By Tsanavi Spoonhunter
Special To Ropers Sports News
BRIDGEPORT, CALIF. – Ropers from across the nation gathered together for the 2nd Annual Garrett Spoonhunter Memorial Roping (GSM) to celebrate the life of one of their own.
On Aug. 6, 2015 at the GSM, 120 roping teams registered at the Centennial Livestock Arena in Bridgeport to commemorate the accomplishments of the late cowboy.
Garrett Spoonhunter held 12 mainstream titles throughout his rodeo career. Some of these titles include the 1979 World Champion Indian All-Round Cowboy, the Western States Indian Rodeo Association (WSIRA) Regional Calf Roping Champion, and Nevada Cowboys Association Regional Steer Wrestling Champion in 1981, to name a few.
“He was my friend, [my] idol,” said longtime friend and coordinator of the GSM, Cullen Daugherty. Daugherty was a close friend of G. Spoonhunter until his passing in 2013. Daugherty wanted to honor him and did so by starting the annual roping event in 2014.
Daugherty was pleased with this year’s turnout because, “all my friends were back together and they’re a bunch of good people—everyone was having fun. All of our ‘pals’ were back together, as Garrett would say.”
This year’s sponsors for the GSM were able to contribute towards one saddle, two G. Spoonhunter drawings, and nine belt buckles, three of which went to the kids’ Dummy Roping event.
One of the sponsors was Linda Cook. She explained that G. Spoonhunter was very special to her and that the roping has been very helpful for her to keep his memory alive.
“I think [it] was outstanding the way he treated everybody, you know all of his partners,” said Cook. “I think that he was a true cowboy that way.”
This encouraged her to sponsor a buckle for this year’s event and for the years to come. “The turnout was wonderful,” Cook said. “It was nice to see all the cowboys out there doing what Garrett loved.”
A winner of the fastest time, Mike Johns has known Garrett since he was 7 years old. They would run horses together, work with Johns’ cattle and at one time they even caught wild cattle together.
“I was told by Garrett Spoonhunter, if I came through (G. Spoonhunter’s home in Bishop, Calif.) and didn’t call him I was in big trouble,” said Johns. “Garrett was to me, not only a good friend, but you know… Garrett didn’t have no enemies. And you couldn’t go anywhere with Garrett Spoonhunter and not have fun.”
Johns also had much to do with the new location from Bishop, Calif. to Bridgeport. He built the arena in Bridgeport and suggested the change of venue because the weather is much cooler than Bishop.
As an avid roper and owner of ranches Johns predicts that, “the event is going to take off big time. [It] was already one of the bigger ropin’s in the western Nevada part of the area, and I think that ropin’ [GSM] is going to get really big.”
The GSM committee would like to thank the sponsors: Anchor Ranch, Andrea Tetrick & Karen Robb, Budweiser (Bishop, Calif. Distribution), Campbell Trucking, Cashbaugh Ranch, C & H Electric, Coors (Bishop, Calif. Distribution), Danny Miller Hay Ranch, Eaton & Son Concrete, Fort Independence Gas Station, Four Point Engineering, Frank Joseph Diaz de Leon, La Casita Mexican Restaurant & Cantina, Linda Cook, Lone Pine VFW Post 8036, Matt Kemp, Mert Stewart, Mike Johns, and the Paiute Palace Gas Station. Adding a special thank you to Ron Yribarren Ranch and Cobwebs Antiques.
For more information regarding the GSM, please contact Cullen Daugherty at (760) 614-0490.
(Tsanavi Spoonhunter is a niece of the late Garrett Spoonhunter.)
Results are as follows, payouts are per man:
#8 HDCP. PICK & DRAW:
1st. go: 1. Chris Commings and Bob Brown, 6.20, $120. 2. Steve Smith and Mert Stewart, 6.30, $70.
Average: 1. Reed Simmons and Nick Nalder, 18.27, $650. 2. Renee Funk and Russell Funk, 22.03, $540. 3. Renee Funk and Tad Williams Jr., 22.41, $460. 4. Jim Eaton and Tommy Lee, 22.88, $360. 5. Nora Hunt Lee and Murt Stewart, 24.77, $260. 6. Roy Begay and Mike Johns, 25.23, $180. 7. John Madraso Jr. and Matt Hussman, 26.18, $130.
#5.5 HDCP PICK & DRAW:
1st. go: 1. Mike Johns and Aaron Dondero, 7.28, $120. 2. Danny Pacheco and Jake Cerini, 7.54, $70.
Average: 1. Grant Strong and Jake Cerini, 31.22, $650. 2. Denver McGill and Waco McGill, 32.92, $550. 3. Deston Dishion and Bobby Butler, 33.65, $470. 4. Nora Hunt Lee and Mattie Johns, 33.66, $360. 5. Nick Dondero and Steve Smith, 36.37, $260. 6. John Goforth and Roger Williams, 39.80, $180. 7. Marcus Bunn and Steve Smith, 56.10, $130.
OPEN DRAW POT:
1st. go: 1/2. Steve Smith and Ryan Eaton Jr.; Bodie Lloyd and Bob Brown, 6.10, $65.
Average: 1. Bodie Lloyd and Bob Brown, 21.97, $510. 2. Nora Hunt Lee and Tommy Lee, 26.91, $430. 3. Hank Curry and Tad Williams Jr., 27.14, $340. 4. Nora Hunt Lee and Ryan Eaton Jr., 29.11, $250. 5. Nick Dondero and Mike Johns, 31.36, $160. 6. Renee Funk and Ryan Eaton Sr., 32.30, $110.
Garrett Spoonhunter Memorial Roping high point winners, left to right: Renee Funk, high point #2-2.5 and lady; Mike Johns, fast time of the day; Bodie Lloyd, high point #1-1.5; Nora Hunt Lee, high point #3-3.5 and high point of the day; Reed Simmons, high point senior; Tommy Lee, high point #4 and over; and Blaine Pinoche, fast time of the day. Photo by Tania Spoonhunter
Steve Smith (heading) and Murt Stewart in action at the Garrett Spoonhunter Memorial at Centennial Livestock Arena in Bridgeport, Calif. Photo by Tania Spoonhunter