‘Stagecoach’ dominated headlines with its recent festival, ‘Yellowstone’ remains one of television’s most popular shows, earlier this year Beyonce’s country record ‘Cowboy Carter’ won her a Grammy for Album of the Year, and now she’s supporting the music with a world tour filled with sold out dates.
It’s undeniable, Cowboy culture has taken over mainstream. Adding to the excitement is the Professional Bull Riders League traveling across the nation – and the New York Mavericks rousing success.

We spoke with Marco Rizzo, Mavericks number 1 pick in the 2024 draft, to understand more about the sport, hear the challenges of riding bulls for a living, and learn how the sport is transforming culture and bringing thrills to new audiences.

The New York Mavericks, the city’s first and only professional bull-riding team, are bringing the western lifestyle to the heart of the city. TikTok trends and mainstream media may have glamorized cowboy traditions, but the Concrete Cowboys bring that story to life in real-time. From exhibitions to jersey swaps with the New York Islanders, the team is making their mark, and the city is loving it.

The New York Mavericks team is owned by Avenue Sports Fund, which acquired the sanctioning rights in February 2024. The team joined the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Teams league as it expanded from eight to ten teams competing in five-on-five bull riding games in the 12-event PBR Camping World Team Series season, which began in July 2024.

In the 2025 season the team continues to thrive, solidifying their place in the highly competitive PBR landscape. Maverick Days will return to the city from September 18 to 20 for a 3-day event filled with rank rides and extreme competition that is unmatched in any other sport.

HOMBRE: What was the process of  joining the New York Mavericks?
Marco Rizzo: I didn’t know much about teams, it was all new to me. But the mavericks took me in. I’m super excited about representing New York, one of the greatest cities in the world. It’s exciting. The Mavericks have treated me well. I love the guys on my team, I love my coach,  and everyone that has been a part of it has been awesome. It’s a surreal feeling for me and has been great so far.

H: How long have you been riding?
MR: I started at a young age,  with calves when I was four, and have done it ever since. I’m twenty years old now, and it’s been sixteen years at it.

H: Did you always want to do it professionally?
MR: Yes, just like a kid wanting to play soccer or baseball, that’s what I always wanted to do.

H: It must feel amazing to have a dream realized.
MR: Yes, especially coming from a small town. My town has about a thousand people so going to New York is pretty cool.

H: What is it like to represent such an important city, where the sport may not be as common?
MR: The story of  bull riding has to grow and there’s no better place to grow it than a city like New York. A lot of people think bull riding is a weird sport but when you bring it to new fans that don’t get to see it as much, they love it.

H: Speaking about lifestyle,  cowboy culture has become quite popular, what does it mean to you to see it trending?
MR: It means a lot. Growing up I was the kid that went to school with jeans and boots. If I could wear my cowboy hat, I would. I was looked at as different. Now to know that people want to be a part of it, and see it as cool feels amazing. If I’m wearing a cowboy hat people compliment me. It feels good to know that our culture is growing.

H: What’s your training routine?
MR: I’m in the gym every day. The New York Mavericks train together three or four days a week.  We do team camps when the season starts.  We work at the pool, I try to get on bulls every week, try to go to the gym each chance I get.

H: How’s the traveling?
MR: It’s amazing. We ride bulls for only eight seconds. Traveling is a big part of it, getting to see different places in the U.S. We go everywhere. It’s awesome, I get to meet amazing new fans. I’m so blessed, and don’t take it for granted. A lot of people don’t get to do it, and me at twenty years old I’ve traveled half the country already, and doing it with your friends and teammates is even better.

H: What are your expectations for the season?
MR: To win!
I want to win. I know losing is part of the sport, any sport you do,  but I feel we have a good enough team to win. Last year we came up short and this year we just need to finish strong and win. We can do it and we’re not far from it.

H: What about competing in New York?
MR: We have not lost in New York yet.  I’ll try to keep it that way. We’ll work hard and keep our fans happy.

H: What do you foresee for your career?
MR: I want to win a world title. I try to keep my goals in front of me, which are to ride bulls. I hope my body keeps up so I can do it for a long time. I hope to do well enough to provide for my dad, my mom, and my family.

H: What’s the most challenging part about competing?
MR: The injuries for sure. I’ve never been as injured as I have this past year.
I think the injuries are hard on a man. And if you’re not competing you’re not making any money. The injuries take a toll on you. But when you’re not injured and you’re healthy it makes up for it.

H: Why should someone go see a PBR competition?
MR: It’s not your regular sporting event. It has a lot of adrenaline to it. The bulls buck, it’s some of the best riders in the world. People think it’s just getting on bulls, but it’s a lot more than that. You see some wrecks, you see people flying through the air, you see people getting run over. It’s also a big party, with people having a good time. It’s fun. The only thing I can compare it to is a rock concert. People are on their feet, everything is kind of exciting.  You gotta step out and try something new and bull riding is not only new, it’s fun.

For more information about the New York Mavericks visit https://pbr.com/teams/new-york-mavericks,
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