Ageless Wonder: Myron Duarte Still Riding Bulls in the PRCA at 54 | News
A challenge and a lot of bravery to back it up got Myron Duarte into a career in the rodeo business in days gone by.
The same station has him back in the arena after eight retirements.
I did it for a dare; Duarte laughs when asked how he got interested in riding bulls when he was young, growing up in Hawaii. My relative rode bulls. I used to make fun of him for riding his slicing machine. I said that thing is like a merry-go-round.
His relative, tired of making jokes, finally did Duarte climb on himself, allowing him to shut up if he had to put up.
The plan took a spectacular turn when Duarte steered the machine smoothly. It was the launch of Duarte’s rodeo career, and he worked to get better by watching videos and participating in actual events and youth rodeos.
He said, ” that’s how it started, and I had to go back. I told them it’s not that hard!
Duarte eventually made it to the landmass, first for the council rodeo and later to embark on a professional bull-riding career.
Before retiring in 2013, Duarte had made eight Wrangler National Tests Rodeo appearances, winning a reserve world title in 2002, just behind PRCA world champion BlueStone. In his long career, Duarte has earned $8,792 and counting.
At the young age of 54, Duarte decided to return to the arena in the fall of 2021, participating in his first ProRodeo eight times. It’s like when I started, he joked about the kids’ horse riding time. I said that riding bulls is not that difficult.
Duarte has been busy lately with Duarte Trucking, LLC, a beast-hauling business that keeps him on the road as long as he used to. Since he also hauls rodeo beasts, he was taking his chances at many of the California rodeos.
I figured since he was there anyway, he might as well come in, he said. Without any practice, he jumped into cold lemon in Bakersfield, California. in October. Not only did he ride his first bull, a bull named Bamboozled, in time, but he also won the rodeo and $1,053,845, enough to put him sixth in the current California Circuit standings and knocking on the door to another circuit test. The rodeo rating.