At the age of 17, Nick Midtlien of Chaseburg never dreamed he’d be heading to the National High School Rodeo Championship in New Mexico on July 20-26, but after a banner showing at the Wisconsin High School Rodeo Finals in Richland Center two weeks ago, he can stop wishing and start preparing to represent the state in both the bull riding and bareback riding competitions.

Midtlien wasn’t raised competing in rodeo competitions. In fact, he’s only been bull riding for three years and bareback riding for two. A daredevil by nature, Midtlien became interested in the sports after attending the Wild West Days in Viroqua with his father, Doug Midtlien. Together the two of them began attending weekly riding events and his father began entering competitions and teaching his son how to ride.

“My dad got hooked first and I wasn’t far behind. It looked like so much fun and I felt the rush before I ever got on the animal,” Midtlien said.

In his heart, Midtlien, may have wanted to ride, but he had a tougher obstacle to hurdle first; getting permission from his mother, Amanda Hoff, to take up the potentially dangerous sport. For a long time his mother wasn’t about to let her son ride, especially after he landed in the hospital on Mother’s Day, in 2005, with a bolt stuck in his leg when he attempted to jump on a bull, on the family farm, and was thrown off. Midtlien landed on a barn board with a bolt protruding from it. The injury required stitches and a trip to the emergency room. The healing process was slow after he developed infection in the wound and had to be hospitalized.

Like many mothers, Amanda, mellowed and finally agreed to let Nick take a shot at rodeo competitions. The decision proved to be a wise one after Nick began receiving high marks and winning in both bull riding and bareback riding events.

“You can’t be afraid or you’ll get beat every time. You just have to ride like you’re in charge and hope you make it to the eight second mark,” Midtlien said.

Midtlien thrives on the adrenaline rush. He loves the intensity of the sports and lives for new challenges. A farm boy by nature, Midtlien lives with his mother and stepfather, Ron Hoff, and their four children, Danielle, Alyssa, Jonathan and Emily.

Midtlien will be a senior at Westby Area High School in the fall. He loves the outdoors and works on the farm where he helps milk 60 cows a day, plus plant and harvest crops, including raising two acres of tobacco. He believes he was at the top of his game in Richland Center, where he drew a bull he’d rode previously and scored 78 out of a possible 100 points to capture the bull riding competition. Later Midtlien held on for a full ride in the bareback event and took home the gold.

“I entered two events and I won both of them. It was a good weekend,” Midtlien said.

Along with the good comes the bad and for Midtlien the worst bull ride he recalls was last year in Prairie du Chien when he got hung up in his bull rope, thrown off immediately and shoved out of the arena by the bull. Midtlien’s worst bareback ride found him struggling to get back on top of a running horse, after his hand got stuck in the rigging and the horse was dragging him around the arena.

“I was hanging on the wrong side of the horse and everyone was trying to get the horse to stop. I couldn’t get enough leverage from my position to jump back on top of the horse so I just had to bounce with him until he got tired and stopped,’ Midtlien said.

That bouncing lasted three minutes and left Midtlien with a mighty sore wrist and swollen hand, but thankfully no broken bones.

“I got nervous, but not scared. You ride to have fun and that’s what I kept remembering. You have to be fearless, or you’ll get hurt,” Midtlien said.

Midtlien doesn’t ride for the money, or at least not yet. Instead he rides for experience. He’s invested in chaps spurs, vests, boots, riding equipment and rigging. He rides weekly and is hoping to go on a national circuit after he graduates from high school in 2009.

Midtlien is excited about competing at nationals, but knows he’s going to have to do some fund-raising so he can afford the trip. Some local organizations have already contacted Midtlien with financial assistance, but he needs more. Anyone wishing to help sponsor Midtlien’s trip to the national rodeo competition in New Mexico should contact the family at 608-452-3213.

A turning point in Midlien’s career happened last November when he traveled to Texas with his stepfather for a Thanksgiving weekend bull riding session.

While in Texas, Midlien met and practiced with local rider, BJ Schumacher, and received interest from rodeo scouts.

“Schumacher told Nick to invest in a better rope so we bought him one for Christmas and he’s improved ever since,” Amanda said.