PUEBLO, Colo. – If Ryan Dirteater does his job, he’ll do more for mechanical bulls than anyone since Bud Davis nee John Travolta was riding at Gilley’s in Paradise, Texas in 1980.
Dirteater has been commissioned to help push mechanical bulls further into the mainstream – just as the wildly popular film “Urban Cowboy” did nearly 40 years ago – as a new brand ambassador for Mechanical Bull Sales, Inc. (MBS).
The 30-year old PBR veteran bull rider, currently No. 9 in the world, will collaborate with MBS – the leading mechanical bull manufacturer and official partner of PBR – for public relations and marketing activities including personal appearances, social media campaigns and community outreach. He’ll support the company’s commitment to bringing fun to fans while enriching the lives of PBR riders during and after their careers.
The Hulbert, Okla. cowboy will also own a MBS-PBR Mechanical Bull system to help bring a new form of bull riding excitement to area fans.
Fan favorite Dirteater has qualified for the PBR World Finals ten times. He won the most prestigious event in professional bull riding in 2016. “The Cherokee Kid” also represented the all Native American Team USA Wolves at the 2019 PBR Global Cup as well.
“The MBS-PBR system brings you as close to an actual ride as you can get,” Dirteater said. “I’m excited to join their team of bull operators to bring the fun and challenge of bull riding to fans everywhere.”
Dirteater held off on adding a word on the best part of these rides: when thrown off, the bull can’t chase you down.
“MBS could not be more excited to begin this journey with Ryan,” said Chanel Simon, Sales Manager, MBS. “We could not have found a more genuine, likeable athlete to represent our brand.
Simon says MBS will look to Dirteater to better connect with and form lasting relationships with clients.
“From the moment we had our first conversation with Ryan, we knew he’d embody that core mission perfectly,” she said.
As professional bull riding boomed, Gracienne Myers, owner of MBS, recognized a unique opportunity, Myers, a Brazilian native, initially manufactured the mechanical bulls in her home country and imported them to the United States.
When the exchange rate became less favorable and Myers had grown tired of dealing with endless shipping and import hassles, in 2007 she moved the company’s manufacturing to State College, Pennsylvania, where it is located today.
Myers has spent years working with U.S. manufacturers and suppliers to create a sophisticated product with touchscreen panels, custom settings for ride styles, various safety features, as well as music and video features.
The bulls are a lot more sophisticated than the ones John Travolta rode. And Myers is planning on rolling out even more realistic e-bulls.
Will they also one day replicate the smell of PBR bulls?
“We are very proud of our product, which is now enhanced by PBR branding,” was all she would say.
Locally owned and operated out of State College, Myers’ company has sold mechanical bull systems to customers in 42 states and 44 countries around the world.
For more information, stay connected with Mechanical Bulls Sales at www.mechanicalbullsales.com