An Interview with
DAYLON SWEARINGEN
Rodeo Life: How did you get started in rodeo
Do you remember your rst compeon
How did you do
Daylon Swearingen: My family has been involved
in rodeo for generaons from my grandfather all
the way down to me. I have always loved to go
to rodeos. I rode sheep then moved onto unior
steers and won my rst buckle in New York as an
8-year-old.
RL: What is your favorite rodeo and why
DS: I like most of them, anyme I get to ride is a
good day for me.
RL: In your opinion, what has been the
greatest win so far in your career and why
What rodeo do you hope to win this season
What is the ulmate goal for your career as
a professional cowboy
DS: inning the Naonal High School Bareback
Riding last year. I hope that it helped those on the
East Coast know that if you work hard and prepare
you can come out here and be compeve. Any
rodeo I enter, I hope to win. My ulmate goal as a
professional cowboy is to keep working to become
a beer person physically, mentally and spiritually.
RL: What is life like for you on the rodeo road
Do you have any traveling partners How long are
you on the road rodeoing on average each year
DS: I do not have any consistent traveling partners
because I am sll in college and have to go
to classes during the week. I am usually traveling
when I am not at college.
RL: What is your favorite part about living the
rodeo lifestyle What is your least favorite part
DS: I love seeing the country and traveling to
dierent states and throughout Canada. e have
some beauful scenery and excing things to do
here. My least favorite thing to do is drive.
RL: If you could only choose one event to
compete in which would it be and why
DS: Bull Riding. I raise some bucking bulls and
research their breeding. I enoy taking care of
them and seeing how they buck as they get
a lile older.
RL: Is there one parcular bull that you
want to ride that you haven’t faced yet
What about a parcular bucking horse
DS: Bruiser, I would love the challenge to ride him.
Rawhide ProRodeo has a bucking horse named
Kimberly that I watched grow up and she has
become a prey good horse and I would like to
draw her. She looks fun to ride.
RL: What are some of your non-rodeo hobbies
DL: I enoy hiking, mountain biking, and hunng.
RL: Is there anything you thought you knew about
the rodeo lifestyle that turned out to be dierent
when you really immersed yourself into it
DS: It’s polical and you really need to study the
rodeo entering, traveling, ights, bucking stock
and the list goes on. There is a lot of research that
has to be done to be successful in this sport.
RL: How has it been compeng with more veteran
riders Do any of them give you any advice
DS: It makes me step up my game and takes everything
to the next level. Many have given me advice
and I am glad to take it and appreciate the me and
encouragement they have shared with me.
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Rodeo LIFE 39
Photo by PRCA ProRodeo