August 1, 2010 - Ace Slone, HOOey team member and PRCA rookie, hopes to overcome a significant physical challenge to reach his first National Finals Rodeo.

Roping at Salinas CA in mid-July on a borrowed horse, Ace tore the PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament) in his right knee.  Ace explains, "I'm not a big fan of flying and borrowing a strange horse but, with the other rodeos scheduled, it was the only way for me to make Salinas.  On my second calf the horse got me into a bind as I was getting off and my right foot stuck in the stirrup.  I landed hard about ten feet ahead of him but the fall itself didn't injure me - my foot was hung and my leg got torqued bad enough to cause the tear."

Even with the high expectations from himself and many in the rodeo community, to that point Ace's inaugural season was proving to be a huge success.  Ace had been holding firm within the Top 15 in the world and lapped the field for Rookie of the Year honors.   "I was pretty satisfied.  I had drawn a check at over fifty percent of the rodeos and just had a nice payday at Colorado Springs."

Unless you've seen Ace rope, you can't really appreciate his level of aggressiveness.  Asked if this type of injury makes his "all-out" roping style more difficult, Ace responds, "No doubt.  I think every guy competing at a high level has his own 'it factor'.  Mine has always been my athleticism.  I may not be as strong in other phases, but I've always been able to compensate by being athletic and aggressive.  Then you have a guy like Caleb (Smidt), for example, who can throw a mile of line and make it look easy - he handles a rope as good as anybody in my opinion.  We all have our own strengths.  Since I've never had a knee injury before, it remains to be seen whether I can be as aggressive as I'm accustomed."

The silver lining to Ace having a PCL tear is that it is not as serious as an ACL or MCL injury.  "It definitely could be a lot worse", Ace conceded.  "I'm told the PCL actually gets enough blood supply to repair itself and may not ultimately require surgery."

Utilizing a facility in Ogden UT, Ace went through two weeks of rehabilitation and turned-out at a series of rodeos starting with Casper WY.  Ace plans to get back on the road to test his newly-braced knee at the upcoming-Abilene KS rodeo.  "Beyond roping with this bulky brace, the big step is going to be getting that first win under my belt to get my confidence back.  I've still got plenty of opportunities left to win enough to make the NFR.  Plus I have enough Tour money that I'll get to run at some big payoffs in Puyallup (WA) and hopefully Omaha (NE)."

Asked if this situation can be used as a learning experience for future seasons, Ace responded, "I suppose so.  What's most frustrating is the Salinas injury could have been avoided.  I'm pretty sure that even having wider stirrups would've of allowed my foot to slip out.

I've been practicing up here in the northwest with a friend of my dad's and we had a good session today so that's encouraging.  This is going to be a challenge but we'll just have to face it head-on and learn from it."  Half-jokingly, he added, "Hopefully I won't have to borrow a horse again but if I do, I'll definitely make sure I bring my own stirrups."

While HOOey team member Caleb Smidt has delayed declaring his PRCA rookie status, he has certainly made his presence known through many other rodeo circuits.  Beyond setting a single season earnings record in the CPRA last year, Caleb has taken the college scene by storm.  Here's a quick recap of Caleb's season going into the upcoming College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in Casper, WY...

In the Southern Region of the NIRA (Nat'l Intercollegiate Rodeo Assoc.), Caleb pulled off the trifecta of winning the tiedown, team roping, and all-around titles.   Although he's still primarily known for his tiedown roping prowess,  with plenty of assistance from his heeling partner Jarrett Gutierrez, Caleb has had quite a successful team roping run as well.   These two won the first 5 out of 10 college rodeos, then added two more top 6 finishes as well as capping the year off with another 1st place for good measure.    

Caleb and Jarrett are the #1 ranked team ropers in the country (11 regions total) with a nearly 400-point lead over the second place team.   Caleb is also the #1 ranked college tiedown roper in the country and goes into the CNFR second for the national all-around title.

While college rodeos have been a primary focus, Caleb has found time to make some other big events including Justin Maass' annual Open Roping.  This year, Caleb won a 6-head match versus 3-time NFR qualifier Houston Hutto.  For his efforts, he was proud to receive a custom trophy buckle graciously donated by the family of the late Paul Herrera.  The win also earned Caleb $3,000 in cash.

We wish Caleb the best of luck at the CNFR in Casper June 13-19th.   Check back for updates to see how Caleb caps off this phenomonal college season.

UPDATE: Based on his performance in Casper, Caleb Smidt is now the 2010 CNFR All-Around Champion. Congrats Caleb!

The dust, or more appropriately ice, has cleared from the winter rodeos and rookie Ace Slone is pleased with his progress thus far.  "The goal I set for myself was to have twenty-thousand won to this point in the season.  Including last week, I believe I'm over twenty-four thousand so I'm pretty satisfied."

If the rodeo world was unfamiliar with Ace, they quickly became acquainted with his speed and athleticism at this winter's marquee events.   At RodeoHouston, against the sport's toughest competition, Ace made the fastest run (7.8) of any roper in the long rounds.  The trip to west Texas was also fruitful, with a pair of 7.7's drawing checks in each of San Angelo's first two go rounds.   Two checks in San Antonio, as well as strong showings in Huntsville and Bay City and even a 2nd place team roping finish in Beaumont, give Ace plenty of momentum going into spring.

The full time Texas A&M student is currently sitting 8th in the PRCA tiedown world standings.  When asked how he manages the time requirements of academics and pro rodeo, Ace replied, "I am extremely busy right now and it is not easy.  But, honestly, as I'm here preparing for the California run next week, my biggest challenge is waiting.  I can't wait to get on the road again - this really is a lot of fun."



HOOey Team members advance at RodeoHouston

At Rodeo Houston, PRCA's richest regular season event, contestants know their road to the NFR is much easier with the $50,000 win.  But first, you have to advance from the first round.

HOOey team members Ace Slone and Clint Robinson successfully navigated that hurdle to move on the Semifinals Round.  Ace will compete March 17, with Clint competing the following night.  Both have had strong showings in their opening round, each earning a go-round win.

February 9, 2010 - Ace Slone, HOOey Team member and PRCA rookie, is performing on his biggest stage yet this week.  While it is quite a feat to even qualify for rodeos like San Antonio and Houston your rookie year (you must be top 5 in the world standings after the first quarter of the season), Ace is not here just here to participate.

You can look at his world ranking and see he's adapting to the new scenery pretty quickly, highlighted by his Round 1 win at Fort Worth.  When asked if there were any surprises thus far, Ace said "this is going to sound funny but the only real surprise is realizing that a good run wins money, even at these big rodeos. You can't get into who you're roping against - it's just you against what you've drawn.  These guys are great and they may all tie one in seven flat at a jackpot but you can't assume that's going to happen at the rodeos."

So far San Antonio has not gone as planned. An eleven second run last night wasn't enough. Tonight, a calf straining just before he got his hooey ultimately left Ace with a no time.  But with this new format every night is a new rodeo in San Antonio, so Ace has two chances remaining.

We'll keep you posted from the ATT Center throughout the week.

2-9-10 Results

Tiedown:
Mike Johnson 13.0
Blair burk NT
1- Trevor brazile 7.0
Justin Macha NT
2/3. Nate Baldwin 7.6
Ace slone NT
2/3. Josh Peek 7.6
Shank Edwards barrier
Cade Swor 8.1
4.Fred Whitfield 8.0
Cory Solomon NT
Cimmaron Boardman 11.9


Team Roping
1. Brown/Lucero 5.4
Travis Tryan/Michael Jones 6.3
4. Brady Tryan/Broc Cresta 6.2
Riley and Brady Minor 14.8
Brandon Beers/Ryan Motes 11.0
JoJo Lemond/Randon Adams NT
Jay and Austin Adams 10.7
3. Jake Weddle/Monty Joe Petska 5.8
2. Yost/Crick 5.7
David Motes/Travis Woodard NT
Nick Sartain/Kolin VonAhn 9.8


Steer Wrestling:
Brad McGilchrest 4.6
Justin Davis 4.9
Oli hannum 5.3
Cole Adge 5.6

Saddle Bronc:
Taos Muncy 84
Isaac Diaz 83
Curtis Garton 79
Cody Wright 77

Sydni Blanchard 13.75
Sherri Cervi 14.11
Brenda Mays 14.23
Mary Burger 14.28

Beau Schroeder 83
Bandy Murphy 79
Steve Woolsey 77
Jarrod Craig 69

We are proud to announce Clint Robinson is joining the HOOey Team for the 2009 National Finals Rodeo.  Hailing from Spanish Fork, UT, Clint was the PRCA's 2003 Tiedown and All-Around Rookie of the Year.  This is already Clint's 3rd NFR Qualification and, heading to Vegas in 4th place, he is well within striking distance for a world title.  Check back often for updates on Clint from the NFR.

While shopping in Vegas at this year's NFR, pick up some HOOey gear at any of the four Archundi and Co. booths (2 @ Hilton Conv Ctr, Sands Conv Ctr, South Point)  or the Tod Slone Saddles booth (Sands Conv Ctr).

HOOey is proud to add two of the most talented young cowboys going down the road, Ace Slone and Reese Riemer.

More detailed information on both of these ropers will be posted soon in the HOOey Team section.

Also stay tuned for HOOey news from a 2009 WNFR Qualifier...

August 7, 2009 - HOOey Team Members Caleb Smidt and Quisto Lopez both had impressive showings at the USTRC Regional Finals in Waco TX.

Smidt, known for his tiedown skills but proving he's also pretty adept with a nylon, teamed up with heeler Jesy Austin for big checks in the #15 and #13.  In Thursday's 15 Preliminary, Smidt won third in the average for $900.  But the big win came in Friday's highly competitive 13 Shootout. Smidt and Austin dominated with 37 seconds on five head, splitting $10,000 and Martin Trophy Saddles.  To add an exclamation point to their effort, Smidt and Austin also finished sixth in the average with their extra 13-shootout position.  

While Lopez made the short round in Thursday's 15 roping, he didn't cash in until Friday's 13 Prelim.  It was then, heeling for Uncle Ronnie Lopez, Quisto roped his way to 3rd in the average and a Lopez family split of $2,500.  A solid showing in the 13 Shootout also earned Quisto a National qualification.  Not done for the day, Quisto teamed with Kelsey Wiley for eigth in the 12 Prelim and 4th in the 12 Shootout, earning another $2,100.
 
All in, Smidt and Lopez carried away around $10,000, some serious hardware and enough National Shootouts for some potentially huge payouts in OKC.

Summer styles have come and gone...then come and gone again!  Make sure you visit our retailers to check out the latest.

Check out the selection of new girls and guys T's in the HOOey store and soon in your local retailers.

What an NFR - especially for tiedown fans.

HOOey team member Justin Maass struggled at times but still ended up with $23k - he probably could have easily doubled that with just a little bit of luck. Justin summed it up like this: "I felt like I left a lot on the table.  [However] I do feel like I roped better than I ever have at the finals.  I am looking forward to going back to Vegas in a position to contend and I will not make the same mistakes I made this year."  With two of the best horses in the business and his talent there's no doubt he'll once again be at the top.

And how about Tuf Cooper? It's fair to say, at the ripe old age of 18, he has arrived.  He hung in strong through some tough draws during the first few rounds, then mashed the throttle and never let up - highlighted by a scorching 6.7 second run in Round 9.  Throw in the incredible ability of his brothers Clint and Clif and there may be a 3-way sibling rivalry for a world championship in the near future.

Anyone that knows the game has to feel sympathy for Hunter Herrin. No one has a stronger skill set and there was probably no one that out-roped him at this NFR.  A calf getting up in Round 8 - a calf he put TWO wraps on no less - cost him the world title. He still came through with a scalding 7.4 in the 10th and final Round, but with no average check, it wasn't quite enough.  He's the probable favorite going into the '09 season and few would argue Hunter will have more than one shot at a world title ahead of him.

Added to the drama in Round 10 was the most prolific roper of all time, Trevor Brazile, pushing through a freshly sprained MCL for a grimacing 8.2 - barely missing laying claim to back-to-back tiedown titles.

Then there's Stran Smith - the guy who's been knocking on the door for over a decade. Finally he managed to kick it down and earned his first world title. With the pressure at its apex inside the Thomas & Mack during the 10th Round, Stran proved he has ice water in his veins as he smoked a strong-running calf in 7.2.  A dedicated athlete who has persevered through everything from a stroke to tragically losing his legendary horse Topper, suffice it to say Stran's gold buckle was hard earned.

If you wrote a script with this year's race culminating as it did in that final round, it's likely it would be deemed as too far-fetched.  Consider this: Hunter's impressive 10th round 7.4 meant Stran's 7.2 ultimately produced a margin of victory for the world title of three-tenths of a second.  With all the miles traveled, the thousands roped between home and hundred-million-dollar stadiums, the bodies torn and broken, the horses tuned and trained - it all came down to one final run and a fraction of a second.

HOOEY: We're here with now five time NFR qualifier Justin Maass. Just a few months ago we were sitting here and things were looking positive for you. How would you describe how the season went since we last met?

JUSTIN MAASS:  Well, the year did start pretty strong. It stayed strong until July - when I really needed to get things rolling.  I then went through a three week down spell and didn't win a check - not one check at all.  Not that I was counting but I believe it was an eleven rodeo run.  It made things a little stressful.  But thankfully August came around and it picked back up a bit and  I did just enough to get in.  I would have liked for the circumstances to have been different, especially since July is a month you need to be big.  Earnings of zero for that month are not so great.

HOOEY: You've been doing this professionally for how long?

JM:  '96 is the first year I got my card so twelve years.

HOOEY:  After roping for a living that long, how do you approach difficult stretches like the one you described in July? How do you get through those challenges?

JM:  First, you just keep entering - that's a necessity.  If I'm not winning and the same mistake is costing me each time, then I identify the mistake and find somewhere to go practice and I fix it.  If I'm not winning and something different is happening each time, then basically I just stay persistent and positive until I win a check.  It always seems like one good check at one good rodeo will turn the whole thing around.  Nine times out of ten that's what it takes - just that one breakthrough somewhere.

HOOEY: Did you ever feel like there was anything specific you weren't executing properly this year?

JM:  No, not really.  I can actually pinpoint when the downturn started.  It was at Salinas (CA).  I placed in the first round, then came back on a calf that was terrible in the second round and didn't win anything.  Then for that three-week period, I didn't run many good calves.  For that 11-rodeo stretch it was either a bad calf or a broken barrier or a missed calf - there just wasn't one thing I felt like I was doing that I needed to fix.  And believe me, a three-week slump at that time of year seems like a long, long time.

HOOEY: Well, no matter what the circumstances this year, it's quite an accomplishment to be heading to Vegas for your fifth time.  How will your past experiences assist you in preparing for this NFR?

JM:  If you'd seen my practice session last night you wouldn't think I'd learned much about preparing for the NFR (laughs).  I'm actually going to quit roping after Monday or Tuesday (Nov. 24/25) depending on how the practice sessions go between now and then.  I'll take this time off to get healed up because you don't want to go out there less than one hundred percent physically.  So that's one of the primary things I've learned as I've gotten older and hopefully a little wiser is I'm going to feel fresh physically when I arrive.  

HOOEY:  For practice, have you tried to make your setup at home the same as the Thomas and Mack?

JM:  For the first time this year I have.  At the covered arena in Giddings I cut it down to one hundred and fifty feet and man, it does make a difference.  We had some real strong calves and I've got to be honest with you it was difficult.  It made it a whole different ballgame.  I feel like I worked a lot of kinks out in that practice session because by the end I was roping sharp. I think practicing that way will really help.

HOOEY:  Will your experience at the NFR help you manage your time once you're already out in Vegas?  Has your approach changed compared to when you first qualified?

JM:  It seems like you're going to be worn out no matter what you do.  It's almost like by the time the second or third round is over, physically and mentally it just has an effect on you.  It wears you down to the point that you think, "man, I need to go take a nap" (Laughs).  So this year I'm just going to try to keep a steady mental approach - I won't get too worked up about anything in or out of the arena.  I'll just take care of my obligations and spend the remainder of my time focused on roping.

HOOEY:  It has to be an added bonus this year that your friend and hauling partner Scott Kormos also qualified for the NFR?

JM:  Yes, it's the first year Scott and I have made it together.  In '06 when I got hurt I stayed home and last year he had gotten in with Cimarron Boardman so he had stayed with him and rodeo'd all year.  So other than that we've always been together.  But even when we weren't together I still felt like 'Hey, that's my partner out there' and I wanted to support him however I could. So being the first year we're going to be at the NFR together it's going to be fun and I think we'll be able to help each other.  We know each other's roping better than anyone else and I think that's going to be a benefit for both of us.

HOOEY:  So is Scott going to ride "Flip" (Justin's 2007 Horse of the Year)?

JM:  I'm not sure.  I think as of right now he's probably going to ride his horse.  I believe he'll start on him and hopefully it will go well and he won't have to consider changing.  Honestly, I'm not even sure what I'm going to ride at the moment.  

HOOEY: Really?

JM:  Yes.  I'm probably leaning towards riding Flip right now.  The NFR is such a unique arena and even though both work anywhere Flip normally excels more at the really fast setups - while "Oz" is usually the bigger, stronger "run-em-down, tie-em-down" type of horse.  So I'm not sure what he (Scott) is going to ride or even what I'm going to ride at this point.

HOOEY:  An NFR qualifier once told me - I can't remember who at the moment - that he liked to keep his back up horse far enough away from Las Vegas that it would be a real chore for him to switch if he was tempted during the middle of the NFR?  Point being that if he had to drive all the way to say, Arizona, to pick up his back up horse then he would have to really think long and hard before he switched.  

JM:  (Laughs)

HOOEY:  Do you feel the same way?

JM:  I have had that mentality in the past.  I've ridden the main horse that I've hauled to Vegas on every calf except for one.   I've only gone to my back-up horse once and that was on my last calf -  in '03, I believe.  I actually talked to Scott Snedecker on my drive here to Austin today and he said, " Remember, if things aren't going well, you've got two good ones.  Don't be scared to get off one and ride the other."  That conversation made me realize, for the first time, I'm going to the NFR with two horses that I completely trust.  So being reluctant to switch will not be an issue this year.  If something doesn't go right I will abandon ship and get on the other one.  Then if that doesn't work I'll go back to the first one until we figure it out.  We'll do whatever we have to do to win.  

HOOEY: Speaking of Oz, he was awarded PRCA's Tiedown "Horse of the Year" this year, right?

JM:  Yeah, he tied for it.

HOOEY: You've got be proud of that accomplishment.  What does that make, three "Horse of the Year" awards for you?

JM:  No, that makes two - Flip and Oz.  "Ace" (Justin's grandfather horse that he rode early in his career) won third one year.  

HOOEY: How does having a "Horse of the Year" rank among your accomplishments?

JM:  It's really an honor.  I consider that award one of the biggest accomplishments I've had in my rodeo career.  I don't know if it has anything to do with me - it's just two great horses that I've had the pleasure of ending up with.  It's a really special award to us.

HOOEY:  We appreciate the time.  Good luck in Vegas.  We'll catch up with you down the road.  

JM:  I appreciate it.


EDITOR'S NOTE:  Justin will be hosting a roping school in Giddings TX, along with fellow NFR qualifiers Scott Kormos and James Zant, December 21st and 22nd. For more information, you may call 979-540-0620.

Visit our retailers or, if you don't have one close, check out our online store to see the new HOOey hat styles.

HOOEY: Hey Caleb. First, congratulations on a successful summer. I believe you won the Texas state championship, 2nd at the Burk's and runner up for the National Title. Did I leave anything out?

CS:  (Laughs) No sir.

HOOEY:  You've got to pretty pleased with those accomplishments.

CS:  Yes sir.

HOOEY:  Take us back to the Texas state championship and tell us a little about that experience.

CS:  Well, it was my senior year and I drew a pretty strong calf in the first round and was a 12.6.  Then I came back in the second, drew well and was a 7.9 and won that round. That put me fourth going into the short round. I won the short and that secured state for me.

HOOEY: Going back to that first round, I'm assuming you were pretty disappointed being a little long on that run. A 12.6 means you had a lot of ground to make up. How did you recover?

CS:  Yes sir. Well the calves were tough so you had to draw a really good one to be quick.  Most of them kicked or strained. I really didn't think I had a chance but I just decided to go as fast as I could on that second one and I guess it worked out.

HOOEY: At the Burk Roping, as I mentioned, you did well this year.  But this wasn't your first year to win something there was it?

CS:  No sir. I won the 16-19 last year and was happy to win 2nd this year.

HOOEY: So you have one more year of eligibility at the Burk roping? I'm assuming you'll be going back?

CS:  Oh, definitively. I'm going to give it one more try.

HOOEY: Let's move on to the National High School Championships. It had been a long time since Texas tiedown ropers had made a strong showing at that event. You and Reese Riemer took the top two spots.  Tell us a little about the set up in Farmington (NM) and that experience.

CS:  It was my first trip to Nationals. It was a lot of fun to go and to represent Texas.  They use two arenas, one for rough stock and one for timed events.  Ours was a big arena and you had to see a good step and just run and go catch em.  The calves were good and overall I really liked the setup.

HOOEY: Again, congratulations on representing you and your state well.  Now that you've graduated from high school, what are your plans?

CS:  I'm going to rodeo for Wharton Junior College.  I'll live at Tony Reina's house. Of course we'll be able to practice a bunch.  He also knows a lot about all aspects of rodeo and he'll just introduce me to it. I'm thinking I won't get my permit for another two or three years. I'll just go to the amateurs and college rodeos for a while. I just want to get a feel for it before I go out into the big rodeo world.

HOOEY: Since you brought that up, this year we've seen some young guys perform really well at the highest level, specifically the incredible run by Tuf (Cooper).  Does that tempt you to go out and try to do the same thing?

CS:  No, I guess I'm pretty content to wait a little while. You have to really be prepared and know what you're doing out there.  It's a lot different than amateurs and I just want to ensure I'm ready when I take that step.

HOOEY: Tell us about your horse situation. Do you feel like you're mounted pretty well?

CS:  Yes sir. I bought a little bay horse about a year ago from David Felton.  He scores well, run and stops really hard. I've won more in the last year off him than I had probably won on any other horse.  We just get along great now.  It was a challenge to get adjusted to him at first but now I'm very pleased.

HOOEY: What made getting with this horse tough?

CS:  My horse before him was just a lot different. He was a big horse and he was difficult to score off of - at times it would just take him a while to get right in the box.  He would also quarter some when he stopped. This new horse just stops straight every time and gets down on all fours. It probably took me a month to really get with him.

HOOEY: So are you getting to practice every day?

CS:  Yes sir.  I calf rope and team rope every day. I've got two or three practice horses that allow me to rope for myself and then I might rope a couple on my number one horse, just to make sure he's sharp.

HOOEY: You mentioned team roping. So are you heading or heeling? Is that something you want to continue as your career progresses?

CS:  I heeled when I was younger but I'm heading now.  I just enjoy it more.  I've never really practiced it much until the past few months.  I've been pleased with the way I'm progressing and plan to head at some upcoming amateur shows.  Hopefully I can get good enough to one day head at the pro rodeos along with roping calves.

HOOEY: Well, that's about it for now. Good luck.  We'll catch up with you down the road.

CS:  Thank you. I appreciate it.

August 13, 2008 - Bulverde TX - After six weeks of roping, the series winners were awarded their custom Legend trophy buckles last night.  A first-class facility and a need for calf roping in the area made for fun and competitive Tuesday nights.

In the breakaway, Erica Mesh continued her winning ways with a dominant performance winning both rounds and the average. Not surprisingly, she won the series going away.

The Open roping series, however, was anybody's contest. Mark Weekly came into the final roping in the lead but Jay Peters and Cole Moody were well within striking distance.  The series had seen smoking runs from each of these competitors.  However, after a few uncharacteristic runs from each of them, Mark did enough to hold on for the series and average win.

The D roping was hotly contested and provided some good drama.  Dee Stephens had a slight lead over Dustin Butler when the roping began. Dustin made two solid runs to put the pressure on. Dee responded with a smooth second run that left everyone scratching their heads unable to determine the champ.  When the overall earnings were tabulated, Dee secured the series win by only $2!!!

To finish the night, Dustan Dewinne looked to maintain his hard-earned series lead.  He had roped consistently throughout the previous five weeks, treating everyone to a blazing 8.3 second run midway down the arena during week 4.  Dustan had some trouble though and didn't draw a check on the final night.  He did, however, still hold on for the series win.

Congratulations to all the winners...

BA: Erica Mesh
OPEN: Mark Weekly
D: Dee Stephens
C: Dustan Dewinne

Tejas Rodeo Company will continue to have Tuesday night calf roping jackpots into the fall.

Congrats to all of the National Qualifiers for making their states proud!  Roping National Champions for '08 are:

CR: Reese Riemer, TEXAS
BA: Cadee Tew, MONTANA
TR: Cory Kidd and Adam Plyler, NORTH/SOUTH CAROLINA

Did you know???

- Reese Riemer is the first Nat'l Champion calf roper from Texas since some guy named Cody Ohl did it back in 1992.

- Cory Kidd and Adam Plyler are the first ever Team Roping Nat'l Champs from North or South Carolina. (AZ has the most with six)

- Cadee Tew is the first ever Breakaway Nat'l Champ from Montana.

CALF ROPING OVERALL
1. Reese Riemer*, Stinnett, Texas, 26.901
2. Caleb Smidt, Yorktown, Texas, 28.854
3. Andrew Yates, Terry, Miss., 30.925
4. Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La., 30.933
5. Logan Whitley, Cassville, Mo., 31.599
6. Jesse Clark, Portales, N.M., 31.657
7. Mitch McAdow, Littleton, Colo., 32.858
8. Agustus Cross, Torrington, Wyo., 33.322
9. Troy Hubbard, Wheatland, Wyo., 33.53
10. Christian Dewbre, Blanchard, Okla., 33.735
11. Chris Demases, Boyd, Texas, 34.083
12. Will Smith, Del Norte, Colo., 34.19
13. Cody Robison, Las Vegas, Nev., 35.327
14. Cody McCluskey, Delta, Colo., 35.337
15. Colton Redmond, Wiggins, Miss., 40.269
16. Braxton Laughlin, Westlake, La., 20.562
17. Blake Deckard, Wagoner, Okla., 20.81
18. Daniel Ferreira, Fort Jones, Calif., 22.263
19. Rhen Richard, Roosevelt, Utah, 22.512
20. Jesse Popescul, Glentworth, Saskatchewan, Can., 23.113

BREAKAWAY ROPING
1. Cadee Tew*, Belgrade, Mont., 9.949
2. Cassidy Boggs, Cyril, Okla., 10.193
3. Kirsten Stubbs, Eldorado, Texas, 10.729
4. Bailey Corkill, Fallon, Nev., 10.848
5. Kayla Tiegs, Nampa, Idaho, 11.29
6. Kyla McCain, Vilonia, Ark., 11.419
7. Devin Nicholls, Kinnear, Wyo., 11.424
8. Jodi Stewart, Fairmount, Ga., 11.681
9. Kelsie Chace, Cherokee, Okla., 12.391
10. Kelli Kayser, Condon, Ore., 12.56
11. Casi Christensen, Lyman, Utah, 20.191
12. Paige Edmondson, Eureka, Kan., 20.236
13. Kelsey Meek, Clarksville, Ark., 22.599
14. Katie Curtis, Cody, Wyo., 6.959
15. Taylor Magrath, Holt, Mo., 7.108
16. Nicole Hope, Wilmington, Ohio, 7.279
17. Kaycee Nelson, Buffalo, S.D., 7.426
18. Robi Jo Inman, Ketchum, Okla., 7.514
19. Hannah Sharon, Dillon, Mont., 8.06
20. Kelsey Scott, Douglas, Wyo., 8.297

TEAM ROPING
1. Cory Kidd*, Charlotte, N.C., Adam Plyler*, Pageland, S.C., 19.791
2. Travis Whitlow, Queen Creek, Ariz., Tyler Whitlow, Queen Creek,
Ariz., 20.334
3. Jake Griffith, Boyce, La., Dylan Reames, St. Francisville, La.,
23.229
4. Codie Poe, Provencal, La., Trace Porter, Leesville, La., 25.606
5. Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo., Tyler Schnaufer, Pueblo, Colo.,
25.608
6. Corbin Nicholls, Kinnear, Wyo., Dahl Nicholls, Kinnear, Wyo., 26.198
7. Codee Reynolds, Huntsville, Ark., Cody Roberts, Norman, Ark., 26.531
8. Jesy Austin, Zachary, La., Colt Fisher, Sulphur, La., 28.414
9. Cody Carlin, Neosho, Mo., Michael Gilman, Thompson, Mo., 29.994
10. Kolby Boos, White Cloud, Kan., Stormie Milne, Oregon, Mo., 31.113
11. Troy Nahrgang, Buckeye, Ariz., Cullen Teller, Maricopa, Ariz.,
34.544
12. Kolt Osentowski, Whitman, Neb., Riley Pruitt, Gering, Neb., 36.107
13. Jade Hafen, Washington, Utah, Quinn Kesler, Holden, Utah, 41.865
14. Justin Marcus, Spokane, Wash., Bo Sickler, Kennewick, Wash., 44.717
15. Gralyn Elkins, McIntosh, N.M., Ethan Shelley, Gila, N.M., 45.272
16. Cody Robison, Las Vegas, Nev., Chase Williams, Pahrump, Nev.,
46.505
17. Andrew Carleton, Merrill, Ore., Mark Nonella, Klamath Falls, Ore.,
50.766
18. Ty Chancey, Ocala, Fla., Clint Summers, Lake City, Fla., 51.021
19. Trevor Merrill, Trenton, Utah, Kyler Mitton, Wellsville, Utah,
15.879
20. Oakley Baker, Overton, Nev., Vic Ugalde, Orovada, Nev., 17.745

* 2008 National Champion

BURK '08 GIRLS 16-19

Overall
1. Kylie Ward 14.62/4
2. Darcy Clark 15.16
3. Kallan Mudd 15.74
4. Anna Heinen 15.84
5. Jaycie Miller 16.22
6. Madison Austin 22.86

Short Go
1. Darcy Clark 3.02
2. Kallan Mudd 3.65
3. Kylie Ward 4.07
4. Jaycie Miller 4.59
5. Anna Heinen 4.72
6. Tiada Gray 12.24

3rd Round
1. Katey Anthony 2.82
2. April Phillips 3.04
3. Paige Reed 3.08
4/5. Jaycie Davison 3.10
4/5. Maci Meyer 3.10
6. Kaki Herring 3.17
6. Hannah Wall 3.17

2nd Round
1. Cassidy Boggs 2.52
2. Katelyn Lide 2.72
3. Harley Thomas 2.76
4. Paige Reed 2.71
5. Maddison Austin 2.85
6. Kellie Rula 2.87

1st Round
1. Cassie Ward 2.89
2. Shalynn Ward 2.90
3. Madison Austin 2.94
4. Jessie Kirkes 3.01
5. LaRae Porterfield 3.03
6. Kellie Rula 3.16

BURK '08 BOYS 16-19

Average-
Kolt Henderson   -  36.60
Caleb Smidt       -  38.54
Tuf Cooper         -  38.92
Shane Hanchey -  39.47
Codie Poe         -  40.85
Andrew Yates    -  41.24

Short Go-
Caleb Smidt-          8.50
Tuf Cooper-            8.57
Kolt Henderson  -   9.45
Shane Hanchey  -  9.47
James Berry      -   9.91
Codie Poe          - 10.12

3rd Round-
Judson Nowotny-    7.08
Loagan Helton  -     7.57
Kolt Henderson-      7.91
Marshall Leonard-   8.13
Brodie Poppino-      8.13
Cody Waldrop-        8.16

2nd Round-
Colt Fisher      -      9.03
Codie Poe      -       9.10
Josh Fisher    -       9.49
Shane Hanchey-     9.67
Andrew Yates-        9.75
Caleb Smidt  -        9.78

1st Round-
Brodie Poppino-     9.13
Kolt Henderson-     9.28
Tuf Cooper-            9.50
Andrew Yates-        9.61
Seth Mahaffey-       9.62
Shane Hanchey-     9.82

Click the link to check out the latest interview with Justin.

June 16, 2007 - Abilene TX - Tonight, eleven Texas High School Rodeo young guns capped off an exciting week of calf roping at the Taylor County Coliseum with a scorching short round.

With the average tight and the points doubled for the short and the average, each roper knew this was no time to play it safe.  The crowd was amp'd and the pressure was high and the ropers didn't disappoint.

Almost every roper took turns playing "king of the mountain" only to see his competitor find a way to be faster.  After eight ropers, Kolt Henderson's near flawless 8.29 was leading the round.  Clayton Shaw and George Rowland weren't far behind with their smoking runs of 8.70 and 9.06, respectively.  Next was Toby Logan with a 9.39 - possibly making one of the best runs in the short on a calf that went hard-right just past the score line.

Calf roping fans were then treated to Clif Cooper thriving on this big stage with the intensity and hustle of his blazing 7.64 second run.  He set up his run perfectly and let his athleticism take over to run through his calf and send the crowd into an uproar.

The final cowboy to try and cap off this calf roping clinic was Ryan Parnell, leading the average by half a second going into tonight's performance.  It would take an 8.24 to win the state title and a 9.5 to secure his second trip to the National High School Finals held this year in Springfield, IL.

With the crowd on the edge of its seat, Parnell pushed the barrier and had his calf roped in a flash and flanked with what seemed like time to spare.  However, after the first wrap, it was apparent something was wrong and the crowd's groan only confirmed it. Parnell tried to re-wrap and stop the clock but the calf kicked free to force a no-time.

"As I strung and went to gather as low as possible, [the calf] pulled her top back leg from me and started to strain", Parnell explained.  "I tried to re-gather her hoping to still finish in the top four, but she pulled her leg out of it again as I was getting my hooey.  It was disappointing.  But you can't control the draw and I guess you just have to roll with punches."

After everyone had taken a deep breath from the excitement, Clif Cooper was announced as the 2007 Texas High School Calf Roping Champion.  Joining Cooper to represent Texas at the National HS Finals will be fellow seniors Kolt Henderson and George Rowland, along with sophomore Clayton Shaw.

To put this pressure-filled night in perspective, eight of the eleven short round contestants made a nine-second run or better - an impressive feat even at the highest pro-level.  Take into consideration some well-known young calf ropers like Tuf Cooper, Ace Slone, and Judson Nowotny were absent, and it's apparent that the talent level in Texas is as deep as ever.

THSRA 2007 Calf Roping Short Round:

1. Clif Cooper** 7.64
2. Kolt Henderson* 8.24
3. Clayton Shaw* 8.70
4. George Rowland* 9.06
5. Toby Logan 9.39
6. Clay Paige 9.42
7. Cody Burney 9.82
8. Quay Howard 9.94
9. Ryan Parnell NT
10. Layne Norton NT
11. Caleb Smidt NT

** Texas State Champion
* National Qualifier