Page 34 - 2019_NFR_RodeoLife_V4_complete (1)

RL: What are some of the hardships of rodeo that you have TD: I have a saying: Buy the best and buy it one time. I believe in
faced and how did you get through them? that statement whether it’s a truck, trailer, horse or saddle tack.
I don’t like things to break down or malfunction. Having the best
TD: On the rodeo trail, there are many hardships that can tack and horse that you can afford pays dividends over the long
happen when you spend 280 days a year on the road; from haul. With reliable equipment you’re going to make it to the
having friends that lose their lives in car accidents to unforeseen rodeos, have better runs in competitions and be a better athlete
partnerships getting broken up or losing a horse that’s very all the way around.
special to you. The most difficult is losing somebody or an animal
that you’re close to. It’s rare, but when you are rodeoing you The last year and a half I’ve really focused on interacting with the
spend hours and hours with the animals and the people and you fans a lot more. It’s not just about going, competing and leaving.
feel like you’ve lost a family member. You create relationships It’s about trying to respond to every person I get a message from
with these animals and people and if something were to happen on social media and taking time to talk to people and kids. The
that would cost that, that to me is the hardest part. thirty seconds a person might spend and give to somebody else
might just be thirty seconds to you but could be a dream to the
RL: Your name is decorated with rodeo wins and championships, person you are talking to. I really take that into consideration
is there any rodeo that is still on your “To Win” list? with every person that I meet, whether they are fans or not, I try
What is the ultimate goal for your professional rodeo career? to give everybody a little bit of time to talk to them and try to
understand them.
TD: The goal every year is to be a World Champion. I set that
goal, put in the effort and the work and give one hundred RL: Besides being a roping beast, you are also known for
percent – that is the standard I set for myself. spreading motivational messages, why is it important for you
to influence motivation? What are you hoping people get out
I would love to win Cheyenne; it’s been on my bucket list. The of these messages?
funny thing is, I’ve never even made the short go at Cheyenne so
that’s definitely the one I want to win. TD:I hate seeing people not reach their full potential and not
achieve the things they want to achieve. I’ve watched it for years
As far as what I want to get done for the rest of my life rodeoing; in society, in the arena and have even seen it in my own family.
I want to win the world but I really want to be a good influence People get upset at themselves, they quit, they give up or they
for the people. I want to help people be and achieve their best. are too hard on themselves when they make one tiny mistake
I want people to say, “Tyson was a great guy, he was willing to that costs them winning. I want people to realize that they need
help me out,” maybe it was a mental struggle that I was able to to keep trying. They need to hustle and keep trying as smart as
help somebody overcome. Rodeoing has given me a platform possible. I like to work hard but I like to work intelligently too.
to build a name, but at the end of the day, I just want to be well I just don’t want anyone else to have to go through that same
known for being a guy that was willing to help people get better. stuff that I went through. As a kid and even as a young man,
we wouldn’t have electricity for two weeks, we wouldn’t have
RL: What buckle are you sporting for the 2019 season? food – I would sneak over to a buddy’s house just to eat dinner.
Where do you keep all of your champion buckles? I had every opportunity to grow up and be negative and addicted
to alcohol and drugs because it was all in front of me. I want
TD: The one I’m wearing right now is my 2016 Champion Buckle, everybody to know that if I made it out, and was able to get to
that’s the one I wear to most rodeos because it means the most the level I’m at with good businesses, good horses, a great family
to me. I have buckles everywhere: I’ve given several away, I keep and living my life with optimism, then they can make it out too.
quite a few in my office, I have a bunch in the house, my wife has
a hold of a few of them and my little girl will wear one occasionally I love rodeo, the fans and my family; I feel truly blessed to be
– just a little bit of everywhere. I definitely have plenty of buckles where I am at. I believe that every person’s life is special and
and I’m thankful for every one of them. every person has greatness in them – it’s up to them to really
cultivate it, to bring their uniqueness and specialness out into
RL: How important is good equipment and good horses to your the world and let everybody see it. I spread motivational
success? How important are your fans to your success? messages to help inspire that.

34 Rodeo LIFE