One imagines a brutal competition of bucking bulls, a sight where only the bravest dare to step foot into the Professional Bull arena. However, a fine rider from the tranquility of Arlington, Oregon is steadily marching into the adrenaline-filled arena. The 4-foot-10 teen prodigy Najiah Knight is attempting to rewrite the Professional Bull Riders’ tour’s history over all odds.
Najiah proclaimed herself as “one of the first ones who came close to riding” the top-ranked bulls, in an earlier Vogue interview which makes her stand out in this male-dominated sport. But Najiah recently showed her followers another side of her incredible talent outside of the rough arena. Her side hustle comes a calling with open arms and a warm embrace.
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Najiah, a junior in high school, is adamant about being the first female rider at the top of the Professional Bull Riders circuit. However, she is busy establishing herself in another field until she turns 18 and can formally enter the elite circuit. Najiah was featured in a billboard for a collaborative project shared by Nashville’s prestigious Ariat Brand Shop and reposted the same on her Instagram story.
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As Knight’s Instagram account boldly states that she is an “IMG Model,” it reveals a side interest that involves branching out beyond the realm of professional bull riders. Najiah shone in striking clothes and colorful cowboy boots in the AriatXRodeoQuincy feature, blending contemporary elements with the classic ruggedness that defines her sport. She’s also into fitness and trains intensely when not taking on the trials of bull riding or gracing the modeling industry.
Nonetheless, her unwavering will to succeed in a field dominated by men draws attention to herself and underscores her passion, which she wears like a medal of honor. Najiah started her exciting adventure at the early age of three, starting with riding sheep and graduating to bulls at nine years old. She was unintentionally ignited to pursue the sport by her father, an experienced bull rider. She hasn’t let being the only woman on the MBR tour stop her; on the contrary, she’s embraced the challenge and the attention she’s rightfully earned.
Owning the path less traveled
Knight grinned contagiously as she admitted that at first, the boys were surprised to see her, but she quickly gained their respect in her first year of competition, almost beating some of the strongest bulls.
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“I’ve told my dad this is what I’m going to do since I was a little child, like three years old,” she claimed.
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“I’m going to be the first girl in the PBR,” Najiah told Vogue in her 2020 feature. And nothing has changed her grit over the years as she was seen entering the dirt ground last month while her parents cheered from the stands.
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