Drake Overcomes Injuries to Earn Return Trip to National Finals Rodeo

After battling back from two serious injuries in less than two years, Fallon youth bull rider Beau Drake Jr. has earned another chance to compete on rodeo’s biggest high school stage.

Drake, 16, qualified for the 2026 National High School Finals Rodeo after finishing as Nevada’s reserve champion bull rider. He will represent the Washoe High School Rodeo Club and Nevada at the national competition July 19-25 in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The qualification marks Drake’s second appearance at the National High School Finals Rodeo and caps a comeback that tested his determination both in and out of the arena.

In 2025, Drake suffered a broken femur during the Nevada State Finals Rodeo, forcing him to miss months of competition while recovering and completing rehabilitation. Earlier this year, he suffered a broken ankle, creating another setback as he worked to return to competition.

Despite the injuries, Drake remained focused on returning to the sport. Through physical therapy, training, and practice, he worked his way back into competition and again earned a place among Nevada’s top bull riders.

Drake previously won the 2024 Nevada Junior High Bull Riding Championship and has continued to build on that success at the high school level. He earned reserve champion bull rider honors in Nevada in both 2025 and 2026.

Family support has played a key role in his rodeo career. Drake credits his uncles, Billy and Levi Quillan, both professional rodeo athletes, coaches, and mentors, with helping him develop his skills and pursue his goals. He also credits his mother, Jamie Drake, for supporting his travels and competitions across Nevada.

When he is not competing, Drake helps younger athletes develop their rodeo skills. He works with youth riders at his T-N Practice Pen in Fallon and assists with weekly Tuesday night bull-riding practices at Quillan’s Practice Pen, where riders prepare for upcoming competitions.

At the National High School Finals Rodeo, Drake will compete against top riders from across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and other countries as he represents Fallon and Nevada on one of youth rodeo’s largest stages.