Born on July 4, 1969, in Visalia, California, Scott Mendes is a former professional cowboy specializing in bull riding. Scott Mendes became the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) champion in 1997. He invented the Rodeo Judge, an original rodeo card game similar to Blackjack.

Taking inspiration from his grandfather Frank Mendes, Scott started bull riding and competed at Madison Square Garden in NYC and Boston Garden. In the Nevada State High School, Mendes won the bull riding titles in 1985 and 1986 and even qualified for the High School National Finals. After having his card for just two months, Scott Mendes finished in second place behind Oklahoma’s David Berry for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association bull riding rookie.

When it comes to his professional career, besides qualifying for the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) twice, Bull Riders Only World Finals twice, and National Finals Rodeo (NFR) five times, Scott Mendes competed in the CBR or Championship Bull Riding. At the pinnacle of his professional bull riding career in 1997, Mendes earned more money than any of his fellow bull riders in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and became the champion of PRCA. Moreover, Scott Mendes is the Professional Bull Riders co-founder and qualified for the World Finals in 1994 and 2001. Mendes last rode a bull professionally at a PRCA event in August 2005.

After the death of his good friend and bull rider Brent Thurman, Mendes became a “born again” Christian and founded the Western Harvest Ministries with his wife Angel. As a Pastor, Mendes also founded several Christian organizations and traveled across the country as a motivational speaker.