Obermann rides off to National High School Rodeo Finals

Delta High School senior-to-be Austin Obermann has qualified for the rodeo nationals the last two years, but you wouldn't know it.

He never uses his championship saddles because he doesn't ride tame horses. He doesn't wear his championship belt buckles because he doesn't want to call attention to himself. He never goes out of his way to talk about how many bareback championships he has won.

Obermann recently was crowned the bareback champion at the Tennessee High School Rodeo Finals and beginning Sunday will compete in the National High School Rodeo Finals in Gillette, Wyo.

Obermann is in the midst of a three-state rodeo trip that will end with nationals. He will spend only three days at home during a span that covers most of July.

He competes in 50 to 60 rodeos in the Midwest each year, which includes 12 to 15 high school competitions.

Austin Obermann will compete in the National High School Rodeo Finals, which begin Sunday in Gillette, Wyo.

"I'm a member of the URA [United Rodeo Association], and they have schedules of all their rodeos," Obermann said. "You ain't got to go to all of the rodeos, but you need to go to most of them. I just pick and chose ones that are closer to the house or that have more money added."

In bareback horse riding, the cowboy must ride a bucking horse with no saddle for eight seconds and demonstrate control of the horse.

Obermann doesn't have many opportunities to practice due to his time spent on the road, so most of his rodeos also serve as practice sessions.

"Last week I went to Kansas and got on a bucking machine," Obermann said. "I got on a few practice horses too. Usually I just get on my spur board and practice at the house."

Obermann lives in Whitewater but competes in Tennessee.

Austin Obermann began bareback riding at the age of 15. Now the incoming Delta High School senior is now a two time bareback champion. (Laura Simon)

"Last year I rodeoed in Missouri, and the closest rodeo is about six hours," Obermann said. "I switched to Tennessee because they're closer to home. If the state borders you, you can rodeo for them."

Obermann rode steers and calves when he was younger but took some time off to play baseball. He has been a bareback rider the last three years.

Lori Obermann, Austin's mother, said he went to a few rodeos with his friends and got back into it.

"He got interested by himself," Lori Obermann said. "He always watched PBR [Professional Bull Riders] when he was a little boy. He always enjoyed them. When he was 7, he did 4-H rodeos and just went from there."

At a competition, 15 to 20 bareback riders use horses that are provided by stock contractors. Obermann said a different group of contractors provide horses at each competition.

"Once you get there, you go and check the draw to see what horse you got," Obermann said. "They load your horse and you get all your stuff ready. Then it goes from there."

Bareback riders face some injury risks, even after the eight seconds. Obermann said he suffered a brain bruise last year when he was kicked in the head.

"Getting beat up is tough," Obermann said. "It really wears and tears on your body. It tears your shoulder up, tears your elbow up. I've cracked my knee cap and tore some ligaments."

Lori films her son whenever she attends a competition, noting she doesn't get as nervous when she watches Austin through a camera lens.

"It's such a thrill for him," Lori Obermann said. "It's a rush. However, it's a very, very long eight seconds for me."

Obermann said after his senior year he plans to compete in rodeo at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas. He then wants to attend OVC-member Tennessee-Martin, which has a rodeo team.