Receiving a call from the tour at 10 a.m. on Friday morning, he was invited to the circuit’s fourth stop of the 2025 slate as an alternate. An opportunity he obviously couldn’t turn down. 

“I got the call at 10 o’clock yesterday morning to come, so I hauled butt down here and made it work,” Bolton said.

Sitting back home in Milan, Tennessee, he didn’t have any big plans for the weekend when he woke up that morning. But a brief call from the tour changed that real quick.  

“It’s just a blessing and it’s such an adrenaline rush,” he added.

“I’ve been nervous ever since I got here. Even tonight (Saturday), my palms were swearing the whole way over here,” he said through a smile.

It’s been known the tour has featured the best bull riders in the world for some time now. 

But with guys like J.B. Mauney, Silvano Alves and company recently retiring, one of the sport’s biggest questions remains: Who’s going to replace those cowboys in the near future? 

Who’s going to be the next J.B. Mauney?

Slash, where will the next generation of talent stem from? 

Thanks, in part, to the PBR Camping World Team Series and all the opportunities the 10-team league has created, guys like Bolton are ready to ride when they’re tapped.

Which was rather evident this weekend in Wichita, Kansas, as the youngster made his premier series debut inside INTRUST Bank Arena. 

We’re not suggesting Bolton is the next “John Crimber” per se.

But there’s always a chance!

Especially if he keeps absorbing wisdom from his New York Mavericks coach Kody Lostroh, who knows a thing or two about a thing or two.

“He told me I’m riding them just right, it’s just a faster pace and they’re bigger, stronger and faster bulls. I just have to get used to them and keep getting on them. The more I get on them, the easier it’ll come,” Bolton shared.

“It’s awesome, man. This is the biggest stage there is for bull riding and staying around here with some of the guys I grew up looking up to would be awesome.” 

Going 7-for-18 during his summer slate with the Mavericks, the young talent has flashed promise in the past. Which doesn’t translate 1:1 into the individual season by any means.

At the same time, we’ve seen some beginner’s luck run feverishly throughout the UTB stomping grounds, so we aren’t surprised Bolton came in and had a day. 

Looking back at 2024, we heard a lot from the collective rookie class as the likes of Crimber, Cassio Dias, Clay Guiton and company stormed the scene to comprise one of the most talented groups in recent history. 

And while this year’s group of first-years might not live up to their former class’s reputation, it’s an encouraging sign to see Bolton piece some things together during his first taste of UTB electricity. 

Recording a 2-for-3 effort during his first taste of premier series action, Bolton bested Smoke City for 80.5 points Friday night before lasting the requisite 8 aboard Gene’s Best for a flashy 88.5 points. 

Earning a berth to the short round during his first-ever opportunity, he was one of 12 cowboys who remained in contention when the final go dawned. 

Of course, his dance with Top Dollar didn’t result in a perfect 3-for-3 slate, but we have a feeling he’ll settle for a 169-point aggregate score during his first time beneath the brightest lights in the business. 

Finishing No. 8 overall and earning a welcome 27 Unleash The Beast points for his Top 10 effort, he’s already cracked the tour’s Top 30 ranking, sitting in the No. 29 spot after his favorable start to what could become a lengthy career. 

“It’s a different level of bull riding when you get to this level,” Hudson concluded.

“It’s all about bull riding and it really gets your blood flowing a lot more than just a regular rodeo.”

The youngster looks to keep things rolling during UTB’s upcoming stop in Manchester, New Hampshire, Dec. 20-21. Except this time around, he’ll be getting the invite a bit earlier in the week!

Photo courtesy of Todd Brewer/Bull Stock Media