Helena steer wrestler Ty Erickson prepares for NFR
What does it mean to make the National Finals Rodeo?
Ty Erickson, a man known for his speed in the rodeo arena, considered the question and suddenly the conversation ground to a halt.
The big steer wrestler from Helena swallowed hard a few times to get rid of that lump in his throat.
“I don’t know, man,” he finally said. “Ever since I was little this is what I’ve wanted to do. Rodeo and make the Finals. This is a dream come true.”
Erickson, 24, was named the PRCA Rookie of the Year bulldogger in 2011. That’s when he was still attending Montana State.
Now a college graduate, this is the first year he’s been able to hit the rodeo road as hard as the competition. And it earned him a spot at the National Finals Rodeo, which begins Dec. 4 in Las Vegas.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better year,” Erickson said. “It did come a little close there at the end, though.”
Erickson qualified 15th in the final standings, squeezing into the NFR by $63. He was driving in the middle of Oklahoma when it became official. Best buddy Timmy Sparing, like Erickson a former Helena Capital star athlete and budding bulldogger on the pro rodeo circuit, texted the good news.
“Pretty dang exciting,” Erickson said.
He and Sparing traveled extensively this year. And that helped.
“There’s a lot of down time,” Erickson said. “If you can spend it with a person you really get along with that makes it so much easier.”
Erickson is a 6-5, 240-pounder, a rough and rugged cowboy with uncommon strength. But he’s emotional, too.
A few years ago when a rookie at the Montana Pro Rodeo Finals in Great Falls, the big bulldogger admitted to being nervous.
“You have no idea,” he said when asked about the stress. “Our season is so long and there’s so many ups and downs. It does take a toll on everybody, I think. And it’s just those guys who can always try to keep that positive attitude that will have that success, I believe.”
His talent has done nothing but provide confidence. And so have his friends.
Nick Stubblefield is a true confidant. Erickson also looks to K.C. Jones — Ty will ride one of his horses at the NFR — and Ote Berry, a four-time world champion who also back in the day helped Great Falls native Rod Lyman with his fantastic steer wrestling career.
Erickson said he’s thankful for his talent, and more.
“I’ve been blessed with the ability to ride really good horses,” he said. “And also to have that support of my friends the whole year.”
Erickson is a former All-State basketball player at Helena Capital, where one of his teammates was often Matt Miller, the great football player at Boise State. Those hoop teams scrapped with some Great Falls youth squads that included the likes of Tanner Bleskin and Josh Huestis.
“Pretty good athletes," Erickson said with a chuckle.
And make no mistake, Erickson is as accomplished as anyone. Anybody who qualifies for the NFR is a pro’s pro of a cowboy, for sure.
So what is the goal for Vegas?
“Man,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t know."
And then the swift steer wrestler took his time again with an answer.
“Shoot," he said. “I just want to go down there and, I don’t know ... Really my main focus is to go for a go-round every night. Not even worry about the average until the 10th round.”
Erickson has only been to the NFR once, last year when he helped Jones.
“I‘m glad I did, because it won’t quite be surreal to me," Erickson said.
But it figures to be special nonetheless. Erickson’s folks, Sid and Janet of Helena, will be there. And Sparing will be as close to his good friend as possible.
To be sure, Erickson's star is one the rise. He deserves to be considered among the state’s greats.
“I don’t know about that," Erickson said. "I don't think I’m in the category of Rod Lyman or Brad Gleason or Beau Franzen."
Then he paused for a moment.
“What’s really exciting is to be able to represent Montana," he said. “It makes me real happy if I can make the state proud."