Tom C. Miller was born December 27, 1948, in Rapid City, South Dakota. He shares the record for most saddle bronc average titles after becoming the saddle bronc average winner at the NFR in 1975, 1979, and 1981.
As a student at Black Hills State College in Spearfish, South Dakota, Miller led a rodeo team that dominated national collegiate rodeo competition in the early 1970s. He excelled at both ends of the arena, becoming the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association all-around champion in 1970 and 1971. The Badlands Circuit Saddle Bronc champion from 1977 to 1980, he qualified for the NFR six times, coming short of winning the world title in 1981 by just $5.28.
A PRCA judge for more than 20 years, Miller served on the PRCA Rules Committee four years and the PRCA Humane Committee for two years. He was an NFR judge five years, being selected by saddle bronc contestants three times. A rancher since graduating from college, Miller was inducted into the Casey Tibbs Foundation in 1994 and the Black Hills State University Hall of Fame in 2011. For more than 30 years he instructed at saddle bronc schools, and continues to mentor young bronc riders.
