FORT WORTH, Texas – For fans who have been watching the most talented bull riders in the world give their all week in and week out, the name Mason Taylor will likely ring a bell.

Having shown some sincere flashes during his youthful years on the circuit, Taylor managed four-consecutive Top 20 Unleash The Beast finishes from 2019 to 2022 (2019: No. 18, 2020: No. 15, 2021: No. 11, 2022: No. 12) as his wide smile and fun personality shined bright.

Hell, even a No. 26 finish in 2023 isn’t something to scoff at, as he made it five-straight seasons of Top 30 placements. 

2024, however? A bit of a different story, as he completed his most recent premier series campaign ranked No. 35, watching the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Championship inside AT&T Stadium from the sidelines. 

And by the time the third season of PBR Camping World Team Series rolled to a close just a few months back, the Maypearl, Texas, native had competed for three different teams throughout the five-month season, including the Nashville Stampede, Texas Rattlers and New York Mavericks. 

Things weren’t exactly falling into place for a kid who’s got as much passion, try and talent as any other rider on tour these days. Circling back to the passion point, he’s 100% been known for some post-ride theatrics when things aren’t going his way.

But when Taylor comes to town cool, calm and collected and fans are seeing that sometimes goofy and always wide smile on his face, it’s a good sign we may be getting the Mason Taylor of elder days back.  


There’s something special about approaching a new season with a fresh slate as well. 

New guys. New bulls. New standings to climb and a new world title to chase.

Storming onto the scene back in Tucson, Arizona, during the tour’s season-opening festivities, Taylor made it known early and often that he was willing to lay it all on the line once again. 

Going 2-for-3 on the weekend, he bested both of his long round opponents (including the ever-marketed Whiplash for 87.25 points before improving to a flawless 2-for-2 aboard Lapua, scored 86 points) before selecting a date with King Tut. That matchup wasn’t as fruitful for the 25-year-old, as he came crashing to the dirt, forced to reconsider his short round selection moving forward.

Back at it again during Week 2’s meet-up in Ontario, California, Taylor kept his early-event momentum rolling as he improved to a perfect 4-for-4 in 2025 long rounds by besting Sullivan for a sound 86.5 points in Round 1 before matching Vindicated’s every move in Round 2 for a quality 85.75 points. 

“This is the Mason Taylor we’ve seen a couple of years ago and it’s so exciting to see him back,” Cooper Davis shared via the RidePass on Pluto TV broadcast.

“At this point, we really don’t care what the score is just yet. Mason needs to get some confidence underneath his belt throughout the season.”

But again, he was withheld from the event’s podium pack after being dispatched by his Championship Round opponent, Coach.

Leaving it all in the rearview following a brief holiday break, Taylor entered Enterprise Center last weekend with one goal: Keep it going.

Always one to accept a good challenge and get pumped up in the locker room when he knows his upcoming bull has a chance to stay mysterious, he began his Week 3 performance by producing arguably one of the smoother rides of this season at PBR St. Louis.

Away from his hand, that is.

“There’s not many guys who rides a bull prettier away from their hand than Mason Taylor does,” Davis shared a few weekends back when the tour invaded Ontario, California, for its second premier series showcase of the season.

“He’s so, so good away from his hand. If you ask Mason, he’s better away from his hand that he’s been into it.

Exactly the case in Week 3 when the budding star exited his Round 1 dance with I’ll Make Ya Famous with his fifth conversion of the season.

“You have to let the bull go first,” Taylor shared with Kate Harrison in Week 3.

“I can’t count how many times I‘ve cheated a bull or not let my game plan work. Basics are basics. When you do it, it’s easy.”

Scored 86.5 points for his 8 seconds of work, you could practically see the confidence oozing from the smile-forward talent. 

Officially advancing to 5-for-5 (at the time, now 5-for-6) in long round competition so far in 2025, he’s been one of the tour’s “starting pitchers” if you will, doing the heavy lifting through the first six or seven innings. 

However, unsurprisingly, it’s been the John Crimber and Jose Vitor Leme-like talents who have remained in the “closer” role, able to finish their gigs with rank rides in the short go.

Crimber, who went on to win his second event title of the season, finished his weekend with another 3-for-3 showing. As did Julio Cesar Marques, who captured his career-first No. 2 placement.

Taylor, however, was unable to last the requisite 8 aboard Buffalo Heifer, officially 0-for-3 in the short round this season. 

And while he’s been watching some video and scouting bulls with 2016 World Champion Cooper Davis himself, Coop still believes the youngster needs to take a different approach when selecting his Round 3 opponents. 

“Coop coached me up a bit and told me I was an idiot for the bulls I’ve been picking,” he shared via laughter with Kate Harrison.

“So, he told me to start using my head a little bit more and to not let the pride get in my way.”

Naturally, Taylor wants the big scores like his buddy Dalton Kasel produces somewhat regularly but just hasn’t been able to take that next step in finishing the spur game while making it appear as if he’s dominating his matchups. 

That said, he’s been consistently piecing some usable rides together, including 87.25, 86, 86.5, 85.75 and 86.5-point scores. Thankfully for Taylor, there are a TON of paths to capturing the 2025 world title, but he’s going to need to secure some round and event wins if he’s to catch Kasel, John Crimber and the pack’s current leaders. 

At the same time, he can’t be upset with a trio of Top 20 showings through the tour’s first three events, including a fourth-place effort in Tucson, an eighth-place result in Ontario and a No. 19 finish most recently in St. Louis. 

The important part is he’s got at least one bull rode in each of the three events and at least two qualified rides in two of the tour’s first three showdowns. Plenty of room to improve and plenty of evidence that he’s keeping his name in the hat to make a run.

Entering this weekend’s PBR Wichita showcase ranked No. 11 in the Unleash The Beast Global standings and 5-for-8 on the season, he remains just one of eight riders to have amassed five qualified rides in 2025. If he can continue to piece things together week by week, he’ll not only stay away from the tour’s looming cut line, set to bump several riders ranked above the No. 35 spot down to Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour, but keep himself within striking distance of the title itself.

RELATED: Where to Watch: Wichita

Fans can catch all of this weekend’s plains-based action beginning on Friday, Dec. 13 at 7:45 p.m. CT and concluding on Championship Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:45 p.m. CT. 

All of this season’s Unleash The Beast outs are set to continuing airing via RidePass on Pluto TV, PBR’s YouTube channel, PBR’s mobile app and PBR’s app on connected TVs, including Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku and Google TV.

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media