Bull Riding’s ‘Wild Child’ Is living the dream
Dylan Foreman
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Hayden Welsh is the kind of bull rider who can turn almost anything into a punchline.
The 20-year-old Wyoming native embraces his reputation as rodeo’s “wild child,” bringing plenty of energy and humor wherever he goes. But once he climbs into the chute, the jokes give way to the mental focus required to compete in one of the sport’s most dangerous events.
“It can get scary sometimes,” Welsh said. “You get a bull that’s pretty antsy or a little wild and starts trying to get in your head. At the end of the day, you’ve just got to stay home mentally.”
While Welsh is technically a rookie, he’s no stranger to the professional rodeo scene.
Last season, he competed on a permit and could have qualified for the National Finals Rodeo, but his earnings didn’t count toward the standings. This year, with full professional status, every dollar and every ride matter, and he’s already making an impact ranking near the top of the standings.
“When I get to the chute, it’s just that flow state of mind,” Welsh said. “If I’m making money, I’m going down the road. If I’m going down the road, I’m living the dream.”
That dream started early.
Welsh grew up around rodeo, idolizing his father, Bobby Welsh, a seven-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier. He attended NFRs as a young child and got on his first bull at just four years old.
“From the time I was three months old until I was about five, I went to all those NFRs with my dad,” Welsh said. “It was always something I looked up to. I got my first bull when I was four years old and I haven’t looked back since.”
Fueled by faith and a lifelong passion for rodeo, Welsh is now carving out a path of his own in arenas across North America.
“For now, I’m living the dream,” Welsh said. “And unfortunately, the dream doesn’t last forever.”
For Hayden Welsh, that’s all the more reason to enjoy every ride.
You can see Welsh buck at this year’s Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo where he will be in the short round on Saturday.