Brothers play key role in SUU rodeo team's first ever regionals win

CEDAR CITY — Rodeoing has been a major part of brothers TJ and Blake Bowlers' lives since they were children.

Recently, the two celebrated a major win alongside their Southern Utah University men's rodeo team by taking home the first Rocky Mountain Regional Championship for the school since the collegiate program began in the 1960s.

This milestone win secured the team's spot at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming, on June 20, where the team placed ninth nationally.

The Bowlers are both calf ropers and spent their childhood ranching in Enterprise, west of Cedar City.

"It's been a lot of fun roping with my brother," TJ Bowler said. "We're only a year apart in school, and so we've grown up all through junior rodeos, junior high school, high school rodeos, and now on to college. He's definitely one of the best in the business, and so anytime you get a rope with somebody like that, and he happens to be your brother, it's a lot of fun."

Coach Shane Flanigan, who has been coaching the SUU team for over 20 years, said winning the regional title was a milestone, adding that his team's performance throughout the season was a pleasure to watch.

"They're all outstanding young men," Flanigan said. "Through the year, I was watching the standings of these young men, and they steadily won the majority of our rodeos within the region. Our region is Utah, southern Idaho, and western Colorado, and they quietly won most of those rodeos."

The region win bested teams including Utah State University, Utah Valley University, Weber State University, Snow College, USU-Eastern, the College of Southern Idaho, Idaho State University, and Colorado Mesa University.

While winning regionals and making it to nationals were major highlights this season, Blake Bowler said it was really about each teammate achieving personal goals along the way that made it happen.

"We made the goal at the start of the year to be able to rope 24 steers in a row, which, at the time, didn't sound really reasonable," Blake Bowler said. "It was kind of a shoot high and meet in the middle goal, and that would be good enough. At the end, we were able to achieve that goal, and sticking with our goal was really rewarding for me."

With that team win, the Bowler brothers and two others from the SUU men's team, including Brian Evans and McCrae Fillmore, were able to place in the top of their events to qualify for nationals. Rilee Christensen secured a spot at nationals for the women's team.

"They all add points to the overall team picture," Flanigan said. "We have a saddle bronc rider who this is his third College National Finals Rodeo. He was a reserve champion saddle bronc rider this year. In the previous two years, he was the region champion. And then another young man on the team is a remarkable header. He is not afraid to throw his loop and is very consistent.

"In the arena, regardless of where they roll, it's fun to sit around and watch them," he added. "We've got a couple other young men that didn't have as much luck this year, but they were part of the team as well. It's enjoyable to watch them succeed, and regardless of everything else, they got their education."

TJ Bowler majored in finance, and Blake Bowler received his degree in agribusiness, which has landed him a job in the agricultural world.

"It gave us the opportunity to help us with our schooling, and it was a really big opportunity for us to get an education," Blake Bowler said. "I'm really grateful for Shane and all the coaches that were able to help me get my education. It actually helped me get my job. I just started at an ag finance company in Cedar. We do farm and ranch loans, and I really enjoy it."

Both brothers said that, with this being their senior season, they hope to stay in the rodeo world. They also expressed gratitude to teammates and coaches.

"The hope is you can always keep roping and rodeoing as long as you can," TJ Bowler said. "Obviously, the college rodeo thing has ended, and that was a great way to be able to rodeo and go to school while we're trying to figure out life. I have some plans. I hope to continue to keep roping a little bit, but I've been training some horses and moving some cows, and ultimately living the cowboy dream, so I'm hoping that I can find something in that career path.

"We're super grateful for our coaches and everything that they do to help us," he added. "There's a lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes on that us, as students don't even realize, but (we're) grateful for all that they do. I'm grateful for my brother, for our parents and family and all those that support us. We have a huge support group, and we can't thank them enough for all that they do for us."

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