J.B. Mauney facts for kids
Mauney in 2013
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | James Burton Mauney |
| Nickname(s) | J.B. |
| Born | January 9, 1987 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 140 pounds (64 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Country | United States |
| Sport | Rodeo |
| Event(s) | Bull riding |
| Turned pro | 2005 |
| Retired | 2023 |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Highest world ranking | 2015 PBR World Champion 2013 PBR World Champion 2013 PBR World Finals Event Champion 2009 PBR World Finals Event Champion 2009 PBR Challenger Tour Champion 2006 PBR Rookie of the Year 2006 PBR Challenger Tour Champion |
James Burton Mauney (born January 9, 1987) is an American former professional bull rider. He was a top competitor in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) for many years. He won the PBR World Championship in 2013 and 2015. Mauney was famous for choosing the toughest bulls to ride. He believed that to be the best, you had to ride the best. Later in his career, he was called "the Dragonslayer." This was because he could ride many of the hardest bulls. Many people think he is one of the greatest bull riders ever.
At the start of his career, he rode in both the PBR and Championship Bull Riding (CBR). He then decided to ride full-time in the PBR in 2006. He won the PBR Rookie of the Year award that same year. In his last few years, he competed in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).
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Early Life and Beginnings
James Burton Mauney was born on January 9, 1987. His hometown is Charlotte, North Carolina. When he was 13 years old, he rode his first "big" bull. He is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds.
Mauney won the Southern Rodeo Association (SRA) junior all-around title in 2002. He also won the adult all-around title in 2004.
Amazing Bull Riding Career
Mauney joined the PBR in 2005. He became the 2006 PBR Rookie of the Year. This award goes to the best new rider.
He is one of only five riders to successfully ride a bull named Asteroid. Asteroid was the 2012 World Champion bull. Mauney rode him for a score of 93.50 points in 2012.
For his first few years, Mauney wore a helmet for safety. But by 2013, he started riding with a cowboy hat.
In August 2013, he rode another famous bull named Bushwacker. Bushwacker was known for being almost impossible to ride. Mauney was one of only three riders to stay on Bushwacker for the full eight seconds. He scored 95.25 points on him.
Mauney won the PBR World Championship title two times. He won in 2013 and again in 2015. He also won the PBR World Finals event twice, in 2009 and 2013.
In 2014, Mauney won the bull riding title at RFD-TV's The American. This is a big rodeo event.
On November 5, 2016, Mauney made PBR history. He was the first bull rider to earn over $7 million in his career.
Overcoming Injuries
Mauney faced many injuries during his career. In 2017, he hurt his right arm badly. He needed surgery to fix it. Even with many injuries, he kept riding bulls. He once said, "It's part of being a cowboy. When you crawl into a chute, nothing else matters. You tie your hand and you don't give up until you hit the dirt."
By the end of 2020, he had competed in the PBR World Finals 15 times. This shows how consistent he was.
Switching to PRCA
After struggling in the PBR in early 2021, Mauney decided to focus on the PRCA. He had joined the PRCA in 2009 but rode there only sometimes. In July 2021, he announced he would leave the PBR. He wanted to try and qualify for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in the PRCA. He did qualify and competed at his first NFR in December 2021.
Mauney was on track to qualify for the NFR again in 2023. However, on September 6, 2023, he was bucked off a bull named Arctic Assassin. He landed on his head and broke his neck. He had surgery two days later. Four days after that, Mauney announced he was retiring from bull riding. He said, "This is not the way I wanted to go, but everything happens for a reason."
In early 2024, Mauney bought Arctic Assassin, the bull that caused his injury. Arctic Assassin was also retired. He now lives on Mauney's ranch in Stephenville, Texas.
Coaching Career
In 2024, Mauney returned to the PBR as a coach. He became the head coach for the Oklahoma Wildcatters. This is one of the new teams in the PBR Team Series.
In March 2025, the Oklahoma Wildcatters won the PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge. This was a special team event.
Legacy and Achievements
The PBR and its fans see Mauney as a legend. In January 2018, he became the third bull rider to reach 500 rides on the PBR Premier Series. He has 32 Premier Series wins, which ties him for first place with another PBR world champion, Justin McBride. He also has 75 rides that scored 90 points or more. This is the third most in PBR history.
His total career earnings are over $7.6 million. This includes money from both PBR and PRCA. He successfully rode almost all of the PBR World Champion bulls during his career.
Mauney was known for always picking the toughest bull in a competition. He often chose Bushwacker, a three-time world champion bull. They faced each other 13 times. Mauney always picked Bushwacker in the important rounds. He truly believed, "If you are going to be the best, you've got to ride the best."
Justin McBride, another two-time PBR world champion, said that Mauney is "in a class of his own." He called him the best bull rider of his generation.
Personal Life
Mauney was married to Lexie Wigley from 2012 to 2015. In 2017, he married Samantha Lyne. Samantha is a barrel racer. Her father, Phil Lyne, was a famous cowboy.
On January 23, 2019, Mauney and Samantha had their first son. Mauney also has a daughter born in 2011 from a previous relationship.
For many years, Mauney and his family lived in Mooresville, North Carolina. They later moved to Cotulla, Texas. In late 2020, Mauney bought a property in Stephenville, Texas. He and his family moved there in early 2022.
Honors and Recognition
In 2023, Mauney was ranked No. 9 on the list of the top 30 bull riders in PBR history.
In 2024, he was inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame.
In 2025, he was inducted into the PBR Ring of Honor.
