Sept. 29, 2011
Hi friends, thanks for following this blog here at roperssportsnews.com. What an exciting time of the year in the rodeo world right now. The most exciting news I’ve got is that the field of 15 in each event to compete at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which will run December 1st through the 10th in Las Vegas, is officially set. The countdown now begins for the single greatest sporting event in the western world. For some contestants it will be their first time in the city of lights, and for others it’s become a ritual to compete in the Thomas & Mack Arena, located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
As I sat down this morning to look at the world standings, a few things really jumped out me. In the bareback riding, Kaycee Feild and Will Lowe have been in a knife fight all year, and I expect that to be the way it is up until the final night out there in Las Vegas. I was also happy to see Royce Ford, son of 5-Time World Bareback Riding Champion Bruce Ford, back on the roster in the 15th spot.
As always, the steer wrestling is anybody’s game out there at the finals. The top two in the world are the two guys who split the average title in Vegas last year. Dean Gorsuch and Californian Billy Bugenig are those two guys. Right behind them is the master world champion, Luke Branquinho, who is gunning at his third world championship. I was glad to see Blake Knowles get qualified at Omaha, so he’ll be returning for his second NFR appearance. His father, Butch Knowles, is the guy you hear on TV commentating the NFR every year. Butch was also an NFR average champion in the saddle bronc riding. The heartbreak of the year may be Stan Branco finishing 16th in the world standings for the second straight year. He obviously has the talent to be there, but just barely missed it. He’ll come back and get a felt back number next year.
The team roping is also really tight. Derrick Begay and Cesar De La Cruz are at the top, but just barely held off Clay Tryan and Travis Graves as the regular season world leaders. Clay and Travis just let a gold buckle slip away last year, so I predict they’ll come back with a vengeance. I think this is Cory Petska’s best shot at the gold buckle that he’s ever had. He’s coming in near the top, like always, but this year is heeling for Matt Sherwood. Sherwood has been to Vegas twice, and both times left crowned the World Champion Team Roping Header. Jake Barnes and Walt Woodard are going to be so fun to watch. You can not bet against those guys coming in there and winning a bunch. Spencer Mitchell and Broc Cresta will also be fun to watch, since they’re from out here in California. They’ve dreamed of this opportunity, so now that it’s reality they’re going to go at it. I was overcome with joy that Riley and Brady Minor made the NFR this year. I don’t know what it is, but maybe it’s because I rope with my brother all the time, I really root for them. In fact, I had the opportunity to go up to the Pendleton Round-Up with my mom and papa the week before I started school, and when Riley and Brady came tight in the short round, I yelled a little, causing some strange looks thrown my way. I was pumped for them. Last year, Brady Tryan rode Riley’s head horse, Dollar, at the NFR, so I’m curious to see what Brady will ride if Riley is aboard Dollar this year.
The last thing about the standings is that all three of the Cooper brothers, Clint, Cliff, and Tuf will once again be roping at the NFR in the tie-down roping. I’m not going out on a limb, but Tuf will get his gold buckle. Hunter Herrin is right there in second, and will battle, but Tuf is getting more and more experienced. He won’t run from the challenge, but will rather run out of Vegas as the world champion. I can’t wait to see Cody Ohl go at 10 head with reckless abandon either. The calf roping will be possibly the best event to watch this year. There are also some new names in there, such as Timber Moore and Cory Solomon.
Good luck to all of the NFR qualifiers. They have made a dream of theirs become reality. I’m just a fan in the stands, but I get chills looking down on the yellow chutes. So, to all the qualifiers, just enjoy where you’re at because you’re living the dream kids like me, all around the country, are chasing.
As for me, I couldn’t be loving life any more than I have been. I was traveling to an amateur rodeo with Quincy Freeman and Jordan Ketscher, and I asked them if it was legal to be as excited as I was. I am so excited about life. Jordan and I were fortunate enough to win the #15 Shoot-Out at the USTRC Regional Finals in Paso Robles right before I went up to Pendleton. Then, this last weekend, we traveled up to Quincy, California for the first college rodeo for the West Coast Region. It was decent for us, and I’m looking forward to the next one in a couple weeks.
As I wrap this up, I am entered in my first three PRCA rodeos this coming weekend on my permit. There’s a new rule in the PRCA that you can rodeo on a permit as long as you’re a full time college student, so my plan is to rodeo on my permit while I am in school to get some experience under my belt. I’m entering the team roping, with Jordan, steer wrestling, and tie-down roping wherever I can out here in California.
On a side-note on Pendleton, congratulations to California young gun Marcus Battaglia for winning the short round in the team roping with Kyle Lockett. Also, Californian Ryle Smith split second in the average in the tie-down roping. I’m also giving a shout-out to Jade Crossley for placing in the barrel racing.
Well friends, that’s all for now. I plan to come back with a new blog very shortly all about Pendleton! It was such an incredible experience. I have so much to say about it, that I feel it should have its own blog. So, I hope you enjoy this one, and please feel free to leave comments about who you think the world champions will be. I love all that. Check back soon for the Pendleton blog. Hope this finds you all doing well. Thank you for your support.
This is my journey, and your experience.
Lane Santos-Karney