Age: 21
Hometown: San Angelo, Texas
Career earnings: $354,786
NFR Qualifications: 1 (2024)
Major rodeos: San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo, Deadwood days of 76 Rodeo, California Rodeo Salinas and Sisters Rodeo.
Star Horsepower: Major A 2009 (Earl), Sneakin A Dual and Cletus.
Dylan Hancock didn’t always have a rope in his hand—at one point, it was a baseball glove.
Baseball came first until Hancock was 12, with rodeo taking a back seat. When Hancock hit middle school, he decided to switch up his priorities from baseball to rodeo.
“We lived in a small town, and I played baseball and roped a little bit, probably more baseball than rodeo when I was younger,” Hancock said. “I played all the way up until I was 12, and then I decided just to rope full time and quit baseball.”
Hancock’s dad, Shane, also an all-around hand, planted the roping seed early in Hancock’s life. By the time he was 14, Hancock knew exactly what he wanted to do: rope calves and make a living doing it.
Hancock bought his Rookie card in 2023 and made a statement that same year. He picked up not only the Resistol Rookie of the Year title in the tie-down roping but also the all-around. He earned $75,669 in the steer wrestling, team roping and calf roping—with $74,997 earned in the calf roping alone.
“I’m not going to lie, my rookie year was pretty rough,” Hancock said. “I know I won $75,000, but I got my butt kicked a lot. The big road is an eye-opener. It’s not amateur rodeos or Texas circuit rodeos, it’s a whole different world out here.”
The learning curve of his Rookie year was steep, but it set him up for the following ProRodeo season.
“I tried not to mess up too much my rookie year,” Hancock said. “Now, when I draw a good calf, I just try to execute. I take chances now and make the best run I can. That’s the difference in my roping now versus then.”
Hancock feels like his big break happened late in his rookie year in Heber City, Utah.
“We flew in and I won the rodeo,” Hancock said. “I think that was the first time I took the lead in the rookie race. It made me feel like I could really do it.”
All-Around Hand
Aside from roping calves, Hancock steer wrestles, team ropes and steer ropes—and does all three well.
“I’ve team roped my whole life,” Hancock said. “I’ve headed and heeled both, but mostly just messed around with it around the house. I’ve also bulldogged since I was a sophomore in high school and then in college. They had the bustin’ at the college rodeos, so I did a little bit of that, as well.”
When the call came asking Hancock to come to the 2025 Cinch Timed Event Championship, he was ready.
“It lit a fire under me,” Hancock said. “I didn’t have much time to get ready, but I just started lining up horses and getting in whatever practice I could.”
Hancock had 10 days to prepare for the iconic Lazy E event, but between San Antonio and long drives, he only had four days in the practice pen. He executed, though, turning in an average time of 436.3 seconds to place second overall and earn $35,000.
“The Timed Event it super cool, it’s always something I’ve wanted to be invited to,” Hancock said. “They just called me the other day and invited me back, so I’ll be going back next year.”
New Horses, New Momentum
Hancock’s 2025 season has been defined by momentum. After a steady winter, he’s been rolling all summer long—thanks in part to some fresh horsepower.
“Everybody knows Earl, he’s been my main horse,” Hancock said. “But I’ve got a couple new ones this year. I bought Riley Webb’s paint horse and right before I left for the summer, I bought a bay horse from my buddy Cody Waldrop.”
Hancock bought the new bay gelding, registered as Sneakin A Dual, from Waldrop just a week before he left for the summer, but he almost left him at home.
“I almost didn’t bring him,” Hancock said. “I’m sure glad I did though. He’s been great for me all summer.”
The Mindset Shift
In 2024, Hancock made his first trip to the NFR, finishing sixth in the world with $267,963 earned on the season. That experience helped shape how he approached the 2025 season.
“I’ve just realized my run is good enough,” Hancock said. “If I stay behind the barrier, rope one around the neck and the calf takes the tie, I should win something. I just try to execute the best run that the calf allows and see where it ends up.