We’re sure if we asked this cowboy if he’s ever thought about doing anything other than rodeo, he’d look at us like we were speaking a different language.

“I was born into rodeo,” said Chance Thiessen, who’s been competing since he was 4 or 5 years old.

Thiessen is now 17 years old and has built a mile-long resume over his first decade or so of competing as both a tie-down roper and team roper. The Elk City, Oklahoma, cowboy has earned two Oklahoma state high school titles – one as a header in 2018 and the second in 2019 in the tie-down roper – and has also qualified for the National High School Finals three times (watch him compete this year by clicking HERE).  

“I’m a fan of Chance Thiessen,” 24-time world champion Trevor Brazil.

Outside of the high school rodeo game, Thiessen was the 2017 International Finals Youth Rodeo reserve tie-down roping champion (watch him compete there again this year by clicking HERE). If you’ve been following The American for the past couple years, you’ve also seen this cowboy qualify for the both The Junior American twice, and to compete with the “big dogs” in The American semifinals.

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“We are all proud of him! Great kid,” said six-time world champion Cody Ohl.

His resume is impressive, but it was also Thiessen’s attitude and old-school cowboy class that made him a strong candidate for FloRodeo’s inaugural youth team (see the full team HERE). When asked what qualities every rodeo athlete needed to be successful, Chance replied with:

“Humble but confident. Prepared and hard worker. Mental toughness and believe in yourself”

Fun Facts About Chance:

Favorite Food: Mexican

Favorite Music: George Strait

Favorite Color: Pink

Favorite Rodeo: National High School Finals Rodeo

Goals: To go to college, qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo while also rodeoing in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and make the National Finals Rodeo in the tie-down roping.