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Hold your horses: 'Hometown cowboy' preps for first season with Austin's new pro bull riding team

Central Texas native Ezekiel Mitchell is competing with Austin's first professional bullriding team this year. (PBR/Twitter)
Ezekiel Mitchell mounted a bucking bull for his new professional team for the first time on Saturday—but as a bull riding veteran, it wasn't his first rodeo.
"I know the dangers of the sport already," Mitchell said. "The biggest thing is is that we know what can happen, so I just try to worry about all the good that could happen (instead)."
Here’s a little Monday motivation brought to you by Austin Gambler Zeke Mitchell! #ATXgamblers#DealMeIn#LetsRide#buckingbulls#cowboys#PBR#TeamSeriespic.twitter.com/TYCdEVzlaN
— AustinGamblers (@Austin_Gamblers) June 20, 2022
A native of the small town of Rockdale, located about 60 miles east of Austin, Mitchell never thought he'd ride for a team close to home until he signed as a free agent to Austin's first professional bull riding team, the Austin Gamblers, right before it buckles up for its first season this summer.
"To be a part of the first Austin Gamblers team 45 minutes from where I grew up is pretty extraordinary," Mitchell said. "I feel like I'm still home here... and I'm still the hometown cowboy."
Mitchell will represent Austin among 11 other world-class riders—including two-time World Champion Jose Victor Leme—as the team embarks on the first iteration of the PBR Team Series this year. The series features eight elite teams from across the South set to compete in 10 tournament-style competitions, including a three-day tournament and western lifestyle event at Austin's Moody Center Aug. 26-28.
Deal them in!
Your Gamblers are getting ready for the upcoming @PBR Team Series season.
Are you?#ATXgamblers#DealMeIn#LetsRide#buckingbulls#cowboys#PBR#TeamSeriespic.twitter.com/FiWTTJDgWm
— AustinGamblers (@Austin_Gamblers) June 20, 2022
Mitchell says people of all backgrounds should attend the event, which will be the new center's first pro sporting spectacle.
"You don't have to be from the western lifestyle to enjoy bull riding," Mitchell said. "It's a very fun sport, and in my opinion, I think it should be one of the biggest sports in America."
Mitchell and the team will saddle up for one more preseason event on Friday and Saturday in Tryon, North Carolina before the circuit's first season begins July 25-26 in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
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Popular
(Gulfstream)
Elon Musk has placed an order for a new, top-of-the-line private jet: a Gulfstream G700, Austonia has learned. Delivery is expected in early 2023.
Billed as offering “the most spacious cabin in history,” the aircraft seats 19 and soars above the rest of us at up to 51,000 feet. Base price: $78 million.
The Gulfstream G700 was awarded the 2022 International Yacht & Aviation Award for excellence in cabin design this year. (Gulfstream)
According to the Gulfstream website, the G700 can fly up to 7,500 nautical miles without refueling, enough range to fly nonstop from Austin to Hong Kong. Powered by two Rolls-Royce engines, it has its own Wi-Fi system, 20 oval windows measuring 28” x 21”, and two lavatories.
The sweet new ride will replace his current top-of-line private jet: a 2015 Gulfstream G650, the aircraft that has been made somewhat famous by the automated @elonjet Twitter account, which tracks and reports his personal aircraft’s movements using public data.
Landed in Austin, Texas, US. Apx. flt. time 44 Mins. pic.twitter.com/jZ7HI0i4iV
— ElonJet (@ElonJet) June 24, 2022
Musk has repeatedly championed “free speech” as a guiding ethic in his planned purchase of Twitter. Last December, Musk offered the teenager who built the @elonjet tracker $50,000 to shut it down, citing security concerns. It’s still up.
According to the @elonjet account, Musk’s jet last traveled to Austin, where it’s been since June 23. The associated data says that his flight to Austin burned $2,573 worth of aviation fuel and discharged 4 tons of carbon dioxide.
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(Valencia Hotel Group)
Live music and beer? Say no more. With a location in Austin, and others throughout Texas, the court hotels by the Valencia Hotel Group have a new offering for weekend stays: Live Music & Longnecks.
Enjoy live music all weekend long and check out the hotels’ state-of-the-art amenities between sets. Make a splash in the pool, enjoy outdoor fire pits, or challenge your friends in a yard game while enjoying a weekend full of live music! Did we mention the package includes deluxe accommodations and a bucket of beer? Oh, and if you needed more convincing, this pet-friendly hotel means the whole family can join in on the fun.
The hotels
Explore any of the Court Hotels by Valencia Hotel Group for a memorable escape. Each property offers a unique experience remnant of yesteryear but with all of the modern amenities that make for a fun and comfortable stay. With acres of landscaped courtyards, relax and unwind in an outdoor environment perfect for doing everything or absolutely nothing at all. With locations in Austin, College Station, Irving, and Lubbock your urban retreat has never been so close.
The music
Locals and travelers alike are invited to enjoy the deep roots of Texas music all summer long with a robust lineup of live performances. From the banks of the San Antonio Riverwalk to Irving’s manicured streets, Valencia’s hotels are a place to gather and reconnect, offering uniquely Texan settings for the weekly performances.
“We’re proud of the community we’ve fostered among Texas musicians and the many rising stars who perform at our properties,” says Amy Trench, corporate director of brand marketing & PR for Valencia Hotel Group.
In Austin, you can catch good ol’ fashioned Texas country by Drew Moreland and Clayton Gardner, bluegrass by Reagan Quinn, and much, much more.
With unique programming at each of Valencia’s properties, there’s something for everyone to enjoy all summer long.
The perks
If you’re a Valencia Hotel Group Rewards member, the perks are plentiful. Enjoy up to 10% off the Best Available Rate, and for a limited time, members can save up to 15% off a stay of 2 nights or more, for select stays in 2022.
But that’s really just the beginning. At select locations, you can enjoy discounts on weeknight stays, a complimentary third night, or curated packages for a romantic getaway or a night of watching the Verde at Q2 Stadium. You’ll also find special rates for AAA and AARP Members, educators, and front-line heroes including military, law enforcement, fire, and rescue workers.