ProRodeo Sports News - January 19, 2024

GREAT FALLS, MONT.

Erickson adds to Montana Circuit titles Perfect Fit RAM MONTANA CIRCUIT FINALS

BY TRACY RENCK S teer wrestler Ty Erickson and the Montana Circuit have been a perfect fit for the last several years. That trend continued during the weekend of Jan. 11-13, during the RAM Mountain Circuit Finals Rodeo in Great Falls. Erickson, who won the 2019 PRCA Steer Wrestling World Championship, was a case study in perfection. The Helena, Mont., cowboy swept all three rounds to win the average and the year-end championships while competing at the Four Seasons Arena. “This is my sixth average title and I have won several year-end titles,” said Erickson, 33. “I have to give all the credit to my horse Crush. He worked so good up here. Everything came together.” Erickson’s six average titles at the RAM Montana Circuit Finals Rodeo is a new record. Erickson won his average crowns in 2011, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2023. Crush, 12, has been Erickson’s main horse since 2019. In Great Falls, the duo team upped to win Round 1 (4.3 seconds), Round 2 (4.2 seconds) and Round 3 (4.2 seconds) which vaulted him to average crown with 12.7 seconds on three head. “I absolutely make a concerted effort to go to my circuit rodeos,” said Erickson, an eight-time qualifier for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo – 2014-19 and 2022-23. “Especially anymore with the circuit standings counting toward the world standings if a guy can go do well at the Circuit Finals it can give you a good jump for the next year. Then, with the NFR Open paying so much money, it is hard to not want to go to that.” With his performance in the Montana Circuit – Erickson qualified for the NFR Open powered by RAM, which will take place July 9-13 in Colorado Springs, Colo. “When I was first starting out, I never thought I would win the (Montana) Circuit this many times,” Erickson said. “I love steer wrestling. To me that is what is keeping me going now, my love for the sport.” This past December at the NFR, Erickson earned $69,884 in Las Vegas, thanks to splitting third in three rounds – Round 1 (4.3 seconds), Round 5 (3.7) and Round 8 (3.8). He finished 11th in the PRCA | RAM World Standings with $194,120. “My NFR was all right,” Erickson said. “I was so proud of the way my horse (Crush) worked. I was disappointed with the way I performed and how well he did. I felt like I left a little on the table and it is rodeo, and that kind of stuff happens. After that we came home and regrouped and went to practicing and this (the RAM Montana Circuit Finals Rodeo) was our first one back and I couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out. “Everyone’s ultimate goal is to win a world championship and it came together for me in 2019 and I’m striving to get back there and do it again.”

TOP SCORES

TOP MONEY EARNER Luke Gee ($11,170, bull riding and steer wrestling) BAREBACK RIDING

Gee

1. Weston Timberman.......253 pts. on 3 2. Tristan Hansen..............................247 3. Richmond Champion....................243 STEER WRESTLING 1. Ty Erickson...................12.7 sec. on 3 2. Timmy Sparing............................14.8 3. Kolby Bignell................................23.3 TEAM ROPING 1. D. Bird/I. Folsom..........14.6 sec. on 3 2. R. Day/J. Bilby.............................20.7 3. G. Plenty/M. Trollinger...................9.2 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Tanner Butner................255 pts. on 3 2. Sage Newman...............................254 3. Jesse Kruse..................................241 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Ben Ayre.......................33.8 sec. on 3 2. Landon Williams..........................34.7 3. Bryce Bott....................................35.5 BARREL RACING 1. Tayla Moeykens..........38.81 sec. on 3 2. Heather Crowley........................39.65 3. Bailee Murnion..........................40.54 BULL RIDING 1. Luke Gee........................236 pts. on 3 2. Payton Fitzpatrick.................156 on 2 3. Gavin Knutson................................81

Complete results/Page 41

Clay Guardipee photo

Steer wrestler Ty Erickson competes during the RAM Montana Circuit Finals Rodeo in Great Falls. The Montana cowboy swept all three rounds and captured the Montana Circuit year-end and average titles.

ProRodeo Sports News 1/19/2024

ProRodeo Sports News 1/19/2024

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