Toby grew up in the rodeo community with his parents and brothers involved in various rodeo events. He started riding calves as young as 6 years old and began working his way up to junior bulls at around 14 years old.
Toby is completing a USA tour in 2024 where he will be competing in a range of rodeos.
I grew up rodeoing as my parents were rodeo stock contractors, it was something we did every weekend. I have been lucky to grow up in such a tight community, alongside riding steers with both my brothers. I started riding calves as young as 6 and started working my way up to junior bulls at about 14. From here, I decided to take a small break from rodeo and pursued a career in pro motocross, from about 14-18. I am now back competing in rodeos, in the open bull ride. I attended Odessa College in 2023, due to a bad injury I had to return to Australia for rehab, but I am now back travelling the country and am heading off to America shortly.
My favourite thing about bull riding is the grit, determination, and adrenaline it gives and takes to compete, knowing I am going up against one of the toughest animals in the world. It is a challenge physically and mentally, but facing such a powerful animal and trying to stay on for 8 seconds becomes exhilarating. Alongside this, the strong sense of camaraderie among the riders, forming a tight knit community.
My best career highlight from being a bull rider is placing in the Royal Easter Show in Sydney this year, placing 2nd in my first round and 1st in my second round to placed 2nd overall was a big achievement for me, and something I am very proud of as a young boy attending the show each year with mum and dad contracting it was always a dream to achieve.
In five years time, I hope I have achieved all the goals I have set in for now and am competing to achieve new goals as well as hopefully living in America to pursue my career.
I faced many bad injuries throughout my motocross career, so I have to really look after my body. My recent bull riding injuries include a broken arm, broken ribs, a dislocated hip, shoulder injury and a torn groin.
Advice I would give to my younger self includes not rushing the process, taking the time to work hard, getting on as many practice bulls as possible as well as taking the time to recover from any injury. Additionally, you also have to ensure you are mentally strong, getting on the bull, knowing you can and will ride it for the 8 seconds.
I entered the professional sport world at a very young age, as soon as I could ride, this was through mum and dad travelling the country supplying rodeo stock. This gave me a numerous amount of opportunities not many people get to have through meeting and living with many world champions and competing against the best from a very young age with huge support behind me.
For me, the keys to success for anyone looking to replicate a similar pathway include discipline and consistent training, through these two keys you become mentally and physically strong, giving you the ability to take on the animal with confidence. No matter how hard or busy it gets, having the discipline to training and practice consistently,
Managing my life and training balance can become very hard, training consistently, working everyday as well as travelling to as many rodeos as possible. It is very important to stay disciplined and train with every opportunity you get, as well as making sacrifices to be able to do so.
I became interested in the PainPod through suffering multiple injuries and noticing a stall at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, it ensures I can stay healthy on the road which is one of the most important things to do. The PainPod is very easy and convenient, being able to take it wherever I go and use it consistently, staying injury free.
Head to Toby's Instagram profile to keep up to date.