SPRINGDALE — Luke Dotson shot out of the chute Saturday night in Parsons Stadium with his right hand in the air and his eyes focused on his bull.
By the time Dotson, 28, hit the ground following his 8-second ride, the large crowd came to its feet and roared in excitement.
He had the hometown advantage.
After the ride, which was in the PBR Buckin’ In The Ozarks Bull Riding Event, judges gave the Hindsville resident a score of 87, which tied him with Ryan Dirteater of Hulbert, Okla.
Moments later, judges changed Dotson’s score twice, from an 87.5 to an 88, which gave him the outright lead after the event’s fi rst round.
In the short round, which featured the event’s top 12 bull riders, Dotson didn’t have a qualifying ride on the bull Highway 12 and finished second behind Kasey Hayes of Liberal, Kan.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself on that first ride,” said Dotson, who was born and raised in Hindsville, about 20 miles east of Springdale. “I just wanted to have one good ride, especially since it was here in Springdale.”
Dotson said he learned to ride bulls from his father, Tom Dotson, and began competing in rodeos when he was 8 years old. His first rodeo was at Parsons Stadium with the Ozark Junior Rodeo Association.
Dotson said he’s been competing on the PBR Tour for about seven years, but has only competed in events in Texas and Oklahoma this season. He’s planning on competing at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyo., later this month.
“I always want to do my best here in Springdale,” Dotson said. “This place puts the most pressure on me because all my family and friends come to watch me compete.
“After my first ride, the monkey was off my back. I didn’t really care anymore, I just wanted to have fun.”
Dotson said he’s spent most of his time the last two years taking classes at the University of Arkansas, where he graduated in May with a degree in agricultural education.
He said he’s hoping to fi nd a teaching job at a high school in Northwest Arkansas sometime this summer.
Tom Dotson said watching his son compete on the PBR Tour and various rodeos for so many years has given him plenty to be proud about.
“I know it puts pressure on him, but we feel pressure, too,” Tom Dotson said. “He’s been here before, but it seems like he’s always missed the fi nals by one or two points. It was a real treat to see him do so well here (Saturday).
“I always tell him that you have to be good and you have to be lucky. Not many bull riders can be successful without those two things, and (Luke) has been a little of both.”
Although Dotson finished second Saturday night, he said he still came away with about $2,000 or $3,000, which will give him some confidence for the rest of the season.
“This is a tough sport,” Dotson said. “Not many people can do what we do, handle the traveling and be successful. I would have liked to have won (Saturday), but you just have to keep giving it your best shot and eventually good things will happen.”