Born and raised in Piffard, New York — a town of barely 700 people — Daylon Swearingen grew up far from the traditional bull riding hotspots of Texas and Oklahoma.
But rodeo wasn’t a hobby in his family; it was a way of life. His father runs Rawhide Rodeo Company. His mother competed as a barrel racer and trick rider. His grandfather rode bucking
horses.
This weekend, he’ll be competing at Professional Bull Riding’s Unleash The Beast event at Madison Square Garden, which unfolds over three days, Friday through Sunday.
Swearingen attended his first PBR event at Madison Square Garden as a teenager, when his family brought bulls there, watching from the sidelines and dreaming of one day riding there. He returns this weekend as a key member of the Carolina Cowboys — the 2025 PBR Teams
World Champions — facing off against the New York Mavericks in one of the weekend’s events.
“You cannot describe the feeling at a sold-out Garden, when they announce your name…you
can feel the energy,” said Swearingen, the 2022 PBR World Champion.
“Growing up, the goal was always to ride here,” he said. “To come back here, in front of a New York crowd — it means a lot.”
The edge-of-your-seat event features a rider atop top nearly a ton of bucking muscle,
gripping a rope with one hand and trying to hang on. Each event features a series of high-stakes matchups.
Riders need to stay on the bull for eight seconds to qualify for a score, with their free hand raised in the air. The bull is scored as well. Judges deliver the scores, and the team with the highest score after a round of rides wins that matchup.
Over the past decade, PBR has expanded, adding international tours, major television partnerships, and a team-based league modeled after other sports. Last year’s PBR event at the Garden sold out, drawing a crowd that blended longtime rodeo fans with a more mainstream crowd.
Western culture in media
That electricity is not lost on actor Neal McDonough, who starred in, co-wrote, and
produced the film The Last Rodeo, and has become a passionate advocate for the sport.
“I love being part of the western culture, especially at Madison Square Garden, coming up the tunnels on a horse with a packed house, are you kidding? To me this is the greatest thing,” he said at last year’s event.
Swearingen was cast in The Last Rodeo.
“It’s a film about family, faith and the pursuit to keep going,” said Swearingen. “My role
was that of a cocky bull-rider and I try not to be.”
Swearingen also starred in the Prime docu-series, The Last Ride, which pulled back the curtain on the lives of riders — the injuries, the travel, the mental toll.
“I have to say without question,” McDonough said. “These are the toughest guys in sports.”
