Mortensen eyes 4th straight title

Thursday, Dec. 5, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

SPECIAL TO THE SUN

Dan Mortensen, 1993 world champion.

Dan Mortensen, 1994 world champion.

Dan Mortensen, 1995 world champion.

At the 1995 National Finals Rodeo, the Manhattan, Mont., cowboy overcame a "no score" in the third round and used a drink of milk to calm some late-night jitters before the 10th round to collect his third gold buckle in as many years.

"Winning the world title is the greatest thing in the sport or rodeo," said Mortensen, 27. "People ask me about the differences in the three titles. I'm just as excited as heck to win this one."

Mortensen clinched his third world title by placing second in average standings. As he walked in the Thomas & Mack Center for the 10th performance, he knew a ride -- any ride -- would earn him the 1995 saddle bronc riding world championship.

The night before the final round, Mortensen had walked to a nearby store for a sleeping potion -- a cup of milk.

"I drink coffee before I ride and milk so I can go to sleep," said Mortensen with a laugh. "I finally got to sleep around 3 a.m."

He took care of business the next day by riding solid Gold Skoal for 72 points. His second-place average check was $23,073. Mortensen collected $57,516 at the NFR by placing in five rounds. His NFR haul helped him finish 1995 with $145,325.

"I needed a score," Mortensen said of the 10th round. "I didn't watch any of the other guys who went before me. I just went out and got the job done."

Which is the same approach he took throughout the 10-day NFR.

Mortensen arrived in Las Vegas trailing leader Dan Etbauer of Goodwell, Okla., by less than $6,000. A fourth-place finish in the opening round wiped out the deficit.

"The pressure was off of me a little bit this year," said Mortensen, who spent some time in the practice pen in November.

"When you come in leading, they expect you to win it. The pressure did intensify after the third round."

In that round, the judges ruled Mortensen had touched his horse with his free hand.

"That's rodeo," he shrugged. "There is nothing you can do. You have to forget about that stuff and go on. The judges have a job to do and so do I. I shouldn't have put myself in that position, where I got into trouble for that possibly to happen.

"When I was younger, it would have bothered me. But you have to leave it in the arena."

He did just that by coming back with an 80-point, first-place ride the next night.

"That really helped me," Mortensen added. "I just had to go out and try to win every round. It doesn't matter, or it shouldn't matter, what the average is looking like."