Kaleb Driggers Wins Big
At Mike Cervi Memorial Roping
Roping producer George Aros (center) presents the winners, Kaleb Driggers
and Jhett Johnson, with their saddles and buckles. (Sideshots Photography)
By Kristen Spinning
Special To Ropers Sports News
In a packed grandstand, more than 2,000 fans collectively held their breath for an eternal 8.36 seconds during the last run of the Mike Cervi Jr. Memorial Pro Classic. That eight seconds would be worth close to $23,000, and all eyes were on the young man in the header’s box.
On February 22, 2012, at the Casa Grande Rodeo Grounds in Arizona the Cervi Roping couldn’t have asked for a better day. The sun shone bright, the ground was excellent, an enthusiastic crowd gathered and 140 teams were ready to run down their slice of an over $80,000 pie. The day got underway with the first annual Cervi Pro-Am. A superstar line-up of pro ropers partnered up with 10 amateur headers and 10 amateur heelers to put on a pretty impressive show. After three full rounds, the team of Mark Etter and Dakota Kirchenschlager turned in the fastest time for the amateur heading. Amateur heeler Lorne Miller and his partner Chad Masters had a 37.19 on three steers to win the average in the Pro-Am heeling. Proceeds from the event were added to the Cervi Roping pot and to the Justin Crisis Fund.
The action quickly moved on to the headline event. In the first of four progressive rounds, the hard running Mexican steers kept guys scrambling to run them down. Clean runs were mostly in the seven and eight second range with a handful of six second runs. Collectively, teams had an 80% catch rate over the first go. Broken barriers, gut wrentching misses, and slipped legs continued to whittle down the top contenders through the second go. After two go rounds, it was pretty clear that a two head average of 14 seconds or better would set up a team for a shot at the money, and anything more would send them home empty handed.
In the third and fourth rounds, those strong steers eased up just a bit, and with the pressure mounting, times started drilling down. Announcers Sanna Boan and Reed Flake kept things moving right along from the booth, and Bob Feist kept the crowd updated on the scores and stats for each round.
Not quite 12 seconds separated the final 20 teams top to bottom going into the short round. The ropers knew they had to go for broke to move up in the standings. With big money on the line, the first three teams out of the box were quickly out of the competition. The next few teams fired strong, and positions shifted with every throw. Turtle Powell and Russell Cardoza Jr. turned in a 5.98, their best time of the day and fastest for the round. It was enough to bump them up into the money. It was down to the last three teams when 22-year-old Kaleb Driggers and his partner Jade Corkill, considered by his peers to be the best heeler in the world, grabbed the first spot with a 6.22 second run. Next to go was Riley Minor and Monty Joe Petska, a former Cervi champion. They needed a 6.66 to take the lead, but when the flag dropped, the clock showed a 6.67, tying it up.
Kaleb, who was riding arguably the best head horse in the field, returned to the box with his partner, reigning World Champion heeler Jhett Johnson. Showing consistency and unbelievable horsemanship, the pair hadn’t been longer than six seconds all day. They were holding an impressive time of 24.74 seconds on four head. They could win it with a leisurely 10 seconds, but a missfire could knock them out completely. The chute opened, and the crowd tensed as the young header held his mount at the back of the box for what seemed like forever. The steer got a half a length of daylight past the gate, and Kaleb launched out of the box. The steer faded slightly to the left. Kaleb ran him down at the ¾ pole, setting him up beautifully for Jhett to slip up behind and lay out a perfect loop to snatch him clean on the first hop. They closed the deal with a run of 8.36 seconds. The pair won $11,484 a man, Running P saddles, and Gist buckles. Additionally, when they are ready for a well-deserved break, they will be treated to a white tail deer hunt courtesy of Driftwood Performance Horses. Jhett commented, “I’ve roped in the Cervi a number of times, but can’t say as I ever placed. This is a real thrill.” Kaleb showed real coolness under fire at his first Cervi roping, “We had already done the hard part all day by making some good runs early on. I could give the steer more than I needed to, and my horse would run him down. I knew my partner would heel him fast, so I decided I could back off and just do my job.”
Kaleb also split the 2nd and 3rd spots with partner Jade Corkill, for a combined payday of close to $20,000. Kaleb, who hails from Albany, Georgia, took PRCA Rookie of the Year honors in 2009. Now with a Cervi win notched in his belt, he is off to a great start in 2012.
Thanks to its dedicated sponsors, the roping paid a whopping 118% of entry fees over six places and two short-go fast times. It also wrote a check for over $13,000 to the Justin Crisis Fund, bringing the total that the roping has raised for the charity to over $140,000. Besides the money, the ropers really appreciate how well the event is organized. Monty Joe Petska, who split 2nd and 3rd in the average, to take home $8,500 commented, “It’s been a great day. George Aros and his crew do an excellent job of putting it on, the money’s great, it’s an awesome roping.” In addition to cash, teams won a terrific assortment of prizes including Justin Full Quill Ostrich Boots, Gordy Alderson bits, Resistol hats from Hatco, Mojo Horns, Renew Gold grain, Bio Vigor supplements, breast collars from Ricotti Saddle Co., and gift certificates from Arizona Feed. The event also ushered in a new level of hospitality in roping competition. A VIP tent, sponsored by the Hal Earnhardt and the Earnhardt Automotive group out of Phoenix, was set up across from the office where ropers and their families were treated to free burritos, chips and salsa and cold beverages throughout the day.
The Cervi Roping was the centerpiece to the Casa Grande Cowboy & Indian Days for the second year. The West Pinal County Sheriff’s Posse originally organized this 9-day extravaganza of roping, barrel racing and rodeo events when working with Cervi producer George Aros to move the famed roping to Casa Grande in 2011. “The first Cowboy Days was a huge success, so this year we added even more to it, including a parade, an All-Indian Rodeo and even a golf tournament,” commented Posse member Dick Powell. The Cervi and Cowboy Days enjoy the enthusiastic support of the City of Casa Grande.
With the success of this year’s events and the amount of money up for grabs, it is no doubt that Cowboy Days will continue to grow, with even more ropers, from the top ranked cowboys to the fun loving amateurs, descending on Casa Grande again next February.
Results are as follows, payoffs are per roper.
Short Go FT: 1st. Turtle Powell and Russell Cardoza, 5.98, $1,000. 2nd. Cooper Wimberly and Bode Baize, 6.11, $500.
Average: 1st. Kaleb Driggers and Jhett Johnson, 33.1, $11,484. 2nd/3rd (split). Riley Minor and Monty Joe Petska, 34.77, $8,514; Kaleb Driggers and Jade Corkill, 34.77, $8,514. 4th. Colby Lovell and Russell Cardoza, 36.02, $5,544. 5th. Riley Minor and Brady Minor, 39.32, $3,564. 6th. Turtle Powell and Russell Cardoza, 40.07, $1,980.
