Dean Thompson was one of three rookie bareback riders to make the NFR in 2023, and it came with some high highs and humbling lows.
His first monumental career high came in Guymon, Oklahoma when he matched up with World Champion bucking horse, Gun Fire of Frontier Rodeo, for 92.5 points. He would later win the same rodeo on the same horse in 2024.
Getting to this point in his rodeo career is something that he has been working for since he spent a full summer with family riding calves and roping.
“First animal was bulls but then, right after that, I always knew I wanted to do bareback. My older brother did bareback, that’s kind of what I started seeing,” Thompson said. “I remember having to drag my dad out, and finally one day, I got on his little steer and I looked terrible, but man, I spurred it and I thought I was the baddest kid, I thought I was the toughest.”
The current No. 4 ranked bareback rider in the World recalls getting on his first bareback horse. He was entered in a high school rodeo and his dad mentioned getting on before showing up.
“I started spurring my first one six jumps in or something like that,” he said.
That practice session also taught Thompson one lesson that has stuck with him - never double grab.
“When I think about that, it’s my uncle telling me never double grab, never ever double grab. You’re better off to hang on until your head hits the ground, because if you double grab you’re doubting yourself,” Thompson said.
His career has been full of learning but one thing is for sure, finishing every ride is what matters most. It was at the Greeley Stampede in 2022 when Thompson first had the thought that he might really make it in professional rodeo.
“I had some struggles early on in the year (and thought) maybe I should take a step back, then I went to Greeley and won it and I thought ‘why are you even thinking like that,’ don’t take a step back,” he said. “Got my foot on the gas and from then on, that’s when a lot of it changed.”