Eight-year-old Hesston McArthur from Huntington traveled to Guthrie, Okla. on Oct. 11 to compete in the International Miniature Bull Riding World Finals, where he finished as the #5 bull rider in the world.
McArthur qualified for the world finals by competing in the Utah Miniature Bull Riding Association Rodeos throughout Utah as well as the Chad Casperson Association Rodeos in Utah and Idaho. He has been riding bulls for the past few years in rodeos and practices twice a week in Elmo thanks to Cody and Angie Jensen as well the Clinton Coyne family.
On the Utah circuit this season, McArthur won rodeos in Spanish Fork, Genola, Santaquin, Ogden, Lake Town, Marysville and Ferron. He also placed second in the Diamond Fork winter series. McArthur is the #1 points leader in the Utah Miniature Bull Riding Association and finished the year #2 in Chad Casperson series. At the world finals, McArthur competed against kids from throughout the United States as well as Mexico and Canada.
McArthur has numerous people to thank for his success.
“They say it takes a village, in this case it has been a whole community. The local business helped Hesston live out his dream of making the world finals,” said McArthur’s mother, Haylie.
The McArthur family would like to thank the following sponsors: McArthur Cattle, Pierce Oil, Golden West, Swift Stop and Shop, JN Auto, T.C. West, HK Equine Ranch and American Rodeo Gear.
McArthur’s goal is to go to reach the PBR and the NFR.
“Hesston competes in the fifth and under rodeos and has the ability to reach all of his goals,” said Haylie, “and we will all be cheering him on.”
At the world finals, he has acquired national sponsorship with Crooked Horn Cowboy Protection from Okotoks, Alberta, Canada.
