Canyon Lake teen heading to Vegas rodeos

BY Dawn Rankins

Team Roping is one of the events that Canyon Lake’s Tyler Tool competes in during recent rodeos. Photo provided by Tyler Tool

Canyon Lake’s Tyler Tool is only 16 years old, but he’s been preparing for a couple of upcoming prestigious Las Vegas rodeos for over 10 years. When he was just six years old he was riding sheep in mutton busting competitions.

Now, he’s headed to Las Vegas to compete in two weeks of competition at the Mike and Sherrylynn Johnson’s Vegas Tuffest Year End Deal and the Rising Stars Open Tie Down Roping Rodeo.

Both of the events have major rewards on the line for the young cowboy.

After Tyler at age 6 mastered mutton busting, he moved on to calf riding, and now he’s into roping.

Tyler qualified back in February for the two weeks of competition in Las Vegas. He’s qualified in the 15 and under tie down roping and 19 and under tie down roping categories.

During Tyler’s first week in Las Vegas, he will be competing in the Tuffest Year End Deal. In this event, money, trucks and trailers will be awarded to the winners.

Canyon Lake’s Tyler Tool, 16, participates in the Tie Down Roping event. He is headed to Las Vegas for two weeks of competition. Photo provided by Tyler Tool

During his second week, Tyler will be competing in the Rising Stars Open Tie Down Roping. Qualifying in the first round of events can enable Tyler to keep advancing to the next qualifying event, where he could be eventually placed in the Roping for a Million at the American.

Tyler said he loves his rodeo life and it shows in his daily regime.

Tyler is up between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m. every day to feed his horses. Then he spends time practicing on the dummies before getting ready for his daily homeschooling.

Once Tyler finishes school, he’s off to more roping practice. He averages between six and eight hours of practice a day. Those hours of practice are juggled with school and his own personal mindset and physical health.

Tyler said that competing in the rodeo is not only something he trains for mentally, but physically as well. Tyler said that he has to take care of himself and his horses.

“My horses’ wellbeing is just as important as mine,” he said. “They are athletes as much as I am. It’s a team effort and my horse and I are a team.”

Tyler said that in order to compete at the levels in which he does, he has to be in the right mind set.

“No matter what sport you compete in, an athlete must be physically fit and mentally fit,” he said. “Not only does the handler have to be ready, but the horse has to be ready, too.”

Tyler said he reminds himself that he’s going to be the best and he lives by that mindset. He has a coach that is an eight-time PRCA World Champion who keeps him focused.

“I’m thankful to Joe for the time he puts into breaking down each competition, not only the good points, but the ones where I need to improve,” Tyler said. “Joe helps me see where I need to work on something and I take it to heart and put what he says right into action.”

Tyler Tool competes in the Tie Down Roping event during the California High School State Finals 2021 earlier this year. He is now headed to Las Vegas to compete in two rodeos over a two-week period of time. Photo provided by Tyler Tool

Tyler learned to rope calves from Sissy Barnes and he said he’s thankful to her for the time she’s put into making him a great calf roper.

“I’m especially thankful not only to my many sponsors, but to my mom and dad who have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice so much so I can travel nearly every weekend to compete,” Tyler said. “Without my parents’ support, I wouldn’t be living my dream.”

The one thing Tyler says he’s learned that many may take for granted is patience.

“You have to be patient with the horses and take each day as it comes,” he said. “You just never know what kind of day the horse is going to have. They need a break from time to time, just like people do.”

Tyler might be homeschooled, but that doesn’t give him a break. Tyler does homework and school work between competitions and while on the road.

There is no wasted time in Tyler’s daily life. He said it’s not part of his mental training. He sticks to his schedule so he can get everything accomplished each and every day.