Amped Up Bull Riding wraps up 10th year in St. Joseph with sold-out crowds and Sunday cleanup

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- Amped Up Bull Riding celebrated their last night in St. Joseph, and Saturday night's performance was just as exciting as the last.

For 10 years, Amped Up Bull Riding has been coming to St. Joseph, consistently selling out the Civic Arena.

Owner Isaiah Dunn, who once rode bulls himself and now runs the entire production, said the local support has been overwhelming.

“We love Saint Joe,” Dunn said. “Saint Joe’s an awesome town. It sells out every weekend. We had a great crowd last night. I know tonight’s going to be really good. Reserved seating is already sold out.”

While the weekend has been full of bull riding, smoke, pyrotechnics, and two hours of action, the real challenge comes with cleanup.

For the event, the Civic Arena is filled with dirt, brought in by a local excavating company, a process that takes a full eight hours.

Dunn explained that the setup is a weeks-long effort, but the teardown is a sprint.

“As soon as the show’s over, we’ll start ripping down,” Dunn said. “By 5:00 on Sunday afternoon, all the dirt, all the pens, everything will be out of this building. It’ll be swept, and you’ll never even know we were here.”

Also on Sunday, the bulls are rounded up, corrals put away, and everything is wrapped up before next year’s event. Dunn noted that the bulls are not housed at the arena but are trucked in daily to ensure they have proper food, water, and shelter.

“Sundays are a crazy day around here,” Dunn added. “By 4:00 in the afternoon, there’s literally nothing left in the arena, and we’re shutting the door.”

Dunn, who says he’s “too old to ride anymore,” now finds joy in producing the event and keeping the sport he loves alive, and credits local partners for the event’s longevity.

“The sponsors in this town are awesome. The fans up here are awesome,” Dunn said. “We couldn’t be more blessed to be in Saint Joe. They’ve done a lot of upgrades to the Civic Arena, and we absolutely love it here.”

Amped Up Bull Riding returns every year, so keep a lookout for next year’s tickets if you want to see it in 2027.

“Get your tickets early,” Dunn said. “They’ll go back on sale right after we’re done. We’re just happy to be here.”