By Gari Voss
The Flying Star Rodeo will be at the Grandstand of the Allegan County Fair on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, beginning at 7pm. Waiting for his time to enter the bull riding chute will be Ashton Prolo, a 16 year old Allegan native who is sitting in second place of the bull riding point system of the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA).
Prolo shared that at the age of nine or ten, he became enthralled with bull riding. This took him to the Silver Dollar in Wayland where he had his first ride.
“It did not go well,” Ashton admitted. “I was quickly on the ground.”
That first ride did not deter Prolo from pursuing his dream of being a champion bull rider. He continued attending Monday practices. When he felt ready, he could return on Friday for the rodeo. By the age of 13, Ashton was competing on a regular basis. Now he is one of the top riders.
During 2025, Prolo competed in rodeos sponsored by Flying Star, Super Kicker, Triple D, and Twisted P. These are IPRA rodeos that are open to riders of all ages. With each ride, Prolo has had the ability to accumulate points, especially when he stays aboard the bull for 8 seconds.
A ride begins when Ashton’s left-handed Brazilian rope is secured around the bull’s chest. Ashton then settles onto the back of the bull and fits his left hand into the harness. When ready, he calls for the gate to be opened. It then becomes a competition between man and bull.
Ashton has many memories of his rides, successful and not so successful. One of his favorite bulls is 025. Why? “He is a harder bull to cover with a spin and a dip out of the chute. The first time I encountered 025 was at the Allegan County Fair.”
Another favorite is 212 that he rode a couple weeks ago. His first ride on 212 lasted only 2 seconds. On another ride, he covered the 8 seconds which boosted his confidence.
Becoming a top rated rider has taken some decision making. Because of the fact that rodeos occur indoor and outdoor, there is a year round circuit. With the time constraints, Prolo decided to be home schooled because he was on the road a week at a time.
Because of being under 18, Prolo can only participate in open rodeos, but once he turns 18, he plans on expanding his competitions beyond Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. It is his dream to compete in some of the large rodeos in the west like the Cheyenne Frontier Days, Calgary Stampede (Canada), Reno Rodeo, Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo, and Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Once he turns 18, Prolo can become a professional rider and participate on the professional circuits with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). The PRCA is the largest and oldest sanctioning body for men’s rodeo events, while the WPRA (Women’s Rodeo) sanctions barrel racing and breakaway roping, among other events.
When considering his success, Prolo would thank Lester Yoder and Tuff Slieff for their mentoring and assistance. Ashton is looking forward to the Flying Star Rodeo at the Allegan County Fair on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, since this is his hometown.
