Kody Lostroh, head coach of the New York Mavericks, says the bull is not the hardest thing a bull rider has to beat.
“The hardest part about bull riding is mainly the mental game, honestly,” Lostroh said in an interview with amNew York at the UBS Arena. “You’ve got a lot of things playing against you, right? You’re overmatched, you’re overpowered, and there’s a lot of danger, a lot of excitement going on, and blocking all that out and doing your job well is really the most challenging thing.”
On Friday, Oct. 16, his riders blocked it out. The Mavericks covered their first four bulls and beat the Arizona Ridge Riders 351.60-173.35 to open PBR Teams: Go Bowling Maverick Days, the team’s three-night homestand on Long Island. The win moved New York (12-18) to No. 8 in the PBR Teams standings, one game behind the Kansas City Outlaws (13-17), with the regular season nearly over and the 2026 PBR Teams Championship set for Las Vegas on Nov. 6-8.
Bob Mitchell of Steelville, Missouri, set the tone in the first out, riding Sunrise the full eight seconds for 88.05 points. Mauricio Gulla Moreira of Gaviao Peixoto, Brazil, followed with the Mavericks’ best score of the night—89.05 points.
Marco Rizzo of Quitman, Georgia, added 88.25 points on Big Iron in the third. Afonso Quintino of São Luís de Montes Belos, Brazil, made it four straight with 86.25 points on Nelson.
That left Hudson Bolton of Milan, Tennessee, one ride from a perfect 5-for-5 game. Valiante threw him at 5.41 seconds, and New York took a re-ride. Bolton—the rookie of the team—then lasted 7.83 seconds on Down Payment, less than two-tenths of a second short of a qualified ride.
Bolton, Rizzo and Mitchell were the three riders Lostroh had singled out as the Mavericks to watch, saying they had “really been riding well” and making names for themselves.
Arizona (14-16) covered only two bulls. Eduardo Aparecido of Gouvelandia, Brazil, scored 84.10 points on Turning Point, and Vitor Losnake of Piratininga, Brazil, rode Walk Off for 89.25 points in the fifth, the highest score of the game.
“It means everything to do this here at home, and I couldn’t be happier with this team. They’re a bunch of studs,” Lostroh said after the win on the Paramount+ broadcast.
Lostroh, a Colorado native, said the Mavericks prepare for a home event the same way they prepare for any other.
“Guys are training physically, getting on practice bulls, getting their minds sharp. And then we come to these events and it’s time to let that training pay off,” he said.
He said New York’s crowd makes up in energy what it may lack in rodeo background.
“They might not be as well versed in bull riding as some other parts of the country, but the fact is they’re really passionate about their teams, their sports, and they have a heck of a good time,” Lostroh said.
The Mavericks started the season slowly but have played better in the second half, he said. “We’ve got some momentum on our side right now,” he said. “And that’s what it’s all about, momentum, confidence, and the ability to carry that forward.”
Coaching a roster of young riders has its own challenges. “The hardest part about getting this team ready is dealing with a bunch of 20-year-olds,” Lostroh said. “It’s like having an extension of my own kids, and as a guy who’s been there and done that, I gotta remember they’re still kids.”
The easiest part, he said, is belonging to the sport.
“This is my passion. This is what I’ve dedicated my life to,” he said. “It’s a brotherhood that you really have to earn your way into.”
When asked to describe his team in a few words, Lostroh didn’t hesitate.
“I would define the team right now as grit and perseverance,” he said.
The Mavericks were scheduled to face the Florida Freedom on Oct. 17 and the Texas Rattlers on Oct. 18 to close the homestand.
“The Mavericks sure appreciate our hometown crowd,” Lostroh said. “Appreciate being here in front of them, and just look forward to putting on a show for you all.”
The Florida Freedom rocked the New York Mavericks on Saturday, Oct. 17, with New York losing 91.05 to 268.70. Mauricio Gulla Moreira’s 91.05 on Dead Red was the Mavericks’ only ride.
The Mavericks closed Maverick Days on Sunday, Oct. 18, with New York edging out the No. 5 Texas Rattlers 263.75-263.30, a margin of 0.45 points, to finish the homestand 2-1 and improve to 13-19.
Missouri (22-8) leads the PBR Teams standings after Friday, with Austin and Nashville tied at 18-12 behind it. Carolina (17-13) is fourth, followed by Texas (15-15), Arizona (14-16) and Kansas City (13-17).
New York sits eighth at 12-18, a game ahead of Florida (11-19) and two ahead of last-place Oklahoma (10-20).
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