6/30/2011
Well, all the fun in Bishop and Reno is now in the books. We got to come home for a few days, but are now fixing to head back out again. It’s a fun and exciting journey.
Early in the week in Bishop I was a little down, because I missed our first steer in the team roping. I felt more sick for doing that to Taylor than anything, but he’s the best partner and brother I could have. He rode out, patted me on the back and told me that he couldn’t remember the last time that happened and not to worry about it. When the first run at state goes like that it’s easy to just want to throw your rope and walk with your head down, but I remembered something John W. Jones Jr. told me once from when he was rodeoing. He told me he and his traveling partners had a five-minute rule. You could be upset for five minutes, but then you had to let it go and move on. You can’t let something that’s in the past bring down events yet to come.
Jake Barnes always says that he either wins something or learns something every time, so I really tried to stay positive and upbeat. As the week went on, I tried to stay focused and some things went my way. I am so truly blessed and excited that I won the California High School Rodeo Association State All-Around Cowboy title. I feel like I’ve had much better state finals the past two years, but this was God’s plan. The last two years at state I’ve been within a few points of winning the all-around trailer, so I definitely appreciate winning this one! Thank you to everyone who has helped me out in my journey to accomplish this. I’d like to thank my good friend Kade Saylor for sticking around to haul the trailer home for me. Congratulations to all of the state champions and national qualifiers.
For those of you who saw my first blog, I talked about my papa Frank Santos’s young heel horse that I had started roping some calves on. I decided to ride him in the calf roping in Bishop, and I could not have been more proud of him at only his second time away from home in that event. I love that horse. Thanks, Papa! You are my absolute hero.
I qualified for the National High School Rodeo Association National Finals in the tie-down roping and the boys cutting this year. It will be in Gillette, Wyoming,, July 17-23.
I had a lot of fun going to Reno with my mom, Taylor, and our friend Lane Lowry. We got there in time on Saturday night to watch the legendary world champions Jake Barnes and Walt Woodard run their second steer in the team roping at the Reno Rodeo. They were 5 flat, putting them in the number one spot in the average with a time of 11.3 on two head for most of the week, until Turtle Powell and Jhett Johnson jumped into the high-team spot right before the short round. Jake and Walt were then 6.8 in the final round to win third in the average. Jake is one of the greatest guys I’ve ever met, so I always root for him!
Turtle and Jhett won the team roping in Reno, and are now second in the world standings. Turtle and his barrel racing wife, Molly, have a little boy due on August 10th, which is my birthday. The world leaders, Chad Masters and Jade Corkill, have crossed the $50,000 mark on the year as we head into Cowboy Christmas. Todd Suhn won his third pair of Reno spurs in the steer wrestling. He also won the Reno Rodeo in 2005 and ’07. Cody Ohl, who had never won Reno, won the calf roping this year. He said it is really on his mind to win Salinas this year too, because he never has. Not much has eluded Cody Ohl in his career, and he finally won San Antonio earlier this season, so it’s two down and one to go.
As I’ve followed the standings this year I have been baffled to not be able to find calf roper Shane Hanchey’s name in the top 50. But he just recently made a big jump, and is now in the top 30 after doubling his season earnings by winning second at the Daines Ranch Rodeo in Innisfall, Alberta, and picking up some money in the first two rounds in Reno. Besides not having equal money for the team ropers, the Daines Ranch Rodeo seems like a great stop up north of the states.
It was fun to watch the first team out at 8 o’clock on Monday morning go on to win the 2011 Bob Feist Invitational Team Roping Classic. Colby Siddoway and Caleb Twisselman won the six-steer average with a time of 44.63 seconds for $131,010. What a payout! I got chills when Caleb pulled back on a pair in the short round, because we’re from the same area on the Central Coast. There’s no doubt he deserves the win.
I enjoyed seeing many of you in Reno. Keep in touch, and I look forward to seeing the rest of you down the road somewhere soon. Thank you for your support.
As I hit send on this I am headed to Billy and Sally Freeman’s to meet up with Jordan Ketscher, and Billy and Sally’s daughter, Quincy, to go to some rodeos over the Fourth. Jordan is entered at Folsom, which is a ProRodeo, so I’m just going to watch. Then we’re entered at some amateur rodeos in Willits and Taylorsville. They’re the best traveling partners, so I’m looking forward to lots of fun on the road. My mom, Taylor, and our friend Lane Lowry are headed to Winnemucca, Nevada, for the Silver State International Rodeo, so good luck to them!
It’s my journey, and your experience.
Lane Santos-Karney