story by Riata Cummings
Long time rodeo cowboy Ty Christensen hails from Plain City, Utah. He lives there with his parents, Cody and Shawnee, as well as his brother Wyatt. Together they spend a lot of time on the farm and on the rodeo road. Their rodeo lifestyle can be attributed to Cody, who pointed them in that direction at a young age. Ty recalls competing in his first rodeo somewhere around the ripe old age of five.
Today, Ty is one of the most competitive ropers in the Utah High School Rodeo Association. Competing in the tie down roping and team roping, he dedicates a lot of his time to roping. He and his brother try to rope every day. Ty’s rodeo horses include Morgan and Doc. Both horses are well bred and well trained, but his heel horse Doc is the favorite of the two. When Doc came to their house as a three year old, Ty started training him. Maybe it is because Doc was his first horse, or maybe it’s because Doc carried him to the National High School Finals Rodeo twice, but the two have a special bond. Last year, Ty and his partner were the only team to win seven rodeos. This rodeo season, Ty hopes to win seven of the fall rodeos which would give him the maximum amount of qualifying points for state finals before the season is halfway over.
Ty’s favorite rodeo is the Utah High School State Finals. With its almost electric atmosphere and full grandstands, contestants can’t help but feel the adrenaline. Knowing each of the contestants around you, and knowing how hard everyone has worked to be there makes your heart beat just a little bit faster. This year, Ty hopes to take home a state championship and is working on a national title as well. Ty feels that rodeoing in Utah has pushed him to be a better competitor and tougher roper. Ty even has his own team roping ritual, and goes through the same routine each time he backs in the box. It includes some spitting and a very secure hat, but it seems to be working for him.
Ty’s hero is his Grandpa Jay, who has been a role model of hard work, honesty, and charity. His parents have also taught him the value of work and support. Thanks to them, he knows that one must work for what they want, and you only deserve what you work for. One day, he would like to be able to do for his family what his parents did for him, and to live the rodeo lifestyle. Ty would advise rodeo competitors to be humble, especially when you find success. He would encourage them to work hard for what they want. Perhaps it’s his work ethic that has made Ty such an epitome of the rodeo lifestyle and its competitors.
