Submitted Photo Minot native Blake Eggl will tie-down rope at the Y’s Men’s Rodeo October 5-7. The former college football player has rodeoed since he was a kid, and rodeo fills the competitive void after school sports ended. Photo courtesy Jackie Jensen.

Blake Eggl is competitive. In high school and college, football fed his competitive drive. When he graduated from Minot State University in 2012 and school sports were over, rodeo filled the void. And for the first time, the Minot native will compete at the pro rodeo in his hometown.

Eggl is one of 12 tie-down ropers to qualify for the upcoming Y’s Men’s Rodeo, hosting the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo. To compete at the Badlands Circuit Finals, a cowboy has to be one of the top 12 in his or her event, after the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association season of rodeos in North Dakota and South Dakota is complete.

Eggl began rodeo as soon as he was able to ride a horse around the age of seven or eight. He traveled with his dad, Kelly Eggl, also a tie-down roper, and the duo went to rodeos sanctioned by the Rough Riders since those rodeos had events for both adults and kids.

Eggl put rodeo on the back burner during high school and college.

“Growing up, I loved football, and still do,” he said. A college scholarship to play football was a priority.

He played for Minot State as a running back and on special teams as an underclassman. His senior year, Eggl was a starter.

After college graduation in 2012, Eggl was back to the rodeo arena. He continued competition in the Rough Riders, traveling with his dad again, and also at PRCA rodeos. His dad had roped at the Y’s Men’s Rodeo, before it hosted the Badlands Circuit Finals, and Eggl remembered sitting in the stands to watch. He wanted to rope at the Y’s Men’s Rodeo, but it required being in the top 12 in the circuit.

Each year, there was an obstacle. Two knee surgeries and a back surgery, all from football injuries, limited his rodeo time. Finally, this year, he was ready.

“This is the healthiest I’ve been since I was 22,” he said.

Eggl roped at 35 pro rodeos and another 30-plus amateur rodeos this year.

Juggling work and rodeo has been a challenge. Working for an agricultural company, he’s free to compete on the weekends. Sometimes he would get home on Monday morning in the wee hours and be ready for work by 8 a.m.

Eggl figures he’s rarely missed a year of the Y’s Men’s Rodeo. Even during college, he’d attend on the Thursday night since football practice and a game took precedence on the weekend.

Now Eggl will be at the rodeo again, but not in the stands this time. He’ll be roping.

“I’ve always wanted to make the circuit finals, but when it’s in your hometown, man, I really want to make it,” he said. “I’m super excited.”

Eggl, along with the other competitors, will compete four times. It will kick off on Friday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. There will be two chances to see on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and then finally Sunday Oct. 7 at 1:30 p.m.

The year-end champion and average champion (the contestant with the fastest times or highest scores after four runs) will be determined on Sunday. They will qualify for the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Florida next April.

Note that for the 64th Annual Minot Y’s Men Rodeo, there is no Thursday night show this year. It has been moved to a Saturday matinee. Tickets range in price from $13 to $33 and can be purchased online at www.MinotYsMensRodeo.com. For more information, visit the website or call 833-1761.