MIDDLETOWN — Be it unbridled horses in a rodeo or horsepower in motocross, Tyler Owen has pretty much established he”s a rider that couldn”t be “throwed.”
The same dauntless spirit goes into shooting a shotgun, running with a football and, conversely, on defense, holding onto the other guy running with it — or, more delicately holding onto a lithe and pretty partner while dancing up a storm.
Next week, Tyler will be a Mustang on a mustang as he competes for a bareback bronc riding championship at the 61st Annual National High School Rodeo Finals in Farmington, New Mexico.
As exceptional a running back and linebacker as he was for the Mustangs until his graduation from Middletown High School a month ago, Owen is an even better rider. Born to the saddle, as they say. He was put upon a horse when he was nine months old and soloed at age 4.
“I”ve ridden horses all my life,” said Tyler, a teenager who estimates he”s competed in 40 high school and regular rodeos.
Comparing rodeo and football, he said, “I like them both, but rodeo is a one-man show and football is camaraderie with your teammates and your friends.”
What”s toughest on his body? “That”s a tough one, probably football,” he said.
His football playing days are now over. He will be attending Lassen College in Susanville to further his riding career and hopes to become a professional rider on the Rodeo Cowboys Association tour.
As a sixth-generation Middle-towner, Owen is a direct descendant of the early West. His great-grandfather, Everett Parriott, had a hand in laying the first power lines over Mount St. Helena.
The National High School Rodeo Finals represents Tyler”s first real shot at proving he is among the best teenage rodeo cowboys in the nation. He will be one of 1,500 competitors from 41 states, five Canadian provinces and Australia vying in what is touted as “the world”s biggest rodeo.” He earned the trip by placing third in the state and he likes his chances.
“I think they”re pretty good,” he speculated.
He actually qualified for the nationals as a sophomore three years ago in Illinois, but had to pass because of the cost to attend the vent.
“To be honest, we couldn”t afford it,” said his mother, Helen, “so we thought it was really important to go this year.”
Owen said the Middletown community has been very helpful in her son”s efforts to travel to nationals this year, something her entire family is grateful for.
Limited family finances also curtailed his career as a multi-trophied motocross rider.
“He did real well, but we couldn”t keep him in bikes,” said his mom. “He was riding hard and the last one cost us around $7,000.”
Owen”s football coach at Middletown is not surprised that he is a hell-for-leather bronc rider.
“Tyler is a country kid who played with reckless abandon,” Bill Foltmer said of his former All-League running back, who, with running mate Eric Tomko, also an All-Leaguer, gave the Mustangs a formidable running attack and linebacker duo. “Pound for pound, he was one of the toughest kids we had on the team. It is no surprise to me that the kid would be fearless on a motorcycle or on the back of a horse.”
Foltmer may not have known that Owen is also an excellent trap shooter who will be competing in that discipline while he”s in New Mexico competing in the rodeo.
“I didn”t know about the dancing (either),” Foltmer said bemusedly when informed that Owen, according his mother, won a state dancing championship … in Western swing, of course.
“He does some things that you wouldn”t expect him to do,” Helen Owen said of her son. “He”s kind of shy when he”s out of his element, but when he”s comfortable he”s kind of a wild little monster.”
Owen has never been injured, but he was seriously “throwed” in Ferndale.
“I had to go to the hospital in the ambulance when I got hung up on a horse and was thrown around the arena,” he said. “He would not stop running and fell on me.”
Following in Tyler”s footsteps is his 16-year-old sister, Cambra, also a national-level rodeo competitor.
To the question of why he switched from motocross to rodeo, he had an intriguing answer. “Two girls,” he said.
“The girls got him off the dirt bikes,” Helen Owen confirmed.
