Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Tyler Davey, Havre Rodeo

There are a lot of great athletes at Havre High School, but one you may not know a lot about is Tyler Davey.

That’s because while the Blue Ponies compete in many different sports, one sport that HHS does not offer to its athletes is rodeo, which is where Davey is making his mark. Davey competes in bareback bronc riding and, thanks to his stellar showing at the Montana High School Rodeo Finals last month, he gets to compete against the best of the best at his age level at the National High School Finals Rodeo.

Davey, who finished second in the bareback at the state level, will travel to Rock Springs, Wyoming, to take part in the 67th annual NHSFR, which is the world’s largest rodeo, featuring 1,500 contestants from 42 states, five Canadian Provinces and Australia. The NHSFR starts July 12 and runs through July 19.

At stake for Davey and the rest of the contestants at the NHSFR is more than $200,000 in prizes and $350,000 in college scholarships as well as the opportunity to be named NHSFR national champion.

Yet, as one might imagine, winning a national title is no easy feat. First, the competitors need to finish in the top 20 after their combined scores following the first two rounds, and then the champion will be determined by the best combined score after the third round.

Davey, who graduated from HHS this past May, is still unsure about his future and a standout performance at the NHSFR could help him advance his career to the collegiate level, if he chooses that path. That means that the NHSFR is not just a chance to win, it’s a chance to get noticed. And the fact that the NHSFR is being broadcast on television and online by RFD-TV, makes the spotlight even brighter.

Yes, the lights will shine bright on Davey and the rest of the athletes competing, but if they can handle it and perform their best, tremendous achievements and rewards await. Davey, who leaves for Wyoming soon took the time to catch up with the Havre Daily News for five questions before he departs for the NHSFR.

HDN: Are you excited to compete in the NHSFR?

Davey: “Yeah, I am. I am not really sure how I feel about it. I haven’t really thought about that too much. But, I am looking forward to going down there and competing.”

HDN: Are you intimidated at all because of the size of the rodeo and the caliber of the competition you will be facing?

Davey: “I am not really sure how to answer that. I am not scared, if that’s what you mean.”

HDN: What is your goal when you compete at the NHSFR?

Davey: “Well, I want to go there and win. I wouldn’t be going down there if I didn’t think that I was capable of winning.”

HDN: How did you get involved in rodeo?

Davey: “It was just something I got into when I was younger. So, I have kind of been doing it my whole life and I have done it in high school since my freshman year.”

HDN: Are you interested in competing in rodeo at the collegiate level?

Davey: “I haven’t gotten any offers at this point, but it’s something that I would think about. But, I am not sure if I would want to do it. I don’t really have any plans right now, I am not the kind of person that thinks very far ahead.”