Ty Olsen has absorbed his fair share of bumps, bruises and backaches along the path of rodeo stardom—but nothing cures pain like the thrill of surviving that eight-second ride.
The 18-year-old Fort Frances native, now based out of Smithers, B.C., has made some big noise on the amateur circuit over the past few months, winning the saddle bronc division of the British Columbia High School Rodeo Association in June, and finishing fourth in the novice saddle bronc at the Calgary Stampede last month.
Earlier this month, he capped his amateur career with a second-place finish at the Canadian High School Finals Rodeo in Medicine Hat, Ab., and has now earned his pro rodeo card to allow him to challenge the best the sport has to offer in both Canada and the U.S.
Olsen’s streak began last September on the high school circuit with a 60-point ride to earn second place in Hudson Hope, B.C. He then cleaned up in Grande Prairie, Alta. on Oct. 5-6, tying Alberta’s Arron Koster for first with 66 points on day one, before winning the day two go-round outright with 63 points.
He ended the fall season with a second-place result in Vanderhoof, B.C, thanks to a 64-point performance that left him in second place.
On March 29-30 in Chilliwack, B.C., Olsen posted a 68 point-showing on day one to take third, before moving up a notch to second on day two with a 70- point mark.
At a two-day event in North Okanagan, B.C. Apr. 26-27, Olsen mirrored himself by collecting identical third-place finishes with equally identical 61-point rides.
Olsen hit pay dirt in Williams Lake, B.C., posting 72 points to win day one of the competition May 3, then garnered two more first-place finishes in Quesnel the following weekend with marks of 66 and 68, respectively.
After a second-place tie in Chase, B.C. May 25, where he managed 66 points, he put up more impressive efforts the following weekend in Merritt, B.C., finishing second on day one (66) and first on day two (73).
At the B.C. finals June 6-8, Olsen fought tooth and nail with Wade Cunningham of 150 Mile House, tying Cunningham on day one with a score of 64.
But in his final ride of the event two days later, Olsen clinched the championship with a 71, and was named to the Wrangler provincial all-star team.
At the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” Olsen didn’t make an appearance until day three, when he finished fifth in the go-round with a 68 on Warfare Rocket.
On day four of the Stampede, he shone bright on Neon Moon, scoring a 68 to tie Jerome Rogan of Ormiston, Sk., and Logan Hodson from Telkwa, B.C.
Olsen then took a day off, before reappearing to score 67 on Rodeo Road to take fourth for the go-round.
After another day off, Olsen suffered his only downturn of the event, when he was bucked off by Walleye Roan on day eight in his final mount of the Stampede.
His total of 203 earned him $166.24, and left him trailing only Jim Berry of Bonnyville, Ab. (294), Dallas Nitschke of Stettler, Ab. (246) and Scott Lourance of Edmonton, Ab. (219).
A tough start in Medicine Hat featured Olsen being bucked off, leaving him behind the eight-ball during the three-day national finals with no points, and no further room for error.
But without missing a beat, Olsen jumped right back in the saddle and right near the top of the leader board with a 79.
He followed that up with a 78 to finish with 157 on two horses, trailing only Alberta’s Jeremy Russel, who was the only rider to stay on all three horses (72, 75, 64 for 211 points).
Olsen will spend the next while competing on both the Canadian Pro Rodeo Association (CPRA) and the British Columbia Rodeo Association (BCRA) circuits. He also at some point plans to attend Western Texas College in Snyder, Tx., where he has been offered a full rodeo scholarship.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
