Mayor Mattie Parker, City of Fort Worth | City of Fort Worth website
Mayor Mattie Parker, City of Fort Worth | City of Fort Worth website
Published on September 20, 2024
The Ariat Texas Rattlers, reigning PBR (Professional Bull Riders) teams world champions, were honored by Mayor Mattie Parker and the City Council as Fort Worth’s first professional sports team to bring home a national title.
As the only PBR team undefeated on home soil, the Rattlers have gained national recognition, becoming cultural and civic icons in the city.
On Tuesday, team co-owner Leonard Firestone and general manager Chad Blankenship presented Parker with an exclusive Fort Worth city jersey. The gifting of a city jersey — a trend among professional sports franchises like the Texas Rangers and Dallas Mavericks — marks the Texas Rattlers’ rising status in Fort Worth’s sports landscape.
The jersey’s Panther City design honors Fort Worth’s resilience, a city once mocked as “sleepy” by a Dallas columnist in the 1870s. Today, the Rattlers stand as a symbol of the city’s transformation into a thriving, dynamic metropolis with a competitive spirit.
This special recognition came just ahead of Rattler Days, a three-day bull riding competition on Sept. 26 at Cowtown Coliseum and Sept. 27-28 at Dickies Arena, where the Rattlers will compete against nine other teams from across the country.
The event also features the Stockyards Alley Rally, presented by Community Coffee, a free fan festival at the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards offering live music, parades, autograph signings and more, celebrating the hometown champions.
Photo: District 2 Councilmember Carlos Flores and Mayor Mattie Parker celebrate with Texas Rattlers general manager Chad Blankenship and co-owner Leonard Firestone. Fang, the team’s beloved rattlesnake mascot, looks on.
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