‘Being in the moment’: Diné finishes 4th at Unleash the Beast PBR Ariat Invitational

WINDOW ROCK

Riding at a high level has been a constant for Diné bull rider Keyshawn Whitehorse.

The McCracken Springs, Utah cowboy illustrated that with his impressive skill set at the recent Unleash the Beast PBR Ariat Invitational Presented by Cooper Tires in Billings, Montana.

Whitehorse covered 2-of-4 bulls at the First Interstate Arena at MetraPark for a fourth-place finish at the conclusion of the three-day event that ended on Sunday.

“I had a pretty solid event up there in Billings,” Whitehorse said. “It definitely could have gone a lot better but I’m very grateful for what I had and what I accomplished.”

On two rides, Whitehorse tallied 177 points, including a first-place ride of 89.5 points in the opening round aboard Crazy Doc (Paradigm Bull Company).

“I felt pretty good,” he said. “I was in a zone. My confidence was going strong and I wasn’t doing too much thinking behind it all. I just let my mind stay free and let my body do what it knows best with all the years of training I did. It allowed me to be in that moment.”

And although Crazy Doc was a great draw, Whitehorse wasn’t sure if his score would hold up.

“He was a solid bull to get on,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to win the round or not because there is plenty of great riders and great bulls to get on.”

After posting a no-score in the second round, Whitehorse bounced back with an 87.5 effort on Shiznit (D&H Cattle Co/Andrews Rodeo) in the third round.

In the championship round, Whitehorse was roughly five seconds short of making a qualified ride on Trail of Tears (Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger/Clay Struve/MAGA Cattle/Roper Angus).

With his two scores and fourth-place finish in the aggregate, Whitehorse earned 55 points to his world standings total of 168 points as he moved up five spots to the No. 25 position.

“I like where I’m at right now,” he said. “It’s better than where I was earlier in the season so I’m very thankful for that.”

Nevertheless, the 2018 Rookie of the Year is looking to aim higher with less than two months before the world finals.

“I know that I should be a lot higher in the standings,” Whitehorse said. “That is what I’m shooting for and I’m going to continue to have that mindset. I’m going to keep chipping away and it should all come together.”

With 11 events left in the season, there are plenty of points up for grabs starting with this weekend’s PBR Lucas Oil Invitational in Des Moines, Iowa. The two-day event will take place at the Wells Fargo Arena on Sept. 19-20.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the next event,” Whitehorse said. “Being able to come out good in my last event helped me in the world standings. More than anything it’s a huge confidence booster in my riding abilities.

“I’m really looking forward to keep the ball rolling and keep that momentum going,” he added. “I want to keep that confidence up and keep riding at a high level.”

With ambitions of winning a world title, Whitehorse said he’s going to continue to work hard at his craft, knowing that anything can happen.

“Anyone in the top 35 in the world can become the No. 1 bull rider,” he said. “There’s a reason why they’re in the top 35 because they have the talent, ability and skill level to become a world champion.

“You have to earn it,” he said. “You just don’t wake up and have it handed to you. You have to work at it and collectively I’m trying to put it all together.”

Since his arrival to the PBR four years ago, Whitehorse said the one match-up he would like to face is Sweetpro’s Bruiser (D&H Cattle Co/Buck Cattle Co).

The all-star bovine is currently ranked No. 8 in the world standings with a 44.75 average score. In 2016 he was named the PBR Bull of the Year and he held that distinction for three consecutive years.

“I know he’s kind of older but when I came into the PBR he was already seasoned,” Whitehorse said. “Hopefully I can get him covered so that I can check him off my resume.”

On a different note, Whitehorse said he’s pleased to hear that the Navajo Nation is making strides in its fight against COVID-19. Because of the pandemic, the PBR’s Bucking on the Rez in Window Rock was cancelled and that event would have taken place earlier last week.

“Any type of pandemic causes challenges for everyone,” he said. “But I’m glad the Navajo Nation was able to take the necessary steps on shutting down the rez on the weekends.

“The other day I heard there was zero COVID cases and I’m happy to hear that we’re coming out of this,” he said. “It’s the first time that’s happened since March so that’s a huge improvement.”

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