The stigma of reaching

The stigma of reaching I see so many No. 5 ropers who seem to have hit a wall, and can never quite attain the next level. Why is that? Part of it is that their technique limits them. I ve analyzed technique probably as much as anyone, and it s just as limiting to the pros. There are guys who are mounted well, manage themselves well, have a great mental game and hardly ever miss but they don t make the Finals. In our game, there are certain barriers set up just long enough and steers that run just hard enough that if you get a really good start, you have one opportunity at a coil back to turn one to win the rodeo. If you can t reach from a coil away, you can t win. These guys have to realize that reaching will allow them to be 4, and taking two more strides for the hip shot will make them 6. They re ropey veterans and are certainly capable of learning to tighten things up and back off and reach, but they don t. Why? Possibly, reaching has gotten a bad rap. People perceive good horsemanship to be running to the hip. But if I m approaching a steer at 25 mph, I should be able to keep that horse running that speed as I start to throw, without widening or dropping. There s no reason a horse can t run the same pattern from a coil back as he does going to the hip. He should be able to do it 20 times in a row without widening, slowing or dropping his shoulder. Travis Tryan reached a coil on the late, great Walt for the last eight years I knew him. The horse just ran that perfect pattern every single time from a coil back, just as framed up and pretty as if he d gone to the hip. You can reach and ride effectively if you develop the motor skills to use your hands and feet independently, but not everyone has the coordination to do that, so it s for more advanced headers. A pro header that was recently helping at one of my schools could reach two coils no problem, but his mare was barely letting him squeak off a throw. He was kicking hard out of the box and stopped kicking to throw. She was decelerating and widening so that every shot was a little further away. The little mare could only run so fast, so I told him to stop kicking her out of the box. Hustle her with your body but don t kick with your legs, I said. When you get to where you strain to deliver, engage your legs and ride her as hard as you can through your delivery, slack and dally. So he did, and that horse ran just as hard out of the box without the kicking. We had reversed the cues so that when he started to throw, he used his legs where she needed the most help. He went from barely getting a throw to making 15 total runs on her without her cheating him once. That s smart roping. Visit smartroping.com for more tips and a sneak peek at what I m doing now. Cowboy Sports News Page 71 - March 2011

RODEO ENTRY INFORMATION Entry Fees BB,SB,BR,Ranch Bronco Riding, BAW-$80.00 CR,SW,GBR-$100.00 TR-$100.00/man (enter 2X) GBR Separate Event Each Day Saturday Night Special Bull Riding $500.00 Added - $80.00ef Entries Open Monday, March 28th & Tuesday, March 29th From 8am-5pm Phone# - (512)229-6242 or via email rockin@badcompanyrodeo.com Entry forms will be available on March 1st @ www.badcompanyrodeo.com PRCA/WPRA Rules Apply Cowboy Sports News Page 72 - March 2011 Rodeo Performances Sat & Sun - April 2-3 @ 2pm Saturday Night April 2nd Special Bull Riding @ 6:30pm Slacks Saturday April 2 @ 8:30am (GBR, CR, TR) Sunday April 3 after performance (All Events) Arrive Early!! Traffic is HEAVY Entering Grounds Coggins Papers Will Be Checked! ALL Constestants Must Enter Constestant Gate to avoid gate charge!! If you do not you will be charged no refunds- Money goes to strawberry Festival Association www.badcompanyrodeo.com www.strawberryfestival.com 2011 Roll on Down the Highway Tour Buckle Series Finals

Cowboy Sports News Page 73 - March 2011

Friday, May 6th Drawpot Team Roping 5:30pm Books Open Rope At 6:30pm Computer Will Draw 3 Partners 4 Head Progressive $100/roper - Enter 2 Times $1,500 Added Money Limited To 300 Teams Books Open May 1-2 6-10pm At 254-968-1034 No Messages Please - Cash Entries Only Walk-ups accepted until 1 hour before roping starts with $25 late charge. Directions To Diamond T Arena: From I-35 North, take exit for Loop 288E. Follow Loop 288 for 3.3 miles and exit at FM 428. Turn left at FM 428/E. Sherman Dr. Go approximately 0.7 mile, arena is on the right at 6900 E. Sherman Drive. Saturday, May 7th 8am Introduction of Ropers 9am Open Girls Breakaway & Men 65+ $1,000 Added Money 2 rounds with top 12 advancing to short for $250 10:30am Books Close & Paid Open Tiedown Limited To 60 Ropers 11am Introduction of Ropers $2,000 Added Money 2 rounds with top 12 advancing to short for $350 Call 940-484-6101 for stall reservations and RV hook-ups Vendors Welcome Call For Information 940-391-6198 Sunday, May 8th 8:30am Introduction of Ropers 12 & Under Tiedown Saddle To Average Winner 3 rounds with top 12 advancing to short for $140 10am Introduction of Ropers 11am 15 & Under Tiedown Saddle To Average Winner 3 rounds with top 12 advancing to short for $170 1pm Introduction of Ropers 2pm 19 & Under Tiedown Saddle To Average Winner 3 rounds with top 12 advancing to short for $200 Cowboy Sports News Page 74 - March 2011

Jake Hooker & The Outsiders. Performing after the rodeo, Friday March 25. Admission to concert free with fair or rodeo ticket purchase. More info on www.jakehookermusic.com Ranc anch Horse Competition, Friday, April 1, 7 p.m., for more information contact Larry King at 936-661-1330 Ranc anch Rodeo odeo, Saturday, April 2, time to be announced for more info contact Jesse at 936-524-4785 or Dan 936-661-5705. Bulldogging ging Jackpot pot, Sunday March 27, 1 p.m. for more information contact Steve Dollary at 979-412-2555 Barrel el Racing acing, Wednesday, March 30, for more information Donna Park 936-661-7952 or Anita Shipman 936-661-2554 Cowboy Sports News Page 75 - March 2011

Cowboy Sports News Page 76 - March 2011

Plemons Moves Up In Standings With San Angelo Win courtesy of the PRCA First Lawson Plemons found the Fizz; then he got to break out the champagne. Fizz is the steer roping horse he bought three years ago from a rancher near his Axtell, Texas, home, who has allowed Plemons to put together the most consistent stretch of his career, including his Feb. 12 win in the San Angelo Rodeo. Plemons was the only competitor in a field of 88 who placed in all three rounds and easily won the average with a total time of 33.5 seconds. He finished 2.6 seconds ahead of runner-up Buster Record Jr., earned $5,328 and jumped unofficially from 17 th in the PRCA world rankings to fifth (the San Angelo money will not be reflected in the standings until rest of the rodeo is in the books Feb. 26). I ve been coming here for 13-14 years, and while I ve won quite a few rounds over the years, this is the first time I ve ever won the average, Plemons said. It s a good thing any time you win at a place like this. It gives you a good jump on the year. The horse I had before was a lot quicker, and you had to make your money with him by winning rounds. Fizz is a lot more user friendly. He lets you do what you need to do, he allows you to stay in the running for the average. This is the second full season I ve taken him out on the road with me, and he s been great. Vin Fisher Jr. finished third at San Angelo behind Plemons and Record, and won the three-head average at the San Patricio County Pro Rodeo in Sinton, Texas, to move into second place in the PRCA world standings, just $77 back of leader Trevor Brazile ($9,096-$9,019). Fisher s younger brother, J. Tom Fisher, also earned checks at both San Angelo and Sinton to take over the fourth spot in the world standings, just behind Cody Lee and $413 ahead of Plemons. Landon McClaugherty and partner Larry Hammons were part of a four-way tie for first place in the team roping at the Bell County PRCA Rodeo in Belton, Texas, and the $1,681 he earned there was enough to qualify him for the all-around world standings. McClaugherty, of Tilden, Texas, comes in at No. 2 with earnings of $15,573, nearly $1,700 ahead of third-place Paul David Tierney but more than $17,000 behind leader Trevor Brazile. Seth Hall, 20, was fifth in the rookie all-around standings last year, and he is showing no signs of a sophomore slump. He was the all-around champion at the Yuma (Ariz.) Jaycees Silver Spur Rodeo with earnings of $2,940 after winning the team roping with Brooks Dahozy and winning a round of the tie-down roping in a rodeobest equaling time of 7.9 seconds. In his third year at Odessa (Texas) College, Hall plans to up the ante this year and make it to 50 PRCA rodeos in addition to his college competition. He is the most athletic timed-event man that I have on the team, especially calf roping and team roping, said Odessa coach Kelly Doster. He s something special, super competitive and knows how to win. A couple of other 20- year-old rising stars, bull riders Chris Roundy and John Herman, tied for the highest-scored ride at any of the six PRCA rodeos completed over the weekend. Roundy, a student at Utah Valley University, stayed on Andrews Rodeo s Top Gear for 88 points to win the Bell County PRCA Rodeo in Belton, Texas, and Herman rode Mosbrucker Rodeos Loose Lips Louie for 88 on the last out on the last day of the Bismarck rodeo. Permit holder Lane Stirling, 22, was part of a fourway tie for second place at Bismarck with an 82-point bull ride and tied for third in the saddle bronc riding to earn the all-around title at the Civic Center. Rodeo fans seeing a winners list in Sinton, Texas, that included Peek, Schlegel and Creasy, might reasonably assume that we were talking about veteran PRCA cowboys Josh Peek, Jerad Schlegel and Luke Creasy. Not so. It was brothers weekend at the San Patricio County Pro Rodeo. Jeremiah Peek was the allaround champion at Sinton, Joel Schlegel won the bareback riding and Clay Creasy (the only older brother in the bunch) won the saddle bronc riding. This isn t even counting James Willert, younger brother of 2005 World Champion Jeff Willert, who tied Blaze Hamaker for the saddle bronc riding title at the Feb. 11-12 Coors ProRodeo in Gillette, Wyo. Cowboy Sports News Page 77 - March 2011

$3,000 Plus Bull Riding Added Money Early Entry $100; Late Entry $120 (Entry for both nights available, 1 ride per night) 3 and up Mutton Busting $25 BUCKLES TO ALL WINNERS For Entry and Info Call (432) 853-3090 (432) 638-3683 If no answer leave Message **Books open March 15 th, 2011** Bull Team Entries $500 a Team (12 Teams a Night) 100 % Pay Back For Entry (432) 853-3090 (432) 638-3683 If no answer leave Message **Books open March 6 th, 2011** For Info-call or email (tc.messick@yahoo.com) Detailed Format No Age Limit/ No Final s Qualifiers (PBR/ PRCA/CBR/ABBI/NBBA) 4 Bulls per team. Per night - 3 bulls in long round. Top 6 teams bring back bonus round Bull. Bonus Bull will be signed-in at Arrival. Cowboy Sports News Page 78 - March 2011

Honoring the memory of Jim Bob Altizer, Bud Smith, Vernon West & Mack Yates June 10th, 2011 - Barrel Racing 4-D Barrel Race 7:30pm Exhibition From 4-7pm FMI Morgan Miller 325-347-7408 or Amanda Miller 325-347-2486 June 11th, 2011 - Junior Calf Roping 9am 16-19 Girls Breakaway, 2 full go s and short round for $150 11:30am 16-19 Boys Tiedown, 2 full go s and short round for $150 8 Head Match Roping Featuring Sam Powers of Sonora, Texas vs. Marty Yates of Stephenville, Texas 2pm 13-15 Boys Tiedown, 2 full go s and short round for $150 4:30pm 12 & Under Breakaway, 2 full go s and short round for $125 Buckles Awarded To Winners Of Each Roping All Ropers Need To Be Pre-Entered By June 1st, 2011. Late Entries Will Be Taken With A $25 Office Charge Credit Cards Accepted, $5 Processing Fee Added Proof Of Age Required - Age As Of 6-1-11 Dress Code In Effect June 12th, 2011 - Team Roping 9am Preliminary Team Roping, #11, no cap, 3 head, PA1, $75/man, enter up to 4 times 2pm Invitational Team Roping, #11, no cap, 4 head, PA2, $500/team, must be entered by June 1st Invitational Roping Is 75 Pre-Entered Teams Plus Top 10 Teams From Preliminary Roping Not Already Entered Coats Saddle Certificates To Average Winners Of Invitational Roping For More Information Bud West 325-280-7970 cell, 325-985-3808 after 6pm Ryon West 325-451-4651 All Proceeds Will Benefit The Vernon West Memorial Scholarship Fund FMI On Scholarships Contact Shana Everett At 325-625-1687 or shanaeverett@hotmail.com Cowboy Sports News Page 79 - March 2011

Catch em If You Can Roping Calves! Stephen S. Perry, III For Lease For Roping Events Only! 7831 Hwy 36 Freeport, Texas 77541 979-233-3069 or 979-233-2493 Put Your Business Card To Work For You Here For As Little As $40! BJ s Horse Goods Fully Stocked Tack Shop Trailrider Saddle Packages Saddle Bags, Bridle Sets, Pads, Bits Rodeo Gear - Chaps ps, Vests ests, Spurs, Misc. Open 9 to 6, Tue. thru Fri., 9 to 5 Saturday 15515 Lee Rd Houston, Tx 281-987-1906 Jan Spencer Photo PO Box 326 Point, Tx 75472 Rodeo News Representative cell 214-762-2992 home 903-598-0942 press 970-419-4747 R&M Rodeo Photos Mack Bradford 8275 Wheelock Hall Road Hearne, Texas 77859 (979) 589-1579 Memories, Friends & 8x10 s Serious Tough products II change the face of II Tough bull riding. patent #7434268 PO Box 701907 San Antonio, Texas 78270 210-860-5594 or bulltough.com Cowboy Sports News Page 80 - March 2011