LAS VEGAS — Columbus bareback rider Weston Timberman may be young and somewhat new to professional rodeo, but he's clearly fearless. Even on the world’s biggest stage.
“It’s just something that’s always been in me. I don’t know if I’ve ever been taught that,” Timberman said.
Case in point — his first ride recently at the National Finals Rodeo, which would leave a lot of contestants feeling nauseous in front of a sellout crowd at the historic Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. Not only did Timberman nail his ride for 87 points, he exploded to win the round and $33,687.
“I knew I was going to be here, so I’m not in awe,” he said the following week.
But the former Columbus High School athlete was admittedly emotional after the win, firing his cowboy hat across the arena in celebration. Timberman said he was more aware of the raucous crowd than ever in his life.
“Yeah, actually. It’s kind of funny because I’ve never really heard the crowd anywhere else, but I swear you hear and see everything here. And it is the most crazy thing you could feed off of. I’ve never felt that in my life,” he recalled.
And that’s saying something, because Timberman — only 20 — has been around. He won 12 pro rodeos this season on his way to becoming Resistol’s PRCA rookie of the year in bareback. He’s also a back-to-back college national champion after competing for Clarendon College in Texas.
Yet, he’d never been to the NFR, even as a fan. It's because Timberman says he wanted to compete in his first trip.
“At the end of the day, pressure is privilege," he continued. "When you get yourself in pressure situations you just love it and feed off it. I just try to put myself in those pressure situations.”
Timberman clearly excels in those situations. His rookie earnings reached almost $300,000 on the way to placing seventh in the world money standings. And he says he’s particularly grateful riding for Montana.
“Especially my community in Columbus. Everybody’s behind me," he said with appreciation. "I had a sendoff party to come to the Finals and so many cool people showed up that I didn’t even know watched or supported (me). It’s super cool to be so proud of the state and (to) be able to represent them here like this … I’m just grateful for that."
