| Personal information | |
|---|---|
Nickname(s) | Mr. October The Phenom |
| Born | August 11, 2005 Decatur, Texas, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 6.9 in (170 cm) |
| Weight | 141 lb (64 kg) |
| Life partner | Ceily Simpton |
| Sport | |
| Country | |
| Sport | Rodeo |
| Handedness | Left |
Event | Bull riding |
| Circuit | PBR PRCA |
| Team | Florida Freedom |
| Turned pro | 2023 |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Highest world ranking | 2nd (2024) |
| Personal best(s) | 95.00 pts vs. Big Bank May 19, 2024 |
John Crimber (born August 11, 2005) is an American professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in bull riding. He competes in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuits. He is nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch walk-offs in the PBR Team Series Championship. He won the PBR Team Series Regular Season MVP title in 2024 and 2025, while winning the PBR Team Series Championship MVP title in 2024.
Crimber won the Mini Bull Riders (MBR) Senior Division championship in 2019. He won the Texas High School Rodeo Association (THSRA) Rookie of the Year and bull riding titles in 2021. [1] [2] He won the National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) bull riding title in 2021 and 2022. [3] In 2023, he won the bull riding average at the World Championship Junior Rodeo (WCJR) in Guthrie, Oklahoma. [4]
Crimber joined the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) circuit during the 2023 season, immediately upon turning 18. On August 12, the day after his birthday, he made his debut in the Challenger Series in Goliad, Texas, getting his first qualified ride on Collusion, scoring 84 points and finishing third in the event. Crimber got his first career Challenger Series event win on August 18 at the 8 Second Chute Out in Lamar, Missouri.
On September 14, Crimber notched his first professional-career 90-point ride on Hades at the PBR Stockyards Showcase in Fort Worth, Texas. He also added an 89-point ride in round two to secure the event win. [5]
On October 12, Crimber matched his career high of 90 points when he rode Elkins 041 at the PBR Stockyards Showcase, winning his ninth event of the season. [6] Going into the PBR Challenger Series Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, Crimber was 76.33 points behind No. 1 Alan de Souza. In Round 1, Crimber rode Huckleberry for 89 points and cut de Souza's lead in the standings to 48.33 pounds. With de Souza not qualifying for the championship round, Crimber needed a qualified ride to win the championship title, but was bucked off by Baby Huey, finishing second in the standings. [7]
In 2024, Crimber competed in the Unleash the Beast Series (UTB), Velocity Tour, Touring Pro Division, and was the first overall pick in the Team Series by the Florida Freedom. [8] On January 18, Crimber earned his first event win of the season at the PBR Stockyards Showcase in the Touring Pro Division.
On February 23 in Jacksonville, Florida, Crimber won his first career UTB event, going three-for-three, including a 91-point ride on Doze You Down in the championship round. [9] After qualifying for the PBR Velocity Tour Finals, Crimber would go three-for-three, winning his first career Velocity Tour event in the process. [10]
In May, during the PBR World Finals Eliminations in Fort Worth, Texas, Crimber would tie for two round wins and qualify for the Championship stage in Arlington, Texas. [11] After going one-for-two in the first two rounds of the PBR World Finals Championship, Crimber rode Big Bank for a career-high 95 points, winning the round and putting himself in the event lead. Needing a qualified ride to win the championship, Crimber was bucked off by Hang 'em High, losing the championship to Cassio Dias. [12] Following the PBR World Finals, Crimber was awarded the Lane Frost/Brent Thurman Award for his 95-point ride on Big Bank. [13]
Crimber would join the Florida Freedom after the UTB season. On August 8 against the Oklahoma Wildcatters, Crimber earned his first career walk-off ride when he rode Bambino for 86.5 points. [14] On October 4, Crimber entered the game against the Carolina Cowboys down 111.5 points in the Regular-Season MVP standings to Brady Fielder of the Texas Rattlers. In the game against Carolina, Crimber rode Where's the Whisky for 77.25 points and Umm for 91.25 points to take the lead over Fielder by 57 points. On October 5, Fielder was bucked of by Desperado while Crimber rode High Ball for 90.25 points to maintain the lead in the MVP race. In the final game of the season, Fielder was bucked off by Almost Sober, clinching the Regular-Season MVP title for Crimber. [15]
On November 9, Crimber won the bull riding title during the inaugural edition of the Hondo Rodeo Fest in Phoenix, Arizona. [16]
On November 16, 2024, Crimber won the UTB event in Tucson, Arizona, highlighted by a 92.5-point ride on Ricky Vaughan in the championship round. [17] On December 8, 2024, Crimber won his second UTB event of the 2025 season in St. Louis, Missouri, highlighted by a score of 91.5 points on Utz BesTex Smokestack in the championship round. [18]
In May, Crimber qualified for and competed at his second PBR World Finals.
Crimber won the PBR Team Series Regular-Season MVP title for the second year in a row. [19] On October 25, at the PBR Team Series Championship in Las Vegas, Crimber rode with the Florida Freedom against the Carolina Cowboys. He rode Man Hater, the two-time and reigning PBR World Champion Bull for 92 points. However, the Freedom lost to the Cowboys and were eliminated from the event. [20]
On February 1, 2026, Crimber won the UTB event in Sacramento, California, going four-for-four, including an 88.65-point ride on Tigger in the championship round. [21] On February 7, Crimber finished second in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the process, he took over the number one ranking from Dalton Kasel. [22]
On February 19, Crimber made his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) debut at the Fort Myers Pro Rodeo in North Fort Myers, Florida. Crimber would finish third in the event after an 84.5-point ride. He also finished third in the Brighton Field Day Festival & Rodeo in Okeechobee, Florida. [23]
On February 20, Crimber rode Margin of Error for 85.7 points during the first round of the UTB event in Jacksonville, Florida. His ride was part of the series of rides in which the Florida Freedom defeated the Carolina Cowboys to win the event's Monster Energy Team Challenge. [24] The next day, Sage Kimzey would finish three-for-three, winning the event and taking over the number one ranking from Crimber. [25]
On February 22, Crimber was at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo in San Antonio, Texas, to watch his friends compete in a PRCA Xtreme Bulls event. He was then asked if he would like to be a walk-up replacement in the event. Accepting the opportunity, Crimber rode Goosebumps for 87.5 points before being bucked off Smokin' Joe in the championship round to finish fifth in the event. [23] On February 27, it was announced that Crimber bought his PRCA Rookie Card with plans to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). [26]
On March 12, Crimber won the first round at the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo in Arcadia, Florida, with 89 points on Curve Ball. This led to him winning the overall event and his first PRCA title.
On March 14, Crimber finished third at the UTB event in Tallahassee, Florida. In the process, he surpassed Sage Kimzey to retake the lead in the PBR world championship race. [27]
Crimber was born in Decatur, Texas, to Brazilian parents Paulo and María Crimber. His father was a professional bull rider, active from 1998 to 2011, who also competed in the PBR and PRCA circuits. He qualified for the PBR World Finals 10 times and won the 2004 National Finals Rodeo bull riding average, the year before John was born. Paulo is also the head coach of the Florida Freedom, the PBR team John rides for. [28] [29]