story by Lindsay King
Ty Jameson wasn’t a fan of riding horses at first, it took a little convincing before he figured out it’s where he was meant to be. “We had to bring this bull in and I didn’t like riding horses at the time, so my dad (Rance) chased me down with a rope,” said the 12 year old. Ty turned to run and hit the trailer door instead. His dad almost laughed himself off his own horse. Once Ty got on his horse and rode a few miles, it was all he wanted to do from then on. That was two years ago, and the rest is pretty much history for the fourth-generation rodeo competitor. “After all that, I started roping with my dad. This is the first year I have really rodeoed hard.”
A short six months after Ty started swinging a loop, he discovered a rope wasn’t what he wanted to be throwing after all. “I want to be a bull dogger someday. I was watching Yandy Yarbrough and Clayton Stokes practice and decided I wanted to try it. Those guys helped me get started in the chute dogging and they continue to coach me today.” Throwing a steer might be where his heart is at, but Ty still ropes as a heeler and in the breakaway. Ty said Rance is to blame for his bull dogging affinity, he’s the one that drove him to the arena where he first saw the event. Rance helped Ty learn his events from day one, from throwing a steer to catching a calf’s neck. “My mom (Theresa) helps in the PR department,” he laughs, “She takes video and is always yelling for me when I do well. She also helps run the chute at home.”
Looking up to someone is a bit of a feat for Ty who stands at 5-foot, eleven. “Ty Erickson is my role model. We have the same name and we are both tall. He is strong and always positive, plus he won the American this year in the bull dogging.” The first OKJHSRA event Ty competed in was at the Lazy E. He figured none of the other arenas would be inside. “There are a lot of nice arenas in this state, both indoor and outdoor. That has surprised me a lot in this first year.” Without hesitation, Ty proclaimed the Lazy E as his favorite rodeo destination. “It’s so big and it’s nice that they can have different arenas for everything.”
Ty learned early on to develop a short memory between events. It’s something his parents have preached for both rodeo and other sporting events. “As soon as one event is done, you have to be ready for the next one. You can’t get down on yourself if you don’t do well because then you won’t do well all day.” Ty started his sixth-grade season strong by winning the chute dogging at his very first junior high rodeo. “I was pretty nervous, but excited. At the first two rodeos last fall I team roped and placed in the top five in points. I had only been doing it for about a month at that point.” A strong foundation in the NWOJRA prepared Ty for this season and gave him the confidence to dream big. “I’ve already won a couple of rodeos in the chute dogging. I am planning to make it to nationals. I just have to keep getting times at every rodeo.”
With plans to become a professional rodeo competitor, the Elk City Intermediate School sixth grader has a back-up plan to become a vet. He spends his “off time” practicing with his school’s football team as a defensive end or offensive lineman. Although, his other love is baseball. Ty plays first and third base for the Elk City Outlaws, a traveling team. “Last year I hit four home runs, they went all the way over the fence.”
