Young Gympie bull rider vows to compete at world finals after horror accident

Nine-year-old Hunter Dagan has qualified for the Youth Bull Riders World Finals in Texas as Australia’s youngest competitor, despite nearly losing his life in a freak mustering accident.

Hunter Dagan, 9, of Mothar Mountain. Picture: Leslie Wogand.

One of the most promising young bull riders in Australia has qualified for a rodeo world showdown in Texas, and even a freak mustering accident will not keep him out of the saddle.

For Gympie region cowboy Hunter Dagan, 9, bull riding is a family affair – his uncles Cooper, Arthur and Jessie just returned from Las Vegas where they competed in the YETI Junior National Finals Rodeo.

Hunter lives with his mother and grandmother on a Mothar Mountain property near Gympie, where he picked up the skills of bull riding from his uncles, themselves self-taught.

In the Junior NFR competition, Hunter’s aunt Lesley Wogand said Cooper placed sixth overall for junior bareback bronc, Arthur 11th in the senior category, and Jessie placed high in the novice ranks.

From the very start, Hunter “just wanted in on the action,” his aunt said.

When he was just seven, the plucky youngster had his first taste of competition at a local rodeo, and placed in the top 12 against riders years older than him.

Hunter’s uncles placed highly in the YETI Junior National Rodeo Finalists in early December. Uncles Jessie Amber (far left), Arthur Bennett (third from left), and Cooper Bennett (fourth from left) with the Australian team. Picture: Junior NFR

About three months after qualifying for the Youth Bull Riders world finals in Texas as the youngest Australian rider, Hunter was involved in a shock accident on his property while mustering horses when a ute “reversed into him”, Ms Wogand said.

“He jumped out to open a gate … and the driver didn’t see him.

“He nearly lost his life” and suffered serious internal bleeding, she said.

While Hunter will be out of the saddle for some time, his aunt said the young cowboy was back home and “on the mend”.

His sights have not wavered from the US, where he is set to compete with the Red Dirt Australian Rodeo team in the Youth Bull Riders World Finals, from July 23 to August 12, 2026.

“If he misses a ride, he doesn’t let it get to him, he’s just so resilient,” Ms Wogand said.

“He’s such an inspiration for other young kids.”

When asked what he loves most about the rodeo, Hunter said it was “the thrill of getting on the bull and seeing my mates”.

The scariest part?

“When they first open the latch to the chutes,” Hunter said of the notoriously “rough” sport.

“The whole rodeo team is so supportive,” Ms Wogand said, with a close-knit Australian team determined to show out against fierce competition worldwide.

Ms Wogand has started a Gofundme for Hunter and his family to help cover the cost of competing internationally.

Originally published as Young Gympie bull rider vows to compete at world finals after horror accident