POLSON — It’s not uncommon for brothers to get involved in the same activity, but the Fitzpatrick boys in Polson have quite literally grabbed the bull by the horns.

Payton, 17, and Grey, 14, have been riding the roughest kind of animals you can imagine and they’ve been doing it since grade school. While the sport of bull riding might seem a little tough for youth, it’s in the Fitzpatrick bloodline.

Their father, Brett, as well as their uncle Zane Fitzpatrick, were former bull riders in the Northern Rodeo Association (NRA), PRCA and competed in Canadian circuits for over 10 years. At first, Brett was resistant to the thought of his sons riding bulls because of the danger and injuries involved but with persistence and nagging from the boys to ride, he finally let them. Since then, Brett hasn’t missed a rodeo.

“My dad used to do it and it always looked like a lot of fun to me,” Grey said. “I kind of treat it like a job, when you’re 14 you don’t get to do too much.”

Payton said he got interested in bull riding while watching the sport at 4-H and fair rodeos. He got his first crack riding at a rodeo bible camp in Polson, put on by Riders of the Son, and immediately caught the bull riding bug.

“They started riding sheep and steers at the ranch, and then participated in steer riding at the rodeo bible camp.” their mother, Lisha, said. “Payton won a buckle in 2008 at the bible camp and they were hooked after that. Grey won a buckle at the bible camp in 2010”.

The boys, who live on a ranch west of Polson where the family raises and trains horses, quickly gravitated to mini bulls, owned by Rocky Mountain Mini Buckers. The mini bulls are more aggressive than steers and a better kind of stock to get kids ready for bull riding.

“I don’t think I’d be half as good if I just rode on steers,” Payton said. “The steer’s bucking style is different than the bulls. The mini bulls don’t know they’re little bulls so it’s a better transition to the bigger bulls when we do it.”

Payton still remembers the first time he got on a mini bull at the Polson Fairgrounds a few years ago.

“The bull’s name was Taz,” Payton said. “He was white-faced and at first he just cut back toward the fence. It was a three-second ride. Most of what I remember was just a blackout.”

However, since then, Payton has dominated the Miniature Bull Riding Association. He made the state finals in Plains in 2008. In 2009, he won the state title and advanced to the Northwest regional finals where he took second place. He also made the regional finals in 2010 where he placed in the top half of the competition.

In 2011, Grey followed in his brother’s steps and placed 10th in state and qualified for the Northwest regional finals.

This winter, Payton moved up to the novice bulls and ended up winning the winter series at the Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell. The qualification in order to compete in Novice bull riding is that you cannot have won more than $500 with that stock contractor or in bull riding.

Grey was sixth while riding mini bulls in the winter series.

Payton said his favorite bull riding memory was this winter while riding Terry’s Pet, a bull owned by Pistol Creek Rodeo Co. The Polson cowboy notched a score of 84 points, a Majestic Valley Arena record for Novice bull riding.

“He went out and right back into a spin,” Payton said. “He kept it up but I sat back up, went to my left and opened up. I went spurring and I won the rodeo on him.”

Payton won enough money on the Novice bulls that he’s now qualified for Open bull riding. His plan for this summer is to hit up high school rodeos and continue to work on his skills as a rider.

“The big difference between Novice bulls and mini bulls is the strength and speed,” Payton said. “The mini bulls are so much faster. The bigger bulls are a lot stronger. That was a tough transition for me because they’re a lot stouter.”

The difficulty of riding a mini bull isn’t something lost on Grey.

“They’re not too strong but if you get one of them with weight and you add that with their speed, it’s tough,” Grey said. “They’re like a bulldog on steroids.”

Both boys have started a weight lifting program with the help and support of a local friend and fitness trainer, Kevin Gross. They also help each other practice on bucking barrels at their home. They have steers they practice on and they help their dad train horses. The help they get from their dad about riding has been a big boost for their riding careers, plus staying fit and building the right muscles has helped them stay healthy in the rough sport.

“I think Brett, with his former knowledge of bull riding, has helped the boys abstain from many injuries” Lisha said. “He’s taught them how to set their ropes and position their bulls in the chute and get out of the gate safely. Plus, he’s shown them how to make correct riding moves on a bull in the arena and then as good as possible dismounts. It seems that if they get a good foundation in the sport, it’s a huge advantage. With instruction from their dad, they try to create good habits instead of bad habits learned from trial and error. Bad habits are harder to break in the future.”

Grey said that his father has also helped him when it’s time for the all-important dismount.

“When you get bucked off you have to get away,” Grey said. “When you get hung up, you reach up and get released from the bull. I just listen to what my dad tells me. I enjoy getting more experience and when my dad is sitting there with me, that helps a lot.”

The two brothers have also created quite a bond – and rivalry – while riding bulls together. Now in different riding divisions, their competitive fire still helps them both succeed.

“Grey is doing really good,” Payton said. “When he got a 77-point ride up in Kalispell it really pumps a guy up seeing their brother doing good. It’s definitely a rivalry and it’s going to get worse when he gets on those big bulls.”

Whatever kind of gumption and motivation it takes for a human to get on a large, upset animal, the Fitzpatricks have definitely found it in each other.

“My brother is a good motivator,” Grey said. “It helps a lot. I’m pretty pumped — I can’t wait to get up on one of those big bulls. I think I have the minis down pretty good.”

Along with each other, Lisha said the boys have made lifelong friendships with other riders throughout the state and beyond. Another big help has been the sponsors that have helped the two brothers with the costs of traveling to all their rodeos. Originally, the boys were hoping to raise money for a trip to regionals, and several businesses, individuals and family helped out tremendously.

“I was amazed with how many people stepped up and helped these boys out,” Lisha said. “Both these boys couldn’t do it without their family and major sponsors out of Texas, Ronan and Polson and St. Ignatius. The community has been a huge factor in their success.”

With both looking to make a big splash this summer and fall, don’t look for the name of Fitzpatrick to go away anytime soon in the sport of bull riding.