Growing up in the quaint town of Joseph, Oregon, Derek Kolbaba had ambitions to ride at just seven years old. Inspired by his father, epic bull rider Kyle Kolbaba, Derek was practically born into rodeo life and strived to follow in his footsteps. But after his dad had a gnarly injury that forced him into early retirement, he was hesitant about giving Derek the thumbs up. With a bit of convincing however, Derek was encouraged to jump into the arena. Turning to his father for help and guidance, he took his first shot in the saddle by competing in local rodeos when he was 10 years old and showed a natural talent for the sport. By the time Derek turned 18 years old, he was already battling in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Finals. And at 21, he won the 2017 Reserve Champion Bull Rider title in the PBR. While the young athlete has quite a list of injuries under his belt, including a broken back and five surgeries, Derek has always bounced back and continues to face some of the fiercest bulls in the sport.