Dan Mortensen competes in saddle bronc-riding contest. (Photo courtesy of Dan Mortensen)

This could be the year that Dan Mortensen, a 1992 graduate of Montana State University, becomes clear king of the saddle bronc-riding world.

Already a six-time national champion, the Billings native needs one more win to break a tie with legendary cowboy Casey Tibbs. Tibbs, who died in 1990, won the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's saddle bronc-riding championship six times from 1949 to 1959. Mortensen won the title in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2003. The national competition is held every November in Las Vegas.

John Larick, former rodeo coach at MSU, believes Mortensen will win his seventh national title.

"He has such a strong constitution and works hard and is focused," Larick said. "Clear back when he was a college student, basically before he came to MSU, I had watched him and said, 'This guy, when he figures out how good he really is, there's just no stopping him.'"

Mortensen wasn't born in the saddle and didn't grow up on a ranch. His dad, Don, is an electrician, and his mom, Sheryl, is a health clerk at the Lockwood School. But Mortensen had friends who competed in rodeos and he became involved when he was around 11 years old.

"It seemed like the thing that I wanted to do, and so I did," Mortensen said. "It kept me busy and and kept me out of trouble. It gave me a lot of goals and aspirations to achieve."

Mortensen competed in junior rodeos, youth rodeos and all through high school and college. During his three years at MSU, he was a member of the rodeo team that won two national championships. After joining the professional rodeo circuit, he was named Rookie of the Year. Besides winning six national championships in saddle bronc riding, he was named the All-Around World's Champion Rodeo Cowboy in 1997. He won a bronze medal for saddle bronc-riding at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

"It's just something I really enjoy. I dedicated my life to it," commented Mortensen who spends 240 to 250 days a year on the road.

He added, "I probably learned more about the business aspect of rodeo when I was at Bozeman. It's a lot more than just getting on and riding. You need to learn how to rodeo and how to be successful and how to manage your business."

Busy now between rodeos and promotional appearances for Wrangler, Coors and David Sunflower Seeds, Mortensen said has no plans to retire any time soon.

"I don't really want to put a limit on myself," said Mortensen who is his own trainer, coach and boss. "As long as I'm healthy and still enjoy what I do and feel I'm competitive, I would like to continue."

Posted by Evelyn Boswell for 9/27/04