Was raised and attended school in Arco, Idaho. First started to learn how to rope when he was 10 years old roping a wooden calf dummy in Harvey Helderman’s bar during the cold months. Andy started roping off a horse at 11 years old tutored by his dad Gayle, Ray Sparks, Bill Dyer and Harvey Helderman. He won his first rodeo at Richfiled, Idaho, team roping with his Dad at 14 years old. Andy won the High School All-Around, tie down roping and runner-up Steer Wrestling Championships during his High School years.
The first college rodeo practice at the University of Montana Western that Andy attended was a real eye opener when he found out the Rodeo Coach was World Champion Benny Reynolds.
In the early 80’s Andy moved to the Boise Valley where he successfully competed in the ICA, NPRA, IMPRA, and the Columbia River Circuit of the PRCA. Andy qualified for the ICA finals 18 times from 1986 through the early 2000’s. Sixteen of them consecutively. During that time, he also qualified for the WCFR National Finals, won back-to-back Bud Light Series Tie Down Titles, and was the ICA Finals Tie Down Champion. In a 10 year stretch he had 56 first place finishes and placed at countless Rodeos all over the Northwest. He takes great pride in the fact that he helped his brother Jeff and friend Austin Manning win a combined 5 Steer Wrestling Championships as their hazer. Andy served 5 years on the ICA Board of Directors and 6 years as the President of the ICA where he met and interacted with Business Leaders, Contractors, Committees, as well as Contestants all of whom had a shared love for rodeo and created many lifelong friends. In recent years he continued to compete at the Senior Pro Rodeos, qualifying 5 times for the National Finals.