July 31, 2012
Hi Everybody! I sincerely apologize that I have taken so long to get another blog up here. Seems like since about June 7th when we left for the College National Finals Rodeo, we’ve been going, going, going. Through all these many travels it has been so awesome to see so many people. I have gotten to catch up with so many friends, both new and old.
As for the College National Finals, I had the time of my life. What an amazing experience. The week started with a tie-down roping jackpot, where I luckily tied the fastest calf of my life in 8.1 seconds. It was pretty neat. Jordan Ketscher won the first round of the jackpot, and I won 2nd. The entire rodeo staff back there does a great job on production. There’s so much I could say about it. With all the yellow banners around the arena, and PRCA Announcer of the Year Boyd Pollhamous announcing the performances, it felt like a big stage!
I had to double take, thinking it looked like the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. When the rodeo got rolling with slack Monday morning, I was fortunate enough to win the first round of the steer wrestling with a time of 3.7 seconds, win 4th in the round of the team roping with Jordan (6.1 seconds), and place in the round of the tie-down roping. Jordan won the first round of the tie-down in the rodeo too. The second round went really downhill for me, but I never got too down about it. I kept high faith, and I could just feel something bigger working. When things don’t go like you maybe planned, it’s often too easy to get down in the dumps and let that negativity just take on a life of its own, or blame different things. We all do it. Corey Ross had nightly church services in a tent outside the arena, and those really shined some light on me. Kept it all in perspective. Instead of being upset over the second round, I felt blessed for the first round, and for the opportunity to have more chances in the third round. Jordan and I came back and won the third round in the team roping with a 4.8 second run. That was so satisfying, because we stayed positive. Because Jordan and I were tied for the All-Around after Round 3, we were introduced the night of the short round under a spotlight in front of the sold out crowd. What an incredible rush. I was so blessed to win the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Rookie of the Year Title and have my head horse- Captain- win the AQHA/NIRA Horse of the Year, but even more fortunate to get to share my first year back there with so many great people. I am so thankful for the year I had with Jordan, because he was a senior and won’t be back. Also, THANK YOU to my Cal Poly Rodeo Coach Tony Branquinho, who will not be back next year, because he has decided to go help at his family’s ranch to be with his family more. He was more than a coach all year. Tony will forever be a part of my life. Overall, it was a super experience, and one that really impacted me. From the experience I got with media, through getting up for 6 a.m. television interviews, and meeting with reporters I learned a lot. Getting to go rope out at Jhett Johnson’s with him and his family was also so cool. What a great guy! Also, thank you to Tyler Mitchell for allowing me to ride his steer wrestling horse, and congrats to Californian Chant DeForest for winning the nation in the tie-down roping for Western Oklahoma State College. I just told him I wished he’d have been wearing a Cal Poly Mustang vest instead. It was great to see old friends like Joe Frost, Dakota Eldridge, and to make new ones. Congrats to all the National Champions!
Following the short-go awards presentation, where Tyler was the Reserve Steer Wrestling Champion, he and I headed out and drove straight through the night to Reno. We made it in time to watch the Reno Rodeo slack, and a performance. We decided to spend the night to watch the first couple rounds of the BFI the following morning. What can be said about Clay Tryan besides Brilliant?! Three BFI wins is phenomenal, and Travis Graves is a great heeler obviously. Good for him to get his first BFI win. Well deserved.
From there, I went to Paso Robles for the USTRC West Coast Regional Finals. I was lucky enough to win a roping heeling for Bryan Bobsin. He’s so fun to heel for, and it is fun to win with him, because I always really looked up to, and respected his grandpa Nealor Pryor.
The day after that I began summer school classes at Cal Poly. I decided last minute to enroll in summer school in order to knock out some credits. I figured this is the time in my life I need to focus on getting through school, and get graduated.
The real highlights of my summer have been going to the Prescott and Salinas ProRodeos with my Uncle Blaine, and Papa Frank. I got to rope with Blaine in the rodeo, while he roped with my Papa in the Gold Card ropings. We had a lot of fun, especially going to such historic and traditional rodeos. Those are great memories I’ll have forever. We had a lot of fun, and it was so cool to get to go with my heroes.
Finally, the rodeo world is in shock right now over the death of 2-Time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Heeler Broc Cresta. There are no words that can make this easier. He was one of the good guys. I will never ever forget his big, contagious smile. The only peace that I can find is that he was living his dream. He was a 2-Time California High School Rodeo Association Team Roping Champion in 2003-2004, and went on to win the High School National Finals Rodeo in 2004. The last steer he ever ran at the NFR, he won the round with his boyhood brother Spencer Mitchell with a time of 3.6 seconds. I have watched that run over and over the last few days. I was watching some old stuff on my video camera this morning too, and Spencer and Broc were up the same night as Jordan and I at the Cow Palace this last October. We have his run videoed, and us sitting on the bucking chutes before the team roping. It’s unreal that this can happen to a great, young 25-year-old! My prayers go out to Broc’s family and friends. It doesn’t seem real, but Joe Beaver said it best. While life is short, eternity is forever. We will see Broc Cresta again. Broc passed away on National Cowboy Day, and there’s no doubt God got one of the best. Rest in Peace, Broc Cresta. You were loved, and will forever be a part of us.
A memorial service for Broc will be held Friday, August 3, 2012 at 4:30 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa, CA 95404. A private burial will be held at Santa Rosa Memorial Park. The family prefers memorial contributions be made to the Broc Cresta Memorial Fund, Sonoma County Grange Credit Union, 304 Sutton Pl., Santa Rosa, CA. 95407
Lane Santos-Karney