Friday night fared no luck or winnings for either my Dad or Clint. Saturday morning though I could tell they were both after something. I could see the fire in their eyes. They had both roped so good on Friday night but with team roping, sometimes it's not all about how good you rope. Its about how good your partner ropes, how good your horse works, how good the steer you draw is, if you're holding your tongue in the right position...among many other things. Most of the time it's just about luck.
Luck is a word our household has been without the past year in the roping pen. But you can't turn it around if you don't keep trying, right?
In the number 13 roping, my Dad was high call back. High call back means that you are the fastest team that has caught 3 out of 4 steers. The fourth round is called the short go. This particular roping took the fastest 20 teams for the short go to compete for 10 winning places. First place paid right at $14,000. They start with the 20th fastest team and work backwards to the first high call back. This does two things:
1. Makes is easier for the first high call back team because all of the other teams have already gone so the #1 team knows how fast they have to rope a steer to win big money.
2. Makes the first high call back team doubly nervous because they know that if they miss, they are out of money because there has been teams that have already claimed the 10 spots. If you miss, you go home sad with empty pockets. If you catch, you go home happy with a pocket full of money, but not before making a trip to the bar they ever so conveniently have at the arena for a celebratory drink.
Clint told me that he was down by the chutes with my Dad trying to calm him down before they called his name because he was so nervous. When I heard this I was confused at why he would be so nervous. My Dad made a career out of team roping in his early adult years and made 5 trips to Last Vegas for the National Finals in team roping. He's a veteran. No need for nerves and worries.
Clint said that my Dad told him that he woke up that morning determined to get one last win in for my Mimi, his mother, before she passes away. Clint told him to go out there and make this one count for Mimi. At that moment, all of his nervousness left and he set his mind he was going to win it.
Mimi is such an essential part of our family. She is a dynamic woman that I can only hope I am half the woman, mother, daughter, and wife she has been. She has taught me so many things including how to be strong, how to be the constant rock for your family, how to stand by your husband no matter what, to love your children with every fiber in your body and stop at nothing to ensure their happiness, to make your loved ones know you will always be there in good and bad times, and always give people the benefit of the doubt.
Dad (his friends call him Rusty or Buskin) nods his head for the gate to open, takes two swings and heads the steer, makes the prettiest turn for his partner to rope the feet and his partner Phil Lyon drops his rope and gets both feet. It's one of the prettiest runs I've seen, not that I'm partial or anything. They had to be an 8.86 to get first. Their time was a 7 flat.
As soon as Phil dallied, both guys faced, and the flag went down, I let out a scream that filled the whole arena. Everyone in our family are big cheerleaders and we aren't afraid to express ourselves, that's for sure.
After the announcer let us know they clenched the win with his deep and velvety announcer voice, Dad immediately got off his horse and tears welled up in his eyes. Blaze and me met him down in the arena and gave him a tight victory hug as we both started letting the tears fall. He was so happy that he could make Mimi proud one last time. I was just proud that I came from such a person.
Here are a few pictures from this weekend. These were taken with my new camera. I have so much to learn but I am happy with my start. I decided not to do any editing to these pictures because I like the rawness of them. Enjoy!
Love,
Kaci
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| My sweet Blaze at the beginning of the day. |
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| This is what happens with no nap and constant playing with other little kids. |
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| I just love this one. Had to throw it in the mix. |
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| Buskin getting a pep talk from Blaze. |
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| Buskin loves his Blaze. |
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| My action shots need work. |
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| The winners. |
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| Dad getting congratulations from everyone. |
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| Special moment. |
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