By Randy Pennebaker
Special To Ropers Sports News
CLOVIS, CALIF. – It started out as a wet foggy day November 16, 2014, at the Clovis Rodeo Grounds when cowboys and cowgirls showed up to rope and raise money for Children’s Hospital Central California in Madera, Calif. Admittedly, the arena conditions were less than perfect, with a big wet spot on the heel side.
Just like it is not perfect when your new baby is born with a heart condition, or your little girl is diagnosed with cancer. What do you do? You cowboy up, formulate a plan and pray. That is just what the ropers did when they pitched in and hazed the cattle away from the wet part of the arena making the 12th Annual Rope For Kids Roping one heck of an event. Fortunately the sun appeared, started drying things up and it turned into a nice day. Over $10,000 in prize money, three saddles, eight buckles and various other awards were given out. More than $7,600 was raised for the hospital this year, bringing the overall donations to over $77,224. There was also a great dummy roping for the kids, a silent auction, raffles, vendors, concessions, and many other donations and attractions.
This event was started 12 years ago by Randy and Kelly Pennebaker, who continue to organize and coordinate the event each year. The inspiration for the event came about from a little girl named Samantha Chrisman who was 5 years old and a patient at Children’s Hospital. Samantha suffered from a cancerous brain tumor, and with help from Children’s Hospital she began to recover with a positive outlook. About three years passed and unfortunately her cancer came back in a more aggressive form and we lost Samantha in October of 2005. Samantha was an amazing little girl who didn’t feel sorry for herself, and instead thought of others first. This year’s donation is dedicated to Riley Summers, who is a continuing patient at Children’s Hospital and is doing well roping and riding thanks to this great facility.
The Jones and Lauzon families along with Casey Aalto and her family, need a special thank you, for once again sponsoring the dummy roping and all its prizes. Another big thanks to Don Haynes and Eric Johnston for running the dummy roping. Brandon Summers and his family were also very crucial to the success of this event, contributing major sponsors and help. The Clovis Rodeo Associaton, George Porter, Habib Cattle Company, the American Cowboys Team Roping Association and many others donated so generously that Rope For Kids made almost $400 more than last year. Brenda Robbins, Thelma Cardoza, Sammy Jo in the office and Danny Schmitz with the flag, kept everything running smoothly. Finally, thank you to everyone who “kept calm and carried on” and hung in there to rope in less than ideal conditions. Without your support this event wouldn’t be such a big success.
There were many generous sponsors and donations that went to the roping as well as many donations that were made directly to Children’s Hospital. Sponsors included: the Clovis Rodeo Assn., Circle N Stables, Randy and Kelly Pennebaker and the 4 Cent Ranch, Trent Breckenridge and family, Ropers Sports News, Donna and Susan Hacker, Gar Tootelian Ag Chemicals Inc., Arrowhead Cattle Company, Tim and Sheryl Sisil, Producers Livestock Market, Wells Fargo Bank, Brandon Summers and family, Tarlton and Son Inc., Reedley 4-H, Clovis FFA, Cowboy Classic Saddlery, Richard Binns, Galleria Gifts, Bob Berg Buckles, Visalia Livestock Market, Casey Aalto and family, the Jones and Lauzon families, Lynn and John Chrisman, George Porter and family, Paul and Beatriz Rutherford, Greg and Becky Dunbar, Tumbleweed Saddlery, ACTRA, Habib Cattle Company, Lizzy Rose, Don Haynes, Harold’s Automotive, Steve Simons, the Patterson family, American Team Roping Association, Eric and Kristi Jensen, Brenda Robbins, Danny Schmitz, and Allied Building Products Corp. A very big thank you goes out to all the sponsors and other individuals who helped make this roping such a great success.
Results of the ropings are as follows (payoffs are per roper)
#4.5 Pick or Draw: 3 for $25, 80 teams.
1st go: 1. Cyle Hayhurst and Cody Keller 6.66, $100. 2. Cyle Hayhurst and Chase Hayhurst, 7.20, $70.
Average: 1. Cyle Hayhurst and Chase Hayhurst, 28.46, $410. 2. Jane King and Jeff King, 34.36, $305. 3. Nikki Neal and Cody Keller, 36.01, $200. 4. Phillip Kilgore and Luke Cardoza, 36.98, $100.
#5.5 Pick or Draw: 3 for $25, 118 teams.
1st go: 1. Cobi Dodds and Cody Keller, 6.07, $135. 2. Jeramy Kelton and Richard Brechbuhl, 6.41, $85.
Average: 1. Luke Cardoza and Randy Pennebaker, 28.75, $380. 2. Cyle Hayhurst and Bruce Hayhurst, 29.20, $320. 3. Victor Gragnani and Justin Brueker, 29.21, $255. 4. Jessica Cardoza and Manuel Enriquez, 30.57, $190. 5. Cobi Dodds and Cody Keller, 30.66, $125.
#7 Hdcp Pick & Draw: 3 for $30, 137 teams.
1st go: 1. Nathan Scott and Mark Balderama, 5.68, $210. 2. Jake Sweeney and Erik Johnston, 6.00, $140.
Averege: 1. Nathan Scott and Mark Balderama, 19.52, $610. 2. Jake Sweeney and Erik Johnston, 21.64, $510. 3. Jeramy Kelton and Billy Butler, 21.91, $410. 4. Ryan Rocca and Jason Sanders, 22.61, $305. 5. Nikki Neal and Mark Balderama, 23.54, $205.
2014 Rope For Kids winners (left to right): Luke Cardoza and Randy Pennebaker, #5.5 average winners; Cyle Hayhurst, #2 & under saddle winner; Jason Sanders, #4 & over saddle winner; and Mark Balderama, #2.5-3.5 saddle winner.
Future champions! The dummy roping continues to grow and grow! Thanks again to Casey Aalto and family for donating the fabulous prizes!
