PBR Stars John Crimber and Trace Redd Win Hearts in Billings

If you've ever wondered what your favorite athletes are really like when the arena lights go dark, Saturday at Shipton's Big R West answered that question.

John Crimber and Trace “T-Buck” Redd came out, signed autographs, posed for photos, and actually spent time with the people who showed up. Not in a hurried, assembly-line way you sometimes see. This was something else. The kind of thing that reminds you why these events matter in the first place.

A Real Connection, Not Just a Photo Op

Smiles in every direction. Kids clutching Ariat hats like they’d never let go. Parents capturing moments they’ll pull up on their phones for years. And right in the middle of all of it, two young bull riders who didn’t just make an appearance: they actually showed up.

READ MORE: Montana Rodeo Legend Flint Rasmussen Returns to Billings

Both Crimber and Redd were exactly who you’d want them to be. Patient, warm, and actually there. The kind of people who hold eye contact, tip their hats to ladies, and make you feel like you’re not just the next person in line.

John Crimber: All the Talent, None of the Ego

If you pay any attention to Professional Bull Riders, the name John Crimber isn’t new to you. John isn't just talented. He’s changing what people think is even achievable in this sport.

The No. 1 overall draft pick and the youngest rider in PBR history to earn $1 million, Crimber has been chasing this life since he was a kid riding sheep and winning mutton-busting titles. By 18, he was already stacking wins, finishing No. 2 in the world, and proving he belonged at the highest level.

At just 20, he carries himself with a kind of quiet confidence that doesn’t need to announce itself. But here’s what stood out most today: none of his incredible accomplishments have made him any less approachable.

Whatever his parents instilled in him clearly stuck: compete hard, stay grounded.

Trace “T-Buck” Redd: Every Ride Has a Reason

And then there’s Trace Redd. Trace's story hits a little deeper.

A first-generation bull rider from Malad, Idaho, Redd got started early, climbing on mini bulls and chasing a dream before he even had the words for it. After losing his brother Ty, that chase became a calling. “Ride for Ty” isn’t a slogan. It’s something he carries with him every time he nods his head in the chute.

That purpose comes through in everything about him.

Even so, he’s calm. Grounded. The kind of guy who doesn’t need the room to know it. Redd’s resume speaks for itself, but spend five minutes with him, and you’d never guess any of it. He doesn’t wear it.

Just a genuinely kind person who hasn’t forgotten where he came from.

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Why Events Like This Actually Matter

It’s easy to scroll past an event like this. Just another meet-and-greet, right? But this one was more than that.

Kids got to meet the people they cheer for and walked away with something more than a signature. Parents watched it happen in real time, knowing they made the right call. And sometimes, the people you root for really are worth rooting for.

And that’s something worth holding onto.