Ty Pozzobon had an exciting and memorable time in Australia this November after competing in three PBR Australia events, going deep sea fishing and snorkeling along the Great Barrier Reef.
By PBR
PUEBLO, Colo. — Ty Pozzobon had never really gone swimming in the ocean until a recent trip to Australia for three PBR Australia events.
Maybe it was because he watched the Discovery Channel as a kid or that he had watched the movie “Jaws” one too many times, but Pozzobon was certain he did not want to go swimming with any sharks.
That wish may have remained true, but during a deep sea fishing trip with his girlfriend Jayd, Harve Stewart, Jason Brewer, Matt West and Luke and Jen Snyder, the group awoke to a rather large surprise.
After leaving a drumline in the water overnight after an evening of fishing and relaxing, Pozzobon and the group had an 8-foot bull shark hooked by the time they rolled out of bed.
Pozzobon looked on in amazement as one of the fishermen on board attempted to grab ahold of the live shark before it broke free of the line and swam away.
“It was wild,”Pozzobon said. “Oh man, I never really thought I would ever see a real shark, and to see it that close was pretty cool.”
This year was the Merritt, British Columbia, native’s second trip to Australia after competing in the Tamworth Invitational two years ago. However, in 2011, Pozzobon’s stay was short-lived and he didn’t get to do as much sightseeing as he did over the past three weeks along with competing in the Wollongong, Troy Dunn and Tamworth Invitationals.
Along with his first three-day deep sea fishing trip, Pozzobon and Jayd also went snorkeling along the Great Barrier Reef – even if it took a little encouraging from the Snyders.
Ty Pozzobon with his girlfriend Jayd during their recent fishing trip. Photo by Jen Snyder.
“I did not want to be in the water with sharks,” Pozzobon explained. “It took me a lot to even get in the water and go snorkeling around, but Jen and Luke tossed me into it and I am glad that I did do it.”
Thankfully, he didn’t see any sharks in the water, but he and Jayd instead saw a variety of fish, sea turtles and other tropical animals – something they had never experienced before.
If his sea adventures were not impressive enough, Pozzobon was also able to pet a koala bear after he climbed up a tree with Stewart along a trail on Magnetic Island to touch the big gray animal.
“We actually saw a wild one and kind of crawled up the tree and was petting it and stuff,” Pozzobon laughed. “We didn’t think we would get anywhere near it, and sure enough, it didn’t really mind us at all. Everybody around there said that barely happens because they are like wild animals.
“He was just sitting there liking it. It was crazy.”
Pozzobon, who also celebrated his 22nd birthday on Nov. 9 in the Land Down Under, was quick to thank the Snyders for helping to organize such a fun trip.
“I have to thank Jen and Luke and Jen’s dad,” Pozzobon added. “They took us on a trip of a lifetime.”
Ty Pozzobon enjoying his time in Australia. Photo by Jen Snyder.
When he wasn’t busy attempting to pet koala bears or catch marlins out on the ocean, Pozzobon was inside the arena putting on quite the performance.
The 2012 Canadian Finals Champion also placed third at the Troy Dunn Invitational during the course of a strong month-and-a-half performance that also included a 15th place finish at World Finals.
Pozzobon, who finished 2013 ranked 30th in the world, is looking forward to resting some more in December, before the start of the 2014 Built Ford Tough Series, after missing most of the second half of the 2013 BFTS with a torn PCL in his left knee that he suffered at a Reno, Nev., rodeo in the summer.
Ty Pozzobon rides Emergency for 85.5 points during Round 1 of the 2013 World Finals.
Even though he could have ridden through the pain – the 5-foot-9 rider finished fourth at the Calgary Stampede despite the injury – his leg was getting worse.
“It just came to the point where I was riding through the pain and it wasn’t healing up, and it didn’t have a chance to,” Pozzobon said. “I had the World Finals made, so I figured I would just get healed up and get ready for Finals.”
It was a tough break for Pozzobon after he had spent most of the first half of the 2013 season in the Top 5 of the world standings. Regardless, the decision was necessary and the Canadian feels as though his knee is ready to go for the 2014 BFTS season-opener in New York.
“Next year, I plan to give it a good shot,” Pozzobon said. “In the first half of the year (2013), I was in the running for a world title, and now this year I want to give it a good run and hopefully at the end of the year I’m right there.”
