2020 Media Guide - World Champions

Steer Wrestling

After coming up short in past, Erickson wins gold

The third time was a charm for steer wrestler Ty Erickson. The Helena, Mont., cowboy had come into the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in the pole position three of the last four years, but it wasn’t until 2019 when he left theThomas &Mack with a gold buckle. Erickson earned $88,410 at the Finals to finish atop the PRCA | RAMWorld Standings with $234,491. Erickson edged reserve champion Bridger Chambers, who earned $217,362. Erickson finished fifth in the average with a 62.7-second time on 10 head towin $22,846, which helped secure the world championship. “Ohman, that’s better than I expected,”Erickson said on being called a world champion. “This is a dream come true and I’ve been dreaming of this since I was a little kid. Now that it’s happened, it’s pretty surreal.” Erickson tried to keep his emotions in check before Round 10. “I was just focused onmy job andwhat I wanted to do,”he said.“I just wanted to get a good start and make a good run. After I saw what I had drawn, I knew I had a good steer and would be able to do what I wanted. I was just outside (the money) in the round, but that was OK because I made the

run I wanted and everything worked out.”Erickson clocked a 4.4-second run in Round 10 that helped him finish fifth in the average. He was handed the gold buckle by his aunt Judy Wagner of Montana Silversmiths. “This means everything,” he said. “This is all we’ve been working for the last seven years. Every morning, this is what we get up andwork toward, so now that it’s actually come true and we’ve accom- plished that, it couldn’t mean any more to me. My aunt being the one to hand me the buckle made it even more special.” Erickson’s feat was more impressive considering the six-time Wrangler NFR qualifier was riding Crush, a horse that had never competed at the Finals. “My horse worked great,” he said. Erickson placed second in Round 4, split third in Round 7 and had a huge win in Round 9 with a 3.6-second run that earned him $26,231. “Anytime you can get a round win at theWran- gler National Finals Rodeo, it’s exciting,” Erickson said. “I’m so happy I was able to get a go-round win, especially with the week I’ve been having. I just tried to go back to fundamentals and make the best run I could and it worked out.” – Tracy Renck

PRCA ProRodeo photo by Steve Gray

By finishing fifth in the average at the 2019 Finals, Erickson secured his first world title with $234,491.

4

2019 WORLD CHAMPIONS