A Unique Breed of Extreme Athlete

Tyrell Smith

A rodeo cowboy is a rare breed of extreme sports athlete and Tyrell Smith is no exception. From a young age, it seemed he was destined to be a star in the world of professional rodeo.

At the age of ten he began riding junior bulls in Canada. He proved himself by qualifying for the Manitoba junior bull riding finals two consecutive years in a row, 1999 and 2000. In 2001 along with his family he moved to Great Falls Montana, following his father and his professional rodeo stock contracting firm to the United States.

The vastness of the Montana culture provided a perfect proving ground for Tyrell and his talents. His sophomore year, he began his high school rodeo career as a bull rider, dreaming of making it onto the PBR tour when he turned eighteen.

After winning two consecutive Montana state titles riding Bulls, 2003 & 2004 and one amateur title, he was old enough to turn professional in 2005. Tyrell maintained his Bull Riding career by earning a trip to the Montana professional Rodeo Circuit finals in Great Falls, his first year riding professionally. But, plagued by injuries in 2006, Tyrell made the decision shift from Bull riding to Saddle Bronc riding in 2007.

His first season riding Saddle Bronc Horses, he earned a trip to the Montana Professional Rodeo Circuit Finals in 3rd position. Finding himself completely healthy for the first time in almost two years, Tyrell headed down the long rodeo trail to begin making a name for himself.

In the 2008 season, Tyrell found himself in a fight for a spot at the National Finals in Las Vegas Nevada. In his first year on the national circuit he made appearances at all the major events such as San Antonio TX, Denver CO, Fort Worth TX, Montgomery AL, Tucson AZ and Salinas CA. In the end. the young talent from Montana finished in the top fifty in the world and earned him a seat next to the veterans in the 2009 season.

By 2009, Tyrell was making a name for himself as one of the toughest and most talented Saddle Bronc riders in the world. Starting the season off with a bang, Tyrell made trips to the Montana Professional Rodeo Circuit Finals and the Hawks Memorial Rough Stock Rodeo. Finally Tyrell won second at the Odessa kick off rodeo, which placed him in the top ten in the world in January.

The season quickly became Tyrell’s breakout year, turning many people’s heads to look at the rising star. With a full head of steam Tyrell battled it out with the Veterans showing everyone who was watching that he belonged in this world. Ending the 2009 season ranked 20th in the world the young talent hasn’t looked back. Looking at the 2010 season he has earned another trip to the Montana Professional Circuit Finals and sits shoulder to shoulder of past champions and other leaders of the sport.

Professional Accomplishments

2009 season:
20th in the world (end of the season)
Third consecutive trip to the Montana Professional Rodeo Circuit Finals
91pts and 1st place in Kalispell, MT
Won two of the Final three Professional Montana Rodeo’s on the Labor Day weekend: Dillon and Plains, MT.
1st place in Libby Mt, and Polson, MT
2nd at the Williams Lake Stampede. Williams Lake British Columbia
2nd at the Sundre stampede. Sundre, Alberta
1st at Fort Smith, ARK
1st at San Angelo, TX
2nd at the Odessa kickoff Rodeo. Odessa, TX
2nd at the Chase Hawks Memorial Rough stock Rodeo. Billings, MT

2008 season

45th in the world (at the end of the season)
Second consecutive trip to the Montana Professional Circuit Finals
1st at White Sulfur Springs and Dillon, MT
1st at Pleasant Grove, UT
1st at Broadus, MT
1st at Industry Hills, CA

2007 season:
69th in the world (at the end of the year)
First trip in the Saddle Bronc Riding to the Montana Professional Rodeo Circuit Finals
1st at Fort Benton and Chinook MT
1st at Spokane, WA

Amateur:
Two State Bull Riding Titles, 2003-04. 2003 World Professional Bull Riders Champion.

 

Lucas Wilson

Lucas Wilson was born in Warwick Base Hospital, Queensland, Australia. From an early age, Lucas knew that he wanted to be a cowboy, following in the footsteps of his father Ron Wilson, who was a an Australian National finalist in Saddle Bronc riding and steer wrestling events.

Coincidentally both of their rodeo careers were nearly bought to an end in the same year, Lucas’ before it even began. Ron was on his last horse at the 1993 NFR when it turned over backwards on top of him, breaking his wrist, several ribs and crushing his pelvis. As Ron was leaving hospital, he received a phone call, telling him to stay there as his wife and son were on their way, although it was not to pick him up. Earlier that day there had been a car crash, which involved both his wife and son. Lucas sustained a broken nose, 4 broken ribs, a broken collar bone, 4 ruptured discs and 5 crushed vertebrae in his back, he was told that he would never walk again.

After almost two years of lying in a hospital, Lucas could finally walk away from the hospital never having to return. According to the doctors, there were only two things that he would never be able to do again: bounce on a trampoline, or ride a horse. Four years passed before Lucas got back on a horse, and re fueled the fire of wanting to be a cowboy, after that, he never looked back.

Lucas left home at the age of 15 to finally pursue his dream of being a rodeo cowboy. That first year, Lucas won the Australian High School year-end title, and ended the year 18th on the Australian professional rodeo circuit. The next year, Lucas went back to school and graduated from high school in 2004, but he continued with rodeo throughout his educational career. Wilson took over the security management of the biggest night club in Toowoomba, Queensland, known as Tomba’s, in 2005. He also continued his education at the university, earning a Bachelor of Education in Physical Education and with a minor in Physics and Biology. Lucas continued his rodeo career throughout college, riding saddle bronc horses professionally, making the National Finals all 4 years. The first 2 years he earned the 15th spot in the finals. In his third year, he advanced to the 13th spot. And he finished in the third position in Australia.

In that short time, Lucas won both of the two largest rodeos in Australia: Mt. Isa (2006), and Warwick (2008). Along with various others throughout the country: Albury – NSW, Corryong – NSW, Emerald – QLD, Comet – QLD, Winton – QLD, Deniquilin – VIC, Mt. Isa – QLD, Warwick – QLD, Tara – QLD, Southport – QLD, Redlands – QLD.

Wilson claims 2008 to be his most successful year yet, winning the professional Sunshine Circuit title, The Queensland Championships, the highly sought after Mark Kraut memorial invitational bronc ride, and placing in 4 out of 5 rounds at the National Finals Rodeo.

In 2008 Wilson graduated from university with his BESM degree and in 2009 travelled to the USA to further pursue his dreams of being a rodeo cowboy. In 2009, his first year on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit, he placed at a number of rodeos , and ended the year 8th in the rookie world standings. Wilson is currently the only cowboy in the world who holds a professional rodeo card in Australia, Canada and the United States.
Professional Achievements
2009
2nd at Mt. Isa Rotary Rodeo
20th in Australian Pro Rodeo Standings
8th in the PRCA Rookie World Standings
2nd at Sedelia, MO
2nd at Helotes, TX
2nd at Libby, MT
Invitation to Miles City Bronc Match, 2nd in long round, 4th overall
1st at Alton Downs, QLD

2008
1st at Albury, NSW
3rd at Corryong , NSW
1st at Emerald, QLD
1st at Comet, QLD
1st at Winton, QLD
1st at Deniquilin, VIC
1st at Warwick, QLD
1st at Tara, QLD
1st at Southport, QLD
1st at Redlands, QLD
1st at Mark Kraut Memorial Bronc Ride
3rd on Australian Pro Tour
Won Sunshine Circuit Title