New York Mavericks’ bull rider feeds off energy of local fans as 3-day event hits UBS Arena – New York Daily News

New York Mavericks’ bull rider feeds off energy of local fans as 3-day event hits UBS Arena  New York Daily News

Marco Rizzo knows well he is a long way from his hometown of Quitman, Georgia when he hops on a bull at his home court at UBS Arena. Rizzo, known as “Money Man,” rides for the New York Mavericks, who are hosting this weekend’s Go Bowling Mavericks Days tournament at UBS. Starting Friday, the Mavericks — NYC’s professional bull riding team — kicks off a three-day home stand at UBS Arena at Belmont Park, drawing other riding teams from across the nation and fans from across the metro area. “When I tell people I’m a bull rider representing New York it kind of blows their mind,” Rizzo told the News. “It’s surreal.

We get to represent such a big city and a big crowd.” Rizzo, who learned to ride from his father starting when he was 6 and bonded early with future stars John Crimber and Clay Guiton, is one of the rising stars on the PBR circuit. Earlier this year, he was names Rookie of the Year during the PBR’s Unleash the Beast event. He is also the Mavericks’ team captain. “It’s very shocking when people discover there’s bull riding here in New York,” Rizzo said. But the sport has been picking up momentum over the last several years. Founded in 2024, the Mavericks joined the PBR league as