Bullriding icon J.B. Mauney's career came to a life-shattering halt when a bull threw him off, and he broke his neck in the fall. Known as the seven-million dollar bull rider, Mauney was an icon in the industry. It was a tough blow for the 37-year-old, but he isn't holding it against the animal.
In fact, he ended up buying the bull, Artctic Assassin, that nearly killed him. "I just round-a**ed off the thing," Mauney told WFAA. "Felt like somebody stuck a hot knife right in the back of my neck. I'd broke my back before, so I knew. I was like, Son of a b****, I just broke my neck."
Despite the accident, Mauney describes it as the "gentlest bull" and like a pet dog. Now on his ranch, Mauney regularly spends time with the animal, scratching his back and playing with the animal. "He retired me," Mauney said. "Now he gets to retire with me.'" The bullrider does find irony in all of it. He continued, "Of all the mean bulls in my career, the gentle one that acts like a big dog is the one that ended it all."
J.B. Mauney Talks Career-Ending Injury
J.B. Mauney officially retired from the industry in 2023 after breaking his neck at the Lewiston Roundup. He said the bull is big and can be intimidating. "He's kind of intimidating because he's pretty good size. So when you walk out there, like he'll walk right up on top of you. The only thing you have to worry about is if he steps on your foot on accident. But I mean, just gentle, not a mean bone in his body," he added.
At the time, the bull rider lamented the end of his career. "Surgery went great, and I would like to thank everyone ... for taking care of me," Mauney wrote at the time. "Unfortunately with the surgery, it ended my bull riding career. Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm OK and now on the road to recovery! (This) is not the way I wanted to go out but everything happens for a reason."
Despite his early retirement, Mauney still remains active on his ranch. He still is able to ride horses and also work with and spend time with bulls on the ranch.
"You know, pretty much that surgeon told me I land on my head again. There's two outcomes. I'm either dead or I'm in a wheelchair the rest of my life," he said. "I can still ride horses. I work bulls and being around bulls every day kind of fills the void of not being able to get on bulls and then like Tyler coming and getting on practice bulls, we buck bulls yesterday."
