New York’s professional bullriding team is riding the high of a successful season.
The Mavericks, also known as the Concrete Cowboys, have firmly cemented their place in the Professional Bull Riding (PBR) league. Head Coach Kody Lostroh told amNewYork that he is incredibly proud of the team’s progress.
“It’s been really fun to watch these guys grow and progress and get better and more dominant through the past year. We finished last season in the team season really strong, and they carried that straight into the UTB (Unleash the Beast) season and kept right on the same track,” said Lostroh.
Marco Rizzo, the team’s captain, snagged the title of 2026 PBR Rookie of the Year, a title that was once held by Lostroh in 2005, as well as fellow teammates Hudson Bolton (2025) and Bob Mitchell (2022).
“It feels pretty good. I’ve always watched greats growing up and you only get one shot at it. I’ve always wanted to accomplish this and I’ve always wanted to get up on that stage after the World Finals and I did it! It was just a real great feeling,” said Rizzo. “I feel like I’ve got really good momentum on my side right now because I’ve been improving a lot. From last year to now, I’ve been progressing, been working hard at it. I’m just ready to see what I can learn now with a little more experience.”
Rizzo’s teammates also had a pretty stellar season. Bolton finished the season as the No. 3 rider in the world, also earning the best start to a World Finals career in league history and tied the record for 14 consecutive qualified rides.
Mavericks rider Leandro Zampollo held consistently in the top 10 riders in the world, ultimately finishing the season at No. 9. Mitchell finished the season as No. 15 in the world.
“The season went really well. I feel like a lot of the guys are healthy and a lot of us are riding pretty good right now. Last team season, we ended off pretty well, and I think we’ve all gotten better and we all have improved,” said Rizzo. “So going into the team, this team series, we’ll have a little bit more experience under our belt, and we’re all riding a lot better.”
Lostroh says that the team will be training hard to keep up the momentum that the team has right now.
“We’re gonna keep doing what we’ve been doing, and that’s putting in the work and moving towards the goal,” said Lostroh. “We do have a couple of new things planned this year with our training camp set up, and I think that’s not only helping with the bull riding, but it’s gonna be life-changing as an experience as well.”
Both Lostroh and Rizzo are looking forward to taking their successes this season and using their experiences to make next season better than ever for the team.
“I’m really looking forward to the bull riding. I just love riding bulls for the New York Mavericks, but I feel like we’re actually a winning team this year and I’m ready to see where our riding takes us,” said Rizzo. “We got a lot of great bull riders on our team and we’ve all been maturing. This is the Mavericks’ third year and we got a lot of camaraderie and brotherhood that’s been building up over the years. I’m just ready to join back with the team and have fun riding bulls.”
“I feel like a lot of the younger guys on the team are really coming into their prime, and the way they’ve prepared to get to this point, I fully expect them to continue to improve and be dominant for a long time. They’ve done it the right way, it’s not luck, they’re not a flash in the pan,” said Lostroh. “So that’s what I’m looking forward to, just watching these young guys live their dreams and accomplish great things. I’m thankful that we’re all together because it’s a brotherhood that is hard to explain. The bond these guys have is unique, so it’s fun to be a part of.”
The Mavericks will return to New York Oct. 16-19 for Maverick Days at Belmont Park. Stay up to date for the latest from the New York Mavericks at newyorkmavericks.com or follow @ny_mavericks on Instagram.
