By Linnea Botelho
Hawaii ACTRA Chapter

HAWAII – The Hawaii ACTRA Chapter held its State Finals Sept. 6-9 on the Big Island. In addition, two qualifiers were held in August for the ACTRA National Finals.

With Hurricane Olivia headed our way, the ACTRA Hawaii State Finals started with a misty rainy day (which was already a day late due to horses not being able to ship to the Big Island due to Hurricane Lane). With all the weather issues going on, everyone still showed up to rope. Thank God for Rocking Chair Ranch’s covered arena – we all stayed fairly dry.

The finals started out with the #7 Handicap Roping being won by Kaili Brenneman and Kevin Hill. The next roping was the #5.5 Roping being won by Chelsey Fuerte and Wyatt Rita. The second day of the Finals had beautiful blue skies with Mauna Kea mountain in the background. We started the day off with the #4 Roping that was won by Wyatt Ruiz and Josh Gomes. The #3 Roping followed, and the women ruled with seven women placing in the roping, but it was our young guns (Kelvin Medeiros and Kale Onaka) that came out on top. More rain fell on our last day, but the roping competition stepped up. We started the last day with the #8.5 Roping being won by Kalai Nobriga and Kevin Hill. The next roping was the Century Roping being won by long time partners Ken Miranda and Zanga Schutte. We wrapped the weekend up with the #10.5 Handicap being won by Eli Higa and Luis Rincon. It was a great weekend totaling 1295 teams. American Pacific Inc. International provided a great set of muley steers for everyone to rope. Big mahalo to all of our sponsors, Rocking Chair Ranch and all the workers and volunteers that came to help and make this another terrific Finals. Now it’s off to Nationals in Reno! Good luck to everyone!

Results from the Hawaii State Finals are as follows; payoff is per man. All ropings were $30/man, four partners, four steers, progressive after the first.

#8.5 Roping

Go Rounds: 1. Kalai Nobriga and Kevin Hill, 5.58, $200. 2. Kalai Nobriga and Shane DeLuz, 5.78, $120. 3. Kalai Nobriga and Kevin Hill, 5.89, $80.

Average: 1. Kalai Nobriga and Kevin Hill, 24.42, $559. 2. Chris Awa and Zanga Schutte, 28.67, $400. 3. Kahiau Onaka and Zanga Schutte, 28.74, $303. 4. Kahiau Onaka and Kevin Hill, 31.00, $224. 5. Jason Loando and Matthew Loando, 37.14, $112.

Century Roping

Go Rounds: 1. Ken Miranda and Zanga Schutte, 6.70, $194. 2. Mike Smith and Dusty Miranda, 7.00, $116. 3. Mike Smith and Gilbert Smith, 7.37, $77

Average: 1. Ken Miranda and Zanga Schutte, 30.04, $543. 2. Claude Straub and Gus Rodriguez Jr., 30.76, $388. 3. Mike Smith and Dusty Miranda, 31.19, $295. 4. Claude Straub and Kelly Mediros, 35.92, $217. 5. Walter Gomes and Melvin Miranda, 39.83, $109.

#10.5 Hdcp.

Go Rounds: 1. Wyatt Rita and Robert Rita, 5.05, $240. 2. Kahiau Onaka and Kevin Hill, 5.74, $172. 3. Kahiau Onaka and Kevin Hill, 5.84, $130. 4. Kahiau Onaka and Zanga Schutte, 5.89, $96. 5. Kalai Nobriga and Kevin Hill, 5.92, $48.

Average: 1. Eli Higa and Luis Rincon, 16.98, $824. 2. Chris Awa and Bulla Onaka, 19.59, $576. 3. Kahiau Onaka and Zanga Schutte, 22.94, $439. 4. Kahiau Onaka and Shane DeLuz, 24.45, $329. 5. Kahiau Onaka and Kevin Hill, 25.91, $247. 6. Kalai Nobriga and Kevin Hill, 27.00, $192. 7. Bobby Boy Manuel and Gilbert Smith, 28.69, $137.

#7 Hdcp.

Go Rounds: 1. Kaili Brenneman and Bronson Branco, 5.48, $258. 2. Nahe Nobriga and Kevin Hill, 6.08, $184. 3. Geno Glaser and Austin Glaser, 6.17, $140. 4. Troy Gomes and Jordan Gomes, 6.30, $103. 5. Shawn Aguiar and Bulla Onaka, 6.34, $52.

Average: 1. Kaili Brenneman and Kevin Hill, 27.47, $884. 2. Hailey Onaka and Zanga Schutte, 28.91, $619. 3. Nicky Boy Rapoza and Nolan Nobriga, 32.46, $472. 4. Wyatt Ruiz an Chaz Rita, 32.51, $354. 5. Chelsey Fuerte and Ty Kauai, 34.45, $265. 6. Nicky Boy Rapoza and Jason Cardoza, 34.61, $206. 7. Kawohi Schutte and Zanga Schutte, 34.94, $147.

#5.5 Roping

Go Rounds: 1. Keith Gomes and Jordan Gomes, 5.46, $288. 2. Allen Aku and Nolan Nobriga, 5.52, $206. 3. Jeremiah Benevides and Boots Kaapana, 6.13, $156. 4. Marty Souza and Luis Rincon, 6.32, $115. 5. Jeremiah Benevides and Boots Kaapana, 6.33, $58.

Average: 1. Chelsey Fuerte and Wyatt Rita, 30.90, $923. 2. Kalai Nobriga and Nahe Nobriga, 34.34, $627. 3. Albert Duarte and Kahiau Onaka, 35.33, $495. 4. Levi Rita and Robert Rita, 36.19, $363. 5. Keoni Akita and Lance Fu, 39.15, $297. 6. Keith Gomes and Chad Serion, 40.52, $264. 7. Geno Glaser and Austin Glaser, 41.05, $198. 8. Chris Awa and Jason Loando, 41.60, $132.

#4 Roping

Go Rounds: 1. Lyons DeGuair and Herman Holland, 6.83, $35. 2. RB Botelho and Daniel Miranda, 6.88, $240. 3. Bobby Boy Manuel and Westin Joseph, 6.92, $183. 4. Bobby Boy Manuel and Joshua Gomes, 6.95, $134. 5. Wyatt Ruiz and Joshua Gomes, 6.99, $67.

Average: 1. Wyatt Ruiz and Joshua Gomes, 33.00, $998. 2. RB Botelho and Daniel Miranda, 36.0, $690. 3. Treston DeLuz and Stephen DeLuz, 40.31, $537. 4. Bobby Boy Manuel and Westin Joseph, 40.34, $422. 5. Kawohi Schutte and Macey Loando, 40.82, $346. 6. Roger Kaiwi and Chad Serion, 43.03, $268. 7. Hailey Onaka and Daniel Miranda, 48.91, $230. 8. Walter Gomes and Butch Gomes, 52.15, $192. 9. Tatiana Loando and Nahe Nobriga, 52.58, $153.

#3 Roping

Go Rounds: 1. Wyatt Ruiz and Bully Gabriel, 6.62, $249. 2. Bobby Boy Manuel and Eli Higa, 7.26, $187. 3. Eli Higa and Bully Gabriel, 7.50, $124. 4. Weston Jose and Bully Gabriel, 7.53, $62.

Average: 1. Kelvin Medeiros and Kale Onaka, 25.40, $746. 2. Kacy Boteilho and Katie Cooper, 25.83, $522. 3. Montana Miranda and Nahe Nobriga, 28.61, $398. 4. Camela Ha’alilio and Nicky Boy Rapoza, 28.68, $299. 5. Wyatt Ruiz and Alex Winters, 28.95, $224. 6. Montana Miranda and Macey Loando, 33.13, $174. 7. Trisyn Kalawaia and Kevin DeReis, 33.91, $124.

See more photos in the October 2018 issue of Ropers Sports News.