By Julie Mankin
Special To Ropers Sports News
It’s been a few months, but that doesn’t make the champions of the “Junior World” this year any less special.
Fifteen-year-old Brady Norman of Springer, Okla., claimed both first and second in the five-steer Junior World Team Roping Championship over Thanksgiving. He topped 200 teams with partner Cole Wheeler for the win, and placed second with Trevor Kirchenschlager for a great haul on the weekend. Norman’s success made him the high-point roper in addition to the Junior World Champion Heeler. Rules dictate he could only win one saddle, and he chose the champion wood.
Those are nice bragging rights for a teenager who’s already won a staggering pile of loot in his short career. Norman won the national junior high school all-around championship in 2010 and has been sponsored by Ariat ever since. Even before 2012, he’d earned nearly $175,000 cash, two trucks, trailers and saddles – including winning the USTRC #15 Shoot-Out at Oklahoma City at just 13 years old. Norman learned to rope with a breakaway off a Shetland pony trailing a Mexican steer. He lists his mentor as Allen Bach, and he likes to play the drums in his spare time.
The fastest time in the roping was 4.3 seconds turned in by Dylan Gordon and Brent Ivy, while the youngest team competing was Kreece Thompson and Jaxson Tucker. The fastest team under 14 years old was Junior Dees and Junior Zambrano. The high-point 14-and-under roper award came down to a rope-off among Colby Payne, Tyson Thompson, and Caleb Butler. Payne won the rope-off and thus, the saddle.
The top finishers in the 14-and-under Jackpot, which had 375 teams, were Tyson Thompson and Junior Zambrano, while our Open roping champions were Clay Smith and Chris Young. Finally, the MVP – so to speak – of the entire Junior World Championships all week was Trevor Kirchenschlager, the reserve world champion.
We’d like to thank all of the Open ropers who come back year after year to rope with the kids, and give a shout-out to our production crew – the Marty Kueckelhan Cattle Company; flaggers Rowdy Wilson and Jason Thomas; announcers Pam Clayton and Tammy Macek; secretaries Jonnie Alford and Vickie Wilson; the Ardmore Hardy Murphy Coliseum Crew; Twister Saddles; Young Pros and the Ardmore Quality Inn. And we’re grateful to our 2012 sponsors – Wrangler, Red Bluff Buckles, Equibrand, Professional’s Choice, Classic Ropes, Fast Back Ropes, Cactus Ropes, Dally Wraps, and Addison Photography.
Results are as follows:
Junior World Champions: Cole Wheeler and Brady Norman.
Junior World Reserve Champions: Trevor Kirchenschlager and Brady Norman.
Open Roping Champions: Clay Smith and Chris Young.
14 And Under Champions: Tyson Thompson and Junior Zambrano.
High Point 14 And Under: Colby Payne.
High Point Overall: Trevor Kirchenschlager.
High point overall, Trevor Kirchenschlager. Tessa Cain presenting.
The fastest time in the roping was 4.3 seconds, turned in by Dylan Gordon and Brent Ivy. Tessa Cain presenting.
Colby Payne, 14 & Under high point winner. Tessa Cain presenting.
