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Open Preliminary Kicks Off Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping
| | By: Melinda Clements | U.S. Open Preliminary—Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping
Oklahoma State Fairgrounds—Oklahoma City, Ok
Saturday October 24, 2009
By Melinda Clements
The scene from the John Wayne movie “Cowboys” burned in my mind.
“We’re burning daylight, boys,” Wayne shouted to his crew despite everyone being ready and good to go. There was the same kind of intensity in the air at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds as the twentieth annual Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping prepared to get under way. The arena had been prepared, the cattle were loaded and the ropers were antsy as the Roper Outerwear U.S. Open Preliminary kicked off.
What a better way to kick off the best team roping finals than with the Roper Outerwear U.S. Open Preliminary. The best in the business were ready, the money was good, team roping was the game and the stage was set for a history making NFTR.
Throughout the course of the morning the consensus was the same. It was a tough, tight roping. Everyone had the same game plan; to walk away with a brand new Martin Championship Trophy Saddle and more than $14,000 in cash money.
“It was a really tough roping,” Caldwell, Texas team roper David Key said. “It was tough all the way through from beginning to end.”
Header, Trevor Brazile agreed, “You had to rope right.”
The Roper Outerwear U.S. Open Preliminary would be the debut of the USTRC’s twentieth year as the best of the business and with eighty-one one hundredths of a second separating the first and fifth call back team you could pretty much figure the short go would be a good one.
The mental preparation, the time in the practice pen and the miles down the road would all be instrumental in what unfolded as the top twenty teams readied themselves for the short go round. It was anyone’s ball game as the short go round began.
Chad Masters, from Clarksville, Tennessee and Nevada heeler, Jade Corkill, were the high team coming back in to the short go round of the Roper U.S. Open Preliminary. With a 27.02 on four head they wanted to feel confident it was a done deal. They would have preferred to relax and yet, they could not ignore Trevor Brazile and Rich Skelton. Brazile and Skelton were the second high back team and they were beaded in on first place. With a 27.41 on four head Brazile and Skelton were primed and ready to take the win.
Yet, Masters and Corkill, were not to be denied. They knew they had to maintain the even flow evident every time the pair rides into the roping box together. They are a good pair. They are on the same page and they know what it takes to win.
When Brazile and Skelton posted a 6.26 on their short round steer most everyone in the Oklahoma State Fairground felt pretty sure the win had just been nabbed. Masters and Corkill needed a 6.64 to tuck the win in their belt. As they rode into the box there was an air of confidence that laminated throughout the building. Sure enough as Masters turned off with the steer in tow Corkill laid a heel trap he knew would take and the clock stopped at 6.22. The victory was theirs and theirs alone.
“It was a tough roping and it kept us on our toes,” Masters said. “This was a good set of steers.”
Both ropers were extremely pleased at being able to start the week off in such a manner.
“You always want to win,” Masters said. “That is always your game plan. It is nice to come here to the Finals and rope good cattle and rope at good money.”
“This is how we make our living,” Corkill commented. “We get to rope at a lot of money. Besides, we roped with a lot more ropers than at a lot of Open Ropings.”
Masters and Corkill each took home a Martin Championship Trophy Saddle and shared $14,100 in cash money for the five steer average. That is a pretty sweet way to start off the twentieth annual Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping.
Both men were excited about how things had turned out and both were ready to carry their winning momentum into the Roper Outwear US Open.
“We will go into the Open wanting to get the first one down,” Masters said. “That is the plan if we have a plan.”
“This win is a good place to start,” Corkill went on to say, “Whatever happens from here on out we know we have this one out of the way and we’ve done what we needed to do.”
The ice had been broken. The 2009 Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping was underway and if the action is indicative the best is yet to come.
“Come on boys, we are burning daylight!” Can’t you hear John Wayne say, “If you are waiting on us men you are backing up.”
Posted: Oct.24, 2009 |
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