A competitive rodeo cowboy and South Australian sheep farmer, Dylan knows his chosen lifestyle isn’t for everyone. The hard-working farmer spends much of his time chasing his dream of becoming a successful saddle bronc rider — a pursuit that comes with plenty of risks and has already taken a toll on his past relationships.
Now searching for love on the new season of Farmer Wants A Wife, Dylan is upfront about what life with him looks like. Speaking to 7NEWS.com.au, the 24-year-old said his future partner will need to be willing to back his rodeo ambitions, despite the dangers involved. With a passion for the outdoors and travel, Dylan is happiest when he’s connected to nature, caring for orphaned wildlife or working with horses.
Rodeo Dreams and Relationship Struggles
For Dylan, it wasn’t hard to meet someone — it was more about meeting the “right one”. The young sheep farmer from Cherry Gardens, SA, said his passion for rodeo had affected his last two serious relationships. “The first one, we broke up for me to go and be a cowboy in the Kimberley’s and work on the cattle station,” Dylan said. “And the second one, I got so involved in rodeo on horses that it kind of cost me that too. My relationship life has been taken over by wanting to be a cowboy.”
Dylan admitted he’s been so caught up chasing his dreams of working with horses, becoming a saddle bronc rider, running his sheep farm and caring for wildlife that finding love was put on the back burner. “But I feel like I’m at that stage in my life where I’m ready to buckle down and find that lady to share this life with,” Dylan said. Prioritising finding love is what motivated him to apply for the show.
Life on the Farm and in the Rodeo Arena
While Dylan works on his sheep farm, the work is seasonal, meaning much of his time is spent pursuing his career as a saddle bronc rider. Known as the “classic event” of rodeo competitions, saddle bronc riding sees competitors attempt to ride a bucking horse using a specialised saddle and single rein. While it’s not considered the most dangerous event in rodeo, Dylan said there are still significant risks involved. “When things are going really good, they’re going really good, but when they go bad, they can go real, real bad,” Dylan said.
He has sustained multiple injuries while riding, including breaking his foot, having a horse fall on him and requiring two plates in his arm. “It can be dangerous, but it’s one of those things, the only way to get better is to get back on and I think that’s kind of the cowboy way of life,” Dylan said. “You’ve got to get back on and keep going, otherwise, you shouldn’t be doing it.”
What Dylan Wants in a Partner
While his passion has affected relationships in the past, Dylan said rodeo is not something he’s prepared to give up, making support from a future partner essential. “I’ve had to have that conversation before and it is tricky because it is can be a dangerous sport,” Dylan said. “But you need the right lady to want to back you and at the end of the day, I feel like they’re always going to be worried. My family’s worried every time I go out and get on that horse. It’s such a crucial part of my life, it becomes a little bit of a make or break. It’s one of my dreams to become a successful saddle bronc rider and I’m willing to back my lady and her dreams 110%. I just need someone to do it back.”
Dylan admitted he’s an open book and what you see is what you get. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t surprises in store as the dating gets underway: “It could get a little bit Western as it goes on.” When he’s not riding rodeo, Dylan is busy on the farm. Work is seasonal and can involve everything from shearing sheep to checking livestock, fences and water supplies.
A Creative Side
But there’s another side to the farmer that viewers may not expect. Alongside sheep farming and rodeo riding, Dylan has also developed a passion for fashion design and art. “I’m also creative, which led me to designing clothes and creating artworks. When I worked in the Kimberley’s on the cattle station, I noticed all the ringers up there had rips in their shirt, so I was like, ‘How can I fix this?’ So, I spent months trying to make a perfect work shirt and eventually made one. Now I’m designing rodeo wear, work clothes and jackets.”
It’s clear Dylan is an ambitious man with plenty of passions, but he said that doesn’t mean he’d expect a future partner to sacrifice her own dreams. “I’m wanting to pave the life together,” Dylan said. “I want her to have her own dreams and her own ambitions and her own goals because I’ll be willing to back her, as much as she’s willing to back me. I think there’s no way that I couldn’t live on the farm. It’s my favourite place on Earth. So I would need someone that’s willing to kind of get in and get their hands dirty.”
Farmer Wants A Wife starts Monday 8 June on Seven and 7Plus. Stream free on 7Plus.
