Dillon Tiede has been in every corner of the arena: both literally and figuratively.
The Elwood, Nebraska native and current Kansas resident has made his mark in the rodeo scene in more ways than one. Tiede, an all around cowboy in high school, chose bareback riding as his event of focus in college and beyond.
After being named the 2010 Champion in the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association and achieving numerous other accolades, Tiede knew that his rodeo career was only getting started.
Tiede spent his college rodeo days competing for Dodge City Community College and Hastings College. From there, Tiede made a splash in 2016 by winning the year-end bareback riding title in the Nebraska State Rodeo Association, the Kansas Professional Rodeo Association, and the Mid-States Rodeo Association.
With his uncle owning Phillips Rodeo Company, his mom a rodeo timer, his grandfather a rodeo judge, and his sister a rodeo queen, the sport has always been a family affair. Tiede’s wife, Kristin, even served as Miss Rodeo Nebraska 2018.
“It’s so special. It’s something I definitely don’t take for granted,” Tiede said.
After taking a step back from the sport at the conclusion of his bareback riding career, Tiede felt like something was missing.
“It was the only time in my life that I didn’t have rodeos to go to every weekend,” said Tiede. “It was like I was missing a part of my life.”
From there, Tiede became more involved in his family’s stock contracting business, Phillips Rodeo Company, which services rodeos both large and small across the Midwest. This new role has allowed Tiede to remain involved in the sport that shaped him into the cowboy and western advocate he is today.
Learn more about Tiede’s transition from contestant to contractor in this week’s episode of Breaking the Barrier, hosted by Rebel Sjeklocha.
Listen here:
