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Ride 'em cowboy!


Mavis Gonshorowski
He’s probably dusted off the backside of his jeans more often than his cowboy hat lately, but for 21-year-old Tylor Wojciechowski, as the saying goes, “You win a few; lose a few”.
Tylor's interest would tend to make most shy away...he rides bulls, the big, the bad, the ugly...the ones that delight in throwing their riders.
The son of Keith and Dana Wojciechowski of rural Greenbush and Shirley and Jack Danielson of Roseau, Tylor was but a youngster of 10 years when he started his riding career on the back of steers on the family farm.
“When I first started riding, I hung onto a lead rope which was around the steer’s waist,” Tylor commented. “From there I went to using a junior bull rope when riding steers and small bulls.”
Tylor thoroughly got his “feet wet” when he crawled onto one of the big ones at the 2006 rodeo held in Greenbush.
To make a qualifying ride, one must stay on the bull for eight seconds. Tylor didn’t make it on his draw of the bulls.
“I fell off in seven seconds,” he said with a smile.
The experience wasn’t enough to dampen his spirits. He went on to compete in three other bull riding events following the Greenbush Rodeo. Things came to a screeching halt for a short time in mid-July, when at Little Fork, Minnesota, Tylor suffered a broken ankle as his bull was coming out of the chute gate.
Why has he developed such an interest and liking for bull riding?
“It’s a fun sport. I like the challenge...and to win the money!” he grinned.
Come July 2007, found Tylor again at the rodeo in Greenbush, again on the back of a dancin’, twistin’ bull.
To the delight of the hometown crowd, Tylor won out this time, ending up in first place!
He continued his bull riding venture, placing first in Gonvick, second in Glenwood, second in Bemidji and third in Motley, Minnesota.
Purchasing a membership in the Minnesota Rodeo Association in 2007 entitled Tylor to have a chance at the MRA finals; that’s if he placed in the top 15 and accumulated enough points. Coming into the finals, he was holding down third place.
Following the finals at Sherburn, Minnesota, Tylor ended up with 80.3 accumulated points and placed fourth overall for the 2007 season.
Tylor set his sights on becoming a member of the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association).
Why the PRCA?
“It’s a chance to get to the pro-level,” replied Tylor.
According to a PRCA newsletter it states, Anyone of legal age in his home state can apply for a PRCA permit, which allows him to enter many of the Association’s rodeos. Many young rodeo cowboys feel they aren’t quite ready for professional competition, that they should only compete regional. Whether they make a living in a rodeo arena or compete only on weekends close to home, these cowboys must make wise decisions about how they enter and compete if they are going to be successful.
The first phase in becoming a member of the PRCA is that of purchasing a PRCA permit. Once in possession of the permit card and your competition winnings add up to $1000 at PRCA-sanctioned rodeos in an unlimited number of PRCA rodeo years, you may become the owner of a pro-card.
Competing at the 2008 NPRA rodeo in Grand Forks, North Dakota, Tylor placed third in the long-go, staying on the bull for a full eight seconds. This win qualified him to compete in the short-go. The bull won on that one.
Some bull-riding competitions offer the long and short-go; others do not.
March 28, 2008, found Tylor waiting for his luck of the bull-riding draw once again. The place was Fargo, North Dakota. Tylor had rode #301 named Horns and Halo a month earlier. Horns and Halo came out the winner. Now Tylor's draw was #301 again. This time it was Tylor's turn to come out on top; he rode that mean machine for a full eight seconds!
For those in competition, the official results are not immediately known. Tylor told of when he found out about his placing. It was at Rice Lake, Wisconsin.
“I was in a McDonalds restaurant, when Shawn (Stanislawski) sent a text message. That’s when I learned I had placed first,” Tylor said.
How much you want to bet Tylor doesn’t even remember what he ordered to eat!
Tylor won the pro-rodeo that day, earning a score of 86 points. His monetary winnings qualified him to buy the PRCA pro-card!
Since the end of 2007, Tylor and fellow bull riders have joined forces and traveled to circuit rodeos in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, North and South Dakota and Minnesota, competing mainly on weekends. It’s known as the “buddy system”, where as many as four cowboys may enter as a group and request to compete on the same day, allowing them to share rides and traveling expenses.
Of course there are rules that must be followed.
The number one rule for the bull rider is that they must be dressed completely in western attire, from head to toe, including chaps. A protective vest is required. It’s up to the discretion of the rider whether he prefers to wear a cowboy hat or a helmet with a face protector. Tylor chooses to wear the helmet/face protector.
Once in the chute and on the back of the bull, the rider readys himself for the eight seconds that perhaps seem more like forever.
Tylor prefers to use a Brazilian rope over any other kind. Saddle soap and rosin (which acts like a glue) is applied to a given length of the rope to ensure a more secure grip.
Tylor explained, “All riders must wear a bull-riding glove on whichever hand they choose to hold onto the rope with. I cross the rope over the palm of my left hand (the palm facing up), it goes around behind my hand and back over the palm again. I bring my fingers, other than the thumb, down tight over the rope. Once I’m satisfied with the grip, my thumb is brought down over the fingers.”
Riders sometimes run into trouble, when, even though the bull has thrown them off, they can’t break their hand free of the rope because of the sticky substance created by the soap and rosin. That’s when the rescue riders come into play.
The bull rider’s free arm is not allowed to touch any part of the bull at any time during the eight-second timing.
Tylor commented, “The time starts when the bull’s head breaks the plane of the chute.”
“The given score is based on how well the bull performs and how well you ride.”
As to determining who rides what out in the arena, the officials draw the bull for each rider.
A contestant’s points are determined by placings and the prize money won.
Prior to a scheduled bull ride, Tylor finds the stretching of his muscles a must.
He keeps in good physical condition by riding horse on a day-to-day basis.
“Riding horse is the main thing in staying in shape for me,” he commented.
Tylor's calendar shows that he is on the road almost every weekend, Friday night through Sunday, competing in a bull-riding competitions. Two of the highlights he plans to attend are the PRCA Minnesota Horse Expo in St. Paul now in April and the Pro Rodeo in Fergus Falls.
When asked if Tylor has one person who is his greatest influence, without hesitation and a hint of emotion in his voice, he replied, “My father. He’s given me help, encouragement, everything I’ve needed along the way. He’s always been there to support me. He’s been great!”
For Tylor Wojciechowski, his dream of becoming a professional bull rider may one day be a reality. Good luck to you, Tylor, may every ride you take be a good ride!

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