NFR qualifier Colten Fritzlan winning his first major pro title at the 2020 El Paso Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding aboard Red Armor (Burruss) in February. Photo by Todd Brewer
19 year old Colten Fritzlan from Rifle, Colorado Colten is the fourth generation of Fritzlans drawn to rodeo competition. He qualified for his first National Finals Rodeo cracking the top 10 earning $58,561.23.
He made 38 qualified rides on 73 bulls for an average of 52%. His average ride score in 2020 was 82.01 with 4 go-round wins during this awkward season. His highest marked ride on the NFR journey was aboard Smoke Stack for 88.5 points during the Elk City(OK) Rodeo of Champions in September. Along the way he picked up two PRCA rodeo titles (Odessa, Texas and Killdeer, ND).
Fritzlan went three for three to win his largest paycheck of his career this year. He hopes to top that at the NFR.
Fritzlan, a member of the rodeo team of West Texas College in Snyder, won his first major pro bull riding title and $14,275.00 in February at the El Paso Tuff Hedeman Bull Riding.
“I look at rodeo as God’s plan for me – what He’s put in front of me and wants me to achieve in life and in the arena,” says Colten Fritzlan. “I love the sport itself, especially bull riding, and the Lord really motivates me to go down the road and put in the time.”
In 2019 he won the bull riding at the 2019 RAM Rodeo PRCA Permit-member Challenge during the Wrangler NFR in Las Vegas.
When he was 7 years old, his interest in roughstock led his parents to buy mini-bulls, steers, and, later, bulls. He was soon one of the best junior riders in the country. Colten moved up to steers, mini bulls, and eventually, bull riding. He is a student of Gary Leffews after attending one of his camps in 2013.
“Bull riding is my favorite since I’ve been doing it the longest, but I also like that you’re not just competing against the animal or another competitor, but you’re bringing those forces together and seeing how it comes out when you make eight.”
During his youth career he sustained injuries and after limb restoration surgeries were a success he emerged as one of the country’s top youth top riders during his high school years.
Colten’s father rode bareback horses and steer wrestled and his uncle competed in Saddle Bronc. His grandfather was a jockey.
Colten enjoys the family business, Fritzlan & Family Guide & Outfitter Services, founded by Colten’s great-grandpa, Tom Fritzlan, more than 50 years ago. “It’s pretty relaxing up there – it gets my mind off everything,” he says. “There’s no phone service and it’s all dirt roads, so it has that old, country feel.” His grandfather, John Kenney, is a retired jockey, and he and his wife, Jean, come to many of Colten’s rodeos.