By David Enderud
Isaac Mack is making quite the name for himself in the bull riding world. He recently won the BC Rodeo Association, Bull Riding 2019 Season Leader- Champion Saddle, making him the top bull rider in BC. He wrapped up the BCRA season September long weekend at the BCRA Finals in Barriere, BC with $12,484.99 in season earnings.
“Isaac Mack was the 2019 Bull Riding Champion for the BCRA. Isaac went to 15 BCRA Rodeos throughout the province, and won a grand total of $12,484.99,” said Jaime MacDonald, BCRA Office Manager. “Isaac also won the Chilcotin Rodeo Series within the BCRA (Bella Coola, Anahim & Redstone). The sponsors were Diamonds & Dust for the Chilcotin Series Bull Riding and the Williams Lake Log Haulers for the season leader saddle.”
Long drives, expensive entry fees, injuries and nasty wrecks are the norm in bull riding. Isaac kept relatively injury free while working Monday to Friday in Kamloops where he currently resides. He also competed in the states on the Washington rodeo circuit called Pro-West Rodeo.
Most recently he got a call to compete at two different Professional Bull Rider (PBR) events which is the top level in Canada. He came up short of the 8 second buzzer but had a lot of fun hanging out with the pros. He is currently training for a big Alberta bull riding only series called Bull Riders Canada (BRC).
“My favourite event of the year was Vanderhoof,” Mack shared. “I won both rounds of the Bull Riders Canada on Friday, and then I won the rodeo on the weekend, so it was a good time.”
Mack said he’s focused on keeping in shape over the winter, with hopes of going pro.
“Going pro is the next step and I know time is limited in this sport,” he said. “My plan is to train really hard over the winter and try and make it.”
The BRC Finals will have $25,000 in prize money with the top 25 bull riders in Canada competing on Nov 15 and 16 in Sylvan Lake, AB. Isaac will be looking to take a slice of that pie back to BC and keep him traveling down the road for next year’s rodeo season.
With files from Caitlin Thompson