Kase Hitt was raised around bucking bulls, so ending up on the back of them was never much of a surprise. The Dickson, Oklahoma, native comes from a family that has raised bulls for generations, and his uncle, seven-time PBR Stock Contractor of the Year H.D. Page, helped inspire him to start riding at a young age. What began at local events eventually carried Hitt into the PRCA, PBR and, fittingly, onto his home-state Oklahoma Wildcatters.

His connection to  former Wildcatters head coach J.B. Mauney actually began before the two ever shared a locker room. In 2023, Mauney was hospitalized in Idaho following the neck injury that ended his legendary riding career. Hitt happened to be in the same hospital recovering from a lacerated spleen. The two got to know each other during their stay, and less than a year later, Mauney and Oklahoma selected Hitt in the first round of the 2024 PBR Teams New Rider Draft.

Hitt had earned their attention at the PBR Teams Combine Championship in Fort Worth. After being offered a re-ride on what became his fourth bull of the event, he climbed right back into the chute and rode Free Ride for 86.5 points to win the competition. The performance helped turn him from an intriguing Oklahoma prospect into a first-round draft pick.

His introduction to PBR Teams was not nearly as easy. Hitt went 0-for-13 during his rookie season while adjusting to the best bulls in the sport before an injury landed him on Injured Reserve in September. Rather than letting that first season define him, he kept building.

By 2026, that progress was showing. Hitt finished third in the Unleash the Beast Rookie of the Year race, earning 147 points during the premier-series season. It was another step forward for a rider who has never been shy about learning the hard way.

Away from the arena, Hitt is about as Oklahoma as it gets. He follows the Sooners, college football, the NFL, hunting, fishing, golf and PBR, and if bull riding had not become his full-time job, he says he would be running his family’s ranch. He prefers a truck to drive, Freddy’s fast food, Italian cuisine and a playlist that can bounce from rock and rap to country, with Ella Langley and Zach Top among his favorites. His favorite bull rider is Mauney, which makes their eventual coach-rider relationship even more fitting.

Now a new father to his son, Kruz, Hitt is excited for the challenges that come with fatherhood — and with younger siblings, he already has a little experience looking after the next generation.

Hitt is usually easy to spot around the chutes with a smile on his face, but there is plenty of toughness underneath it. He has already worked through serious injury, a difficult first Teams season and the learning curve that comes with reaching bull riding’s highest level.

Now, with a young son watching and a promising career still ahead of him, Hitt has plenty of reasons to keep climbing.