superlooper-oct 09

FEATURE

LONESTAR, SOUTHWEST, NORTHWEST, HIGH PLAINS & SOUTHEAST REGIONALS

Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping

OCT 09 Cover-03_Cover 9/14/09 2:17 PM Page 1

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eal people, real results.R

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USTRC Finals at TENERS WESTERN OUTFITTERS.4320 West Reno, Oklahoma City, OK

S10DF_HeelOMat_P_Layout 1 9/1/09 11:51 AM Page 1

SUPERLOOPER MAGAZINE / 1

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1 / OCTOBER 2009

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USTRC Championship Results68 LoneStar Regional Finals

78 Southwest Regional Finals

86 Northwest Regional Finals

92 High Plains Regional Finals

102 Southeast Regional Finals

112 Mountaineer Classic

118 North Dakota Championships

122 The Island Championships

126 Central States Showdown

130 Chisholm Trail Classic

136 Pine Country Classic

On the Cover: Gabe Wolf of Lone WolfPhotography sent in the photo chosen as thismonths Cover Photo contest winner. LoneWolf Photography can be found capturingteam roping action at USTRC events allacross the country and like many others, hissubmission in the contest has landed him$200 in cash for winning this months coverand will give him a chance at even moremoney in the SuperLooper Cover of the Yearcontest that will end at the end of the year!

FEATURES8 Just the Way It Is by Ben Clements

10 USTRC Announcements

12 By the Numbers by John Findlay

16 Gold Plus Report by Shawn Vargas

22 USTRC Insider

24 Top Tips with Rickey Green

26 Champions Profile Clay Tryan and Kory Koontz

28 Cruel Girl Three More Cruel Girl Regional Champs Named

32 Horse Health Common Genetic Defectsin the American Quarter Horse

By Heather Smith Thomas

36 Hitting the RoadBy Amy J. Daum and Kandi Kline

54 USTRC On Tap

56 Roper US Open Standings

Cinch USTRC NationalFinals of Team Roping

42

07 TOC2_TOC 9/14/09 2:57 PM Page 7

should realize that sometimes it is the best way. Now then, lets compare this to team roping. We take each

steer as they come. Sometimes we draw a really good steer andthe opportunity to be fast presents itself. We must capitalizeon that. Other times, we draw a steer that is a little tougherand in that instance we must adjust to make the best runpossible to stay in the game. Then we find ourselves in theshort round we must look at where we are in the field. Are wethe high team back, in the middle or did we just barely makethe cut? Depending on how things unfold we may have to tryand be fast, or we may just need to catch, or we may need totake a chance and see what happens.

This is no different than life. Most of the time we havethings going our way and can just make a good practice runand keep right on going. When we draw the good one, use it toyour advantage and when we get a bad one or one we dontlike, dont give up, just adapt and handle it the best you can.Take each situation you find yourself in and make the best ofit. If you dont let yourself be overwhelmed and are willing toadapt or adjust you will come out just fine.

It is no different than making your way to the US Finals.We want everything to be perfect. We have worked hard toget here and all should be well and good, but as you know, itis team roping and anything can happen and it probably will.So be willing to take the good with the bad. Adapt to eachsituation and each run and do the best you can. Sometimesyou will win and sometimes you will lose, but the importantthing is to stay in the game and be there when the dustsettles with a smile on your face knowing that you did all youcould. If that lands you on top and you win some big moneythen great, but if you fall short, dont give up. Just adjust andlearn from your experience and be better the next timebecause of it.

It is all about how you handle things and how you prepareyourself. If you have a mindset where you are willing to adaptwhere you need to, it will be much easier on you and everyonearound you. Shoot for the stars and go for it.

Take the hand you are dealt and use it. It may not always bethe hand you had hoped for, but with a little adaptivity,understanding, and an open mind you can come out on topand that is just the way it is

Ben

OCTOBER 2009

JJUUSSTT theWWaayy IT IS

The Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping arealmost here and I cannot wait to see everyone inOklahoma City. I really enjoy the Finals even though itis a long nine days. I hope everyone is ready because thisyear is going to be outstanding. This is the 20th AnnualCinch NFTR and we are gearing up for an awesome time.

I was thinking the other day about how life can throw youcurves. How things change unexpectedly, and there arealways things going on that we did not necessarily plan onor for. When this happens we must adapt. If you are like me,this is not always easy.

Adapt is defined, as being able to make suitable to or fitfor a specific use or situation. It means to adjust (somethingor oneself) to different conditions, or to change somethingto suit a new purpose. This is not always easy, butsometimes it is a must even if we do not necessarily like it.

I have found through the years that if I can take on thetraits of a chameleon and adapt to my surroundings it ismuch easier for me to survive in this world. We may thinkwe have things rolling our way and all is swell and thenBAM! Something happens unexpectedly. There are severalways you could handle this situation, but the best is to takethings in stride and roll with it. I am not advocating for youto become complacent or to be a follower, I am just sayingadapt and handle the issue. If you need to give a little hereor there to accomplish the end task or goal, then be willingto adjust yourself to handle the situation.

When you get into a situation where it just seems likeeverything is going wrong and the world is crumblingaround you dont let it get you down. Stop, relax, slow down,and assess the situation. If you take things in stride and dowhat you can you can overcome and conquer anything thatcomes your way. You may not do things exactly as you hadplanned, but it will work out and be ok. Many times, Godhas a plan for us and we get so caught up in ourselves, thatwe dont see the situation as a whole. Our mess so consumesus that we get lost in the shuffle. Just as the chameleon canchange its color to adapt to a different surrounding, we cando the same. We can adapt ourselves to what is going on andthus survive and handle any situation that comes our way.We may not always like the way we have to adapt, but

08 JTWii_Layout 1 9/14/09 9:51 AM Page 8


DEPARTMENTS144 SSG Junior Looper

152 The Other Half by Gracie Mae

154 On the Edge of Common Senseby Baxter Black

156 Riding Herd by Lee Pitts

158 Sports Medicine Stable by Mark Duncan

160 Walt Woodard

162 SuperLooper Events Calendar

164 MarketPlace

209 Advertisers Index

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SUPERLOOPER MAGAZINE2340 Menaul NE, Suite 400

Albuquerque, NM 87107

Advertising or Editorial:505/899-1870 fax: 505/792-5678

Produced and published by USTRC

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISINGUSTRC Editor: Ben ClementsAssociate Editor: Ryan Davis

Sales Manager & Event Advertising: John EnglishAdvertising Representatives:

Elizabeth DominickCustomer Service Representative: Jules Price

CIRCULATION & PRODUCTIONArt Director: Marcia Rackstraw

Production Coordinator: Violet Sue AndersonGraphic Designer: Doug Purdy

Administrative Assistant: Kathy Williams

OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHY BYAllens Rodeo Photos

P. O. Box 270428, Flower Mound, TX 750271-800-438-8659 www.allensrodeophotos.com

October 2009 / Vol. 18, No. 10SuperLooper Magazine (ISSN 1069-5508,

USPS No. 009983)is pub lished monthly by Western Sports Publishing, Inc.,

2340 Menaul NE, Suite 400 Albuquerque, NM 87107

Subscription price: 1 yr. - $20. Periodicals Postage Paid at Albuquerque,

New Mexico and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2000 by Super Looper Magazine.

Material may not be used without permissionfrom the publisher. Deadline for editorial and

advertising is the 25th of the month,two months preceding issue date.

Advertising rates on request. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGE TO

SuperLooper Magazine c/o Western Sports Publishing, Inc.,

2340 Menaul NE, Suite 400 Albuquerque, NM 87107

Advertising claims are the sole responsibility of the advertiser, not SuperLooper Magazine.

09 Masthead_Masthead 9/12/09 12:05 PM Page 9

10 / OCTOBER 2009

MENTSAANNNNOOUUNNCCEEOh boy, it is

October and theCinch USTRCNational Finals ofTeam Roping will behere before youknow it. OklahomaCity is primed andready for the nine-day event and theentries are in for thegreatest team ropingin the world. Teamropers will have theopportunity to ropefor tons of cash,phenomenal prizesand the opportunityto be crowned aUSTRC NationalChampion.

Right now theUSTRC Shoot-OutFund is at$1,430,000, so thatmeans that thisyears NFTR will beexceptional. TheUSTRC is gearing upfor a great NationalFinals and youshould be, too. Besure to get practicedup and get yourhorses ready. TheCinch USTRCNational Finalsexperience will beone you will neverforget. Haveeverything in orderbefore you head toOklahoma City,because it is easy toforget to tend tothose last minutedetails. There will beso many things tosee and do, plus oneteam roping eventlike no other, somake your plansand we will see you there!

USTRC

$2M

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1.7 M

1.6 M

1.5 M

1.4 M

1.3 M

1.2 M

1.1 M

$1M

900,000

800,000

700,000

600,000

500,000

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2010 SEASON

Free Flex EarningsWith your 2010 Gold Spur

Membership, you will receive $1,000 inUSTRC Flex Earnings for the 2010season. Now, just by purchasing yourUSTRC membership, you will bequalified to participate at a Regionalevent. Gold Plus members will receive$3,000 in Flex Earnings.

2010 MembershipsUSTRC Cards purchased after

September 1. 2009 are good for theremainder of 2009 and all of 2010. Theyexpire on December 31, 2010. A 2009USTRC card will be mailed to you andyou will not receive your 2010 USTRCMembership card until mid Decemberof this year.

2010 Jr. LooperIn an effort to standardize the Jr.

Looper program at all USTRCSanctioned events, the USTRC will hostthree Jr. Looper Divisions for the 2010Season. They include 6 and under, 7-9and 10-12 age groups. This newprogram will go into effect at eventsafter the Cinch USTRC NFTR.

Cinch USTRC NFTR ScheduleBEGIN EACH DAY AT 8 A.M.Saturday, October 24, 2009Open Preliminary#15 Preliminary#15 Shoot-Out

Sunday, October 25, 2009.#13 PreliminaryRoper Outerwear US Open

Monday, October 26, 2009.#13 Shoot-Out#12 Preliminary

Tuesday, October 27, 2009#12 Shoot-Out#12 Gold Plus Shoot-Out

Wednesday, October 28, 2009Century ChampionshipsSSG Jr. Looper Preliminary 9 a.m.#10 Gold Plus Shoot-Out4 Ropin Ranch Preview of Sale Horses

Thursday, October 29, 2009Cruel Girl Championships#11 Preliminary4 Ropin Ranch Horse Sale

Friday, October 30, 2009#11 Shoot-Out#10 Preliminary

Saturday, October 31, 2009 (HALLOWEEN)#10 Shoot-OutSSG Jr. Looper Preliminary 9 a.m.SSG Jr. Looper Shoot-Out#9 Preliminary

Sunday, November 1, 2009. (DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS)#9 Shoot-Out#8 Shoot-Out

CINCH NATIONAL FINALSOF TEAM ROPING

Cinch Joins the Jr. Looper Prizeline

A years supply of jeans will beawarded to the SSG Jr. LooperChampionships winners in each agedivision. They will also receive a Cinch or Cruel Girl bucket with their gift certificate.

USTRC MerchandiseRopers and roping fans, be sure to

visit the USTRC Store at the 2009 CinchUSTRC National Finals of Team Roping to stock up on some great USTRC Merchandise!

Photo CreditThe photos of the Corriente cattle on page

132 and 133 of the August issue of SuperLoopercame from Philipp Ranch, located inWashington, Texas. These cattle are a greatexample of todays domestic roping cattleraised in the heart of Texas.

10 Announcements_10 ANNOUNCEMENTS 9/12/09 11:50 AM Page 10

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12 / OCTOBER 2009

USTRC

BY JOHN FINDLAYby theNNUUMMBBEERRSS

The Most Successful Head/Heel Combinations

Last month this By the Numbersarticle was all about CatchRatios and Average Times ofroping teams by division. I measuredthose ratios and times by the way inwhich the teams were entered in adivision, that is, their header-heelerclassification number combination.The results showed, first, whichhead-heel combinations were themost popular in each division, andthen what the catch ratios andaverage times were for all thedifferent head-heel combinations.

In the process of looking at allthis catch ratio and average timestuff, I came up with a theory onhow to rate the effectiveness of aparticular head-heel combination ina given division. I proposed in mytheory that the head-heelcombinations with the highest catchratios and the lowest average timesSHOULD be the best at winning.While it may seem like a no-brainer,that the team combination thatcatches the most steers in the leastamount of time should be the mostsuccessful, my quick, sharp-wittedand ever-so-scientific mind neverleaves a team roping question toconjecture. To decide whether,indeed, my hypothesis is correct Ihad to drag up the numbers.

Therefore, its on to the charts.Each chart looks at a particulardivision from the #15 down to the #8.The blue bars in each graph measurehow teams were entered in eachdivision by head-heel combinationin percent. The ones that wereentered the most start on the left ondown to those that were entered the

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

Head Heel Combination

Percen

t

Percent of Teams 26.9% 19.5% 17.6% 9.7% 7.9% 3.5% 3.5% 2.9%

Percent in Average 30.2% 20.2% 21.8% 6.0% 5.2% 3.0% 3.9% 3.7%

7-8 6-8 6-9 6-7 7-7 5-10 5-9 5-80.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

Percen

t

7-8 6-8 6-9 6-9 6-7 7-7 5-10 5-9 5-8

eamsercent of TTeP 26.9% 19.5% 17.6%

ageervercent in AP 30.2% 20.2% 21.8%


17.6% 9.7% 7.9% 3.5% 3.5% 2.9%

21.8% 6.0% 5.2% 3.0% 3.9% 3.7%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%


Percen

t

Percent of Teams 36.0% 26.2% 10.2% 8.3% 6.3% 3.7%

Percent in Average 36.5% 34.1% 5.4% 7.4% 4.3% 1.8%

6-7 5-8 6-6 5-7 7-6 4-90.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

Percen

t

6-7 5-8 6-6 5-7 7-6 4-9

eamsercent of TTeP 36.0% 26.2%

ageervercent in AP 36.5% 34.1%


10.2% 8.3% 6.3% 3.7%

5.4% 7.4% 4.3% 1.8%

#15 DivisionPercent of Teams and Percent in Average

by Head Heel Combination



12-14 By the Numbers_Layout 1 9/10/09 5:23 PM Page 12


the same. These were the teamsthat either received a check or aShootOut spot for a Regional Finalsor the National Finals (remember,teams could earn ShootOut spotswithout winning any money). Itdoes NOT include teams in thedivisions that earned incentivechecks or incentive ShootOut spots.So back to our #15 example, the 7-8combination earned 32.2% of allthe Average checks or ShootOutspots issued in the #15 Division. Sofor each head-heel combinationyou have a blue bar measuring thepercent of teams entered and thered bar measuring success in theAverage. I used placing in theAverage as my measure of successrather than money earned becausesome of the big money ropingsreally throw the money earnedfigures out of whack. One big checkone by a particular head-heelcombination could easily haveskewed the numbers. I felt thatcounting the fact that a teamearned a check was a better gaugeof the overall effectiveness of agiven head-heel combination thancounting the money.

But what do these differentpercentages show? Well, if aparticular head-heel combinationhas a higher in the Averagepercentage than their teamsentered percentage, they are doingbetter than they are supposed to.By the same token, if a particularhead-heel combination has a lower

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%


Percen

t

Percent of Teams 27.7% 20.5% 13.3% 8.4% 7.9% 5.5% 3.3% 3.2%

Percent in Average 38.4% 20.0% 13.0% 4.7% 7.7% 5.3% 3.6% 1.6%

5-7 6-6 5-6 5-5 4-8 6-5 4-7 4-60.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

Percen

t

5-7 6-6 5-6 5-6 5-5 4-8 6-5 4-7 4-6

eamsercent of TTeP 27.7% 20.5% 13.3%

ageervercent in AP 38.4% 20.0% 13.0%


13.3% 8.4% 7.9% 5.5% 3.3% 3.2%

13.0% 4.7% 7.7% 5.3% 3.6% 1.6%

DivisionBest Catch Ratio to

Average TimeBest Percentage of In Average

over Teams Entered

#15 1. 7-6 1. 7-61. 6-9 2. 6-9

#13 1. 6-7 1. 5-82. 5-8 2. 6-7

#12 1. 5-7 1. 5-72. 4-8 2. 4-7

#11 1. 4-7 1. 5-62. 5-6 2. 4-7

#10 1. 4-6 1. 5-52. 5-5 2. 4-6

#9 1. 5-4 1. 4-52. 4-5 2. 5-4

#8 1. 4-4 1. 4-42. 4-3 ---

least on the right. Looking, for instance,at the #15 division, the table at thebottom of the graph tells you that the 7-8 combination made up 26.9% of all theteams that entered the #15 division andthe blue bar represents 26.9% on thechart. The figures here were compiledfrom all of USTRCs sanctioned andaffiliate ropings during the 2008 season.It leaves out, as it did last month, thestatistics from USTRCs Regional andNational Finals. The red bar in eachchart measures, of all the teams thatfinished in the Average, what percent ofthe designated head-heel combinationfinished anywhere in the Average of theroping. It made no difference if a teamfinished 1st or 31st, they were counted

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

50.0%


Percen

t

Percent of Teams 31.2% 19.6% 13.1% 12.3% 6.5% 4.5%


5-6 5-5 6-5 4-7 4-6 4-50.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

50.0%

Percen

t

5-6 5-5 6-5 4-7 4-6 4-5




13.1% 12.3% 6.5% 4.5%

13.4% 13.3% 5.9% 3.2%





12-14 By the Numbers_Layout 1 9/18/09 10:27 AM Page 13

14 / OCTOBER 2009

in the Average percentage thantheir teams entered percentage,they are doing worse than they aresupposed to. All things being equal,a given head-heel combinationshould be in the Average at thesame percent that they are entered.So, those head-heel combinationswith percent in the Average figureshigher than their percent of teamsentered are doing well and thosehead-heel combination withgreatest difference between the twopercentages are doing the best.

Now that we know what to lookfor in these charts, lets go back tomy theory. Did the head-heelcombinations that had the highestcatch ratios in relation to the lowestaverage times also come out asbeing the most successful at placingin the Average? In the #15, the 7-8and the 6-9 combinations were thetwo best head-heel combinationsfor high catch ratios and lowaverage times, they were almostequal. Looking at our #15 Chart, thetop two with the higher percent inthe Average over percent teamswere, ta-dahhh, the 7-8 and the 6-9combinations. So far so good. Thetable here shows the top twocombinations, in order, from lastmonths column showing the bestcatch ratios relative to the lowestaverage times compared to the toptwo teams with the greatestdifference between their percentagein the Average to percent of teams.Ah, but the rest of the Table, whileclose, is not exactly dead on inupholding my theory. In most of thecases, the head-heel combinationswere flipped from first to second tosecond to first. Like in the #13Division, the head-heelcombinations with the best CatchRatio to Average Time were, inorder, 1. 6-7 and 2. 5-8 while thehead-heel combinations with thehigher percentage of In Averageover Teams entered were, in order,1. 5-8 and 2. 6-7 . . . flipped. Thesame was true in the #11, #10 and#9, the results were flipped. In the#12 Division, the 5-7 head-heelcombination was first in bothcategories but while the 4-8 wassecond in the Catch Ratio to continued on page 150

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

50.0%


Percen

t

Percent of Teams 34.0% 20.4% 15.2% 8.8% 5.9% 4.3%


5-5 4-6 4-5 5-4 4-4 6-4

50.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

50.0%

Percen

t

5-5 4-6 4-5 5-4 4-4 6-4




15.2% 8.8% 5.9% 4.3%

14.4% 8.3% 3.8% 3.7%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%


Percen

t

Percent of Teams 34.9% 22.8% 18.0% 7.7% 5.7%

Percent in Average 48.3% 20.8% 24.0% 2.4% 1.3%

4-5 4-4 5-4 3-5 3-4

45.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

Percen

t

4-5 4-4 4-4 5-4 3-5 3-4




22.8% 18.0% 7.7% 5.7%

20.8% 24.0% 2.4% 1.3%





Average Time group, the 4-7 was higherin percent in the Average over percent ofteams. I found that most curious. The 4-8 combination, by all rights, should bemore successful than the 4-7, shouldntit? I mean a #12 team should be moresuccessful than a #11 team, yes? I cancome up with only one idea for thisstrange anomaly. The 4-7 combinationmade up only 3.3% of the total numberof teams, a relatively small percentage.The 4-8 combination accounted formore than double that at 7.9% of the

total. The 4-7s were in the Average 3.6%of the time while the 4-8s were in theAverage 7.7% of the time. So the 4-8swere in the Average more times than the4-7s but were in the Average LESS thantheir percentage of entries (7.7% to7.9%) while the 4-7s were ABOVE inbeing in the Average over theirpercentage of team makeup (3.6% to3.3%). Since these numbers do notreflect WHERE teams finished in theAverage, a 20th place is as good as a 1st

12-14 By the Numbers_Layout 1 9/10/09 5:25 PM Page 14

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16 / OCTOBER 2009

USTRC

GGOOLLDDPPLLUUSS

by Shawn Vargas

IHello Team Ropers,

have always loved this season. Thereare so many cool things about fall.

The leaves start to change, the elkstart to bugle, the MLB playoffs start, andmost important, the USTRC Finals start.It seems like we just left Oklahoma City acouple of months ago, yet we are set tobegin the 2009 Cinch USTRC NFTR onOctober 24 and run through November 1.I guess time flies when you are havingfun! This is a must-attend event if you area team roper of any level.

The Oklahoma State Fairgroundshave continued to upgrade the facilityand there will be several changes thatwill make you look twice. If youattended the NFTR last year you haveseen some of them, yet there are evenmore improvements this year! The officewill continue to be on the lower levelbehind the boxes in the main coliseum.The Oklahoma State Fair Committee hasdone an awesome job of upgrading the

Fair Park facility and all of these changeswill make it more comfortable andconvenient for you.

As a competitor I cannot wait for thechance to compete for so many amazingprizes and such a great payout. USTRChas a new batch of the coveted goldbuckles and Martin saddles that read

United States Champion and thethought of actually winning one sendschills up my spine. Those prizes surestand out when you see someonesporting them around!

The goal of the USTRC staff is tomake your stay at the Cinch USTRC

continued on page 18

The High Plains Regional Finals held in Cheyenne, Wyoming treated the team of Marina and TomHadley to a big Gold Plus win. Their four-head total of 33 seconds flat earned them $6,166 in cash, apair of trophy Martin saddles and a Gold Plus National Shoot-Out worth $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings.

A total of $6,144 in cash, apair of trophy Martin saddlesand a Gold Plus NationalShoot-Out worth $6,000 inUSTRC Flex Earnings landedin the hands of the team ofLarry Thaggard and AveryRoberts II, after they ropedfour head in 33.19 seconds towin the Gold Plus roping atthe LoneStar Regional Finals.

Brian Anderson and Henry Muragin gathered the Gold Plus winat The Island Championships after roping four head in 34.55seconds. Their win earned them $1,166 in cash, a pair of trophyGist buckles and a Gold Plus National Shoot-Out worth $6,000 inUSTRC Flex Earnings.

PHOT

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will have a little bragging rights thisyear as my Gators won the nationalchampionship last year! As for themany of you I do not know personally, Ihope I get a chance to meet you! Thereis going to be a ton of cash and prizesup for grabs so get tuned up and comegive it your best! Good luck to all of youwho attend the Cinch USTRC NationalFinals of Team Roping and remember,you must catch to win!

Adios,Shawn Vargas

USTRC

GGOOLLDDPPLLUUSS

c o n t i n u e d

continued on page 20

NFTR the most pleasurable andconvenient experience possible. Whilethere, please dont hesitate to ask iftheres something you need. USTRC willdo everything within the rules to helpeach and every one of you. This should

be the best team roping event that youwill ever attend so please remember thatthe staff is there to help.

I would like to say congratulationsto Pam Kennedy, Shannon McDaniel,Clint Felton, Jim Bynum, Tony Steele,Rocky Ross, and Patrick Weaver. Thesewere the Gold Plus bonus Crme De laCrme gold buckle winners for each ofour seven Regional events.

I hope to see all of you in a week ortwo in Oklahoma City. It is alwaysexciting to see my friends from all overthe country and catch up a little onwhat has happened over the last year. I

The Hammon, Oklahoma team of Mickey Miller andDanny Teel roped four head in a solid 32.46 seconds towin $4,554 in cash, two trophy Martin saddles and aGold Plus National Shoot-Out worth $6,000 in USTRCFlex Earnings at this years Southwest Regional Finals.

Dean McLain from Yacolt, WAteamed up with Thad Akins whocame from Harrisburg, Oregon to

rope at the Northwest RegionalFinals held in Winnemucca, Nevada.

They roped four head in 34.81seconds to win the Gold Plus roping

and walk away with $4,090 in cash,a pair of trophy Martin saddles and aGold Plus National Shoot-Out worth

$6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings.

Bruce Nichols teamed up with Jay Shaffer at the Mountaineer Classic in West Virginiato win the Gold Plus roping. They roped four head in 33.47 seconds to win $1,594 incash, a pair of trophy Gist buckles and a Gold Plus National Shoot-Out worth $6,000 inUSTRC Flex Earnings.

PHOT

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20 / OCTOBER 2009

USTRC

GGOOLLDDPPLLUUSS

c o n t i n u e d

Leland Searcy and J.R. Macoubrie posted time of 35.30 on four head in the Gold Plus roping at the ChisholmTrail Classic. They out-roped the rest of the field and took home $4,040 in cash, a pair of trophy Gist buckles and aGold Plus National Shoot-Out worth $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings.

Lake St. Louis, Missouri hosted the Central States Showdownwhere the team of Doug Hinkle and Wade Henderson wonthe Gold Plus event. They took home $3,002 in cash, a pairof trophy Gist buckles and a Gold Plus National Shoot-Outworth $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings after roping four headin 32.75 seconds.

Home-state ropers, Steve Eckroth and Bill Beard took home the Gold Plusvictory at the North Dakota Championships. They roped four head in 38.13seconds to pocket $746 in cash, a pair of trophy Gist buckles and a Gold PlusNational Shoot-Out worth $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings.

The cool air of Flagstaff, Arizona welcomed ropers to the PineCountry Classic, including the team of Jerry Elkins and KyleRoundy who won the Gold Plus roping with a four-head totalof 27.67 seconds. The win earned them $3,262 in cash, apair of trophy Gist buckles and a Gold Plus National Shoot-Outworth $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings

The Louisiana team of Sal Cannizzaro and Harvey McDaniel won the Gold Plus ropingat the Southeast Regional Finals. They took home the big payday of $5,692 in cash, a pairof trophy Martin saddles and a Gold Plus National Shoot-Out worth $6,000 in USTRC FlexEarnings after posting a winning time of 34.85 on four head.

PHOT

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22 / OCTOBER 2009

By Ben ClementsWe have talked a lot about the Cinch

USTRC National Finals of Team Roping, butgetting to and from Oklahoma City issomething we havent really talked about.Many of us have a long way to haul just toattend the biggest and best team roping eventin the world and it takes some preparation tomake that trip.

Your HorseFirst of all, we must make sure our horses

are ready to go. The rules and regulations forhorse health papers are different for differentstates and so it is always best to check withyour local veterinarian to see exactly what youmight need to travel to OKC. It is always agood idea to have current negative Cogginspapers and a current health certificate.

With that business taken care of, yourhorse needs to be in good shape beforemaking the haul. The better shape your horseis in, the easier the trip will be for your horse.The USTRC will have a farrier on the grounds,but you might want to have your horseproperly shod by your usual farrier before youhead out. If you take care of your partner,they will take care of you when it counts.Having your horse being ready forcompetition could mean the differencebetween taking home a USTRC NationalChampionship or not.

Your Vehicle and TrailerIt is always important to properly prepare

your vehicle before heading to the CinchNFTR and keep certain necessities in yourautomobile in case of a breakdown or anaccident. Here are a few things to check beforeyou hit the road.

Be sure to check the fluid levels in yourcar: oil, coolant, windshield washer fluid,brake fluid and gasoline or diesel. Whileyoure under the hood, check the battery forcorrosion on the battery posts, make sure thetop of the battery is free of grease or water,check the water level (if possible), and look forany loose connectors or frayed wires. Next,check the tires. Check the tread on the rubber,look for bulges or bumps, and check the tire

pressure. Make sure your spare tire is where itis supposed to be and since they can losepressure over time, check to see that it has theproper air pressure as well. Check the groundbeneath your vehicle for any leaks or pools. If so, note the location and color of any fluidson the ground as that information will make it easier for the mechanic to diagnosethe problem.

Not only will you need to check out yourpickup truck, but you will also need to checkout your horse trailer. Be sure the tires areproperly inflated and that everything is inworking order. Some of you may have livingquarters trailers, so be sure that everything onthem is ready for the trip.

Just because youve checked the currentcondition of your vehicle doesnt meansomething wont happen during your roadtrip. Keeping these items in your car can helpkeep you from being stranded in anemergency.Tool Kit. Include screwdrivers, pliers, a utilityknife, a crescent wrench or a small socket set,and a flashlight with fresh batteries.Flat tire repair. A spare tire, tire iron and jack,a crowbar (some tire irons double as acrowbar), and a tire tester are essential forchanging tires along the side of the road.Booster Cables or Jumper Cables. Heres a tipfor the mechanically challenged: its positiveto positive and negative to negative. Makesure to connect the positive first to preventaccidental short-circuits. Also, be careful notto let the metal clamps touch whileconnecting them. If they touch, they will sparkand the battery could short out.Duct or electrical tape. Even a mechanically-challenged person can repair a broken hoseon the side of the road with some tape.Gas can. Dont store gasoline in the can. Notonly is that dangerous in case of an accident,the gasoline can go bad and cause the engineto run poorly.Cell phone. Make sure your cell phone is fullycharged and you have your charge adapterwith you. Even without a service provider, youcan make a 911 call. FCC requirements statethat ALL cell phones, regardless of status ofservice (or even the lack of service) must be

able to dial 911. Make sure you are aware ofyour surroundings, since the 911 operator maynot be able to pinpoint your location.

Other road trip essentials to pack aregloves, extra bottles of engine oil andantifreeze, and a tow rope or chain.

Following all these tips and being preparedin case of trouble can make or break your roadtrip. Remember accidents can happen. Beingalert and using your five senses are your bestdefense out on the road.

You and the Cinch NFTRExperience

After you have all that in order, you need tomake sure of a few more things to be ready forthe trip. Make sure you have a map, GPS, orknow how to get to the Fairgrounds inOklahoma City. For many of you it will takemore than one day to make the trip. If you areplanning on stopping along the way, make sureyou will be stopping in a location that is notonly convienent for you and your family, butfor your horses as well.

If you have not made your roomreservations, check the USTRC website(www.ustrc.com) for a list of host hotels andmake those reservations. Oklahoma City has avast array of accomodations to fit every teamropers pocketbook and needs. Choose onethat will work the best for you and thosetraveling with you.

The USTRC posts draw positons on thewebsite, so again visit www.ustrc.com and goto the member service page to find out exactlywhen you will be competing. The drawpositions should be complete with a day, timeand team number. All are very important sokeep that information handy.

Many of our ropers are kids and so be sureyou have made all the proper arrangementswith the school.

Also, if you are on medication make sureyou have the proper amounts to accommodateyou throughout your stay in OKC. I will alsotell you from past experience to make sure you have your insurance information handy,just in case some unforeseen incident or illness occurs.

You and Having FunMost importantly the Cinch USTRC NFTR

is a fun and rewarding experience. Dont letbeing unprepared spoil the trip. The USTRCand its staff are there to help you andaccommodate you in anyway we can. Formany of you it is a vacation and so HAVE FUNand WIN LOTS!!!

If you make sure you are prepared for theCinch USTRC NFTR and that you are preparedto make the trip it will be a whole lot easier onyou and those traveling with you. These arejust some tips to help you out. See you at the FINALS!

Going to the Cinch USTRC NFTR

USTRC

IINNSSIIDDEERR

22 Insider_26 Insider 9/14/09 1:51 PM Page 22

S03DF_ChrkAlmT_P:Layout 1 2/6/09 10:50 AM Page 1

24 / OCTOBER 2009

Rickey Greenwith

How About Teamwork

take your breath away. If you really take a look at the headersI just named, they all had certain partners with whom theywon most of their money; a partner who knew how to hazetheir steer just enough left or how to let their steer float off tothe right in some cases. You have to know what things helpand what things hurt your partners roping and confidence.

I used to win quite a few average ropings with DavidMotes. I just read where he had eight Salinas buckles and aGold Card. I might get in that when I get old like David, haha. Anyway, what we would do in the averages was helpDavid through each round. For instance, say we were in afive steer, I would hold the first steer straight and then afterthat I would bring each steer left about two feet more thanthe previous steer. I did this because Davids horse would getwider as the day went on. So, I would ride a little higher andpush those steers to the left harder to match his horse. Thenwhen David caught, he would hold those steers in the cornerand let me get back in shape to heel them. That was ouraverage plan. In the rodeos, I would push most steers left alittle and that was our rodeo plan, depending on whathorses we rode.

Nowadays, most headers in the pros dont want much ofa haze left because its too slow for todays roping. But a lotof headers do like you to hold them straight. I asked DoyleGellerman one time how he wanted me to haze and he said,

have a lot of students who ask about teamwork. They often say that if they only had a partner

who would handle cattle a little better, or if their heelerwould haze a little better, they wouldnt miss so many.

You cant expect to go every weekend, switch partnersand rope with someone you dont know, and be a great team.

Yes, you can be a great roper, but to be a great team you need toknow your partners strengths and weaknesses.

My first real partner who taught me a lot about teamwork wasDavid Motes. We went to Phoenix and he missed both steers, so hewas not talking much on the trip home. I thought he was mad athimself, so I said, Hey, dont worry about it I could have missedmyself. He said, You did. You missed both hazes and you cost uswinning everything. I spent the next eight hours in the worldchampions lecture hall for novice heelers. When I emerged fromthe Monte Carlo, I was a lot smarter about what my partnerexpected from me. Yes, back in the day, if you had a Monte Carloand a two horse Miley trailer, you stayed at the Holidome and youwere livin a dream.

I have roped with the greatest ropers of all time: Julio Moreno,Doyle Gellerman, Tee Woolman, SpeedWilliams, Charles Pogue, Jake Barnesand many others that have unbelievableskill. Ive seen these guys throw loopsthat were so sharp and snappy it would

24-25 Rickey Green_Project1 9/4/09 1:17 PM Page 24

Let him go in whatever direction you think you can heel himin. Some headers have a swing that allows them to can catchanywhere, anytime.

What every heeler needs to know, though, is that your hazealso sets up your handle. If you dont like roping a steer comingup the left wall, dont jump out so quick. Hang back and let himrun straighter up the arena so youll have more room. If you cutinto the head when one goes to the right wall, then try to start alittle harder and yell at the steer to keep him from going to theright. Dont let the heeling barrier intimidate you into notgetting a start and a haze.

And this is just a given for headers, ask your heeler how hewants his steerhandled. How fastdoes he like you toroll them aroundthe corner? Does hewant a squarecorner and asharper snap? Itsfun to be the kindof partner that canbe approached andis willing to dowhatever it takes towin. Thatsteamwork.


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Finally, headers, if you see the steers have little horns, youknow your odds of waving it off go up if they run right. Go tellyour heeler, If he goes to the right I might pop it off him. Dontworry, youll get a haze. Headers, also, if your horse is resistinggoing to the right, tell your heeler about the problem. Ask him ifhe could hold the steer a little straighter until you can fix theproblem at home.

The thing about verbalizing your team plans is that now youfeel like a team, and teams win.

Your Friend,Rickey Green

John 10:15

24-25 Rickey Green_Project1 9/4/09 1:17 PM Page 25

USTRC

championsPPRROOFFIILLEE

pressure. They areboth quietlyfocused andmentally prepared for whateverchallenge might arise in the arena.When Tryan and Koontz rode into thebox they were the last team to go. Two ofteam ropings best were the last team torope. Every person in the coliseumfocused on them. The pair needed an8.89 to take the win. They wereconnoisseurs of the game and if nerveswere an issue you certainly couldnt tell.It was that well camouflaged. No doubt,their game face was in place.

A deep hush occurred when Tryannodded for the steer. When the clockstopped 7.16 seconds stood solid on theclock. Kory Koontz and Clay Tryanwould take the win in the RoperOuterwear US Open Average. Winningthe Average of the Open would put

And Then There Was Oneby Melinda Clements

W

26 / OCTOBER 2009

hen the RoperOuterwear US Open

Roping kicked off at theUSTRC National Finals of Team itpremiered to a full house at theOklahoma State Fairgrounds. The crowdwas ready and expected a lot from thebest team ropers in the business.

The short go round of the RoperOuterwear Open revealed twenty of thebest professional team ropers anywherein the world. It proved to be a veryinteresting roping. The crowd hadstayed passionately involved and theropers not only faced up to their ownexpectations but responded to thecrowds expectations as well.

Texas team ropers Clay Tryan andKory Koontz were the high team backgoing into the short go round with atime of 35.55. Tryan and Koontz alwaysrise to the occasion and rope well under

$90,600 in their bank accounts. Theywould also receive MartinChampionship Trophy Saddles, GistChampionship Spurs, GistChampionship Buckles, Tony Lama FullQuill Ostrich Boots and WesternHorseman Collectors Framed Prints.

As the arena cleared and the pairmade their way back into the arena forinterviews the excitement was electric.With nerves of steel Koontz and Tryanwere still human. They had just won theOpen and it was a sweet victory. Imalways a little nervous and anxious, KoryKoontz said. Id be lying if I told you thatI never got the little butterfly in the bellyfeeling. Ive never won this roping beforeand I wanted things to be right. I alwaysrope aggressive but I wanted to be right

Open2008 USTRC National Champions

Clay B. Tryan Kory Koontz

26-27 Champ Profile_ CHAMP PROFILE 9/10/09 5:18 PM Page 26

as well. I just planned to take a little moretime. Im very blessed to have won thisroping with Clay.

I really felt good coming into theroping, Tryan elaborated. Kory and Iwon second in the Preliminary so I feltgood coming into this short round. I havea great horse and he makes me roperight. I didnt want to break the barrier. Iwanted it all to be right. Im elated overthis victory here at the Finals.

Despite having a certain flair for thewinners circle, both Tryan and Koontzare quietly focused men who go ropeand they go to win. No doubt, they areon the same page when it comes tohaving the winners edge and mentality.

The USTRC Roper Outerwear USOpen is always a favorite with ropingfans. The fans were not disappointedwith the 2008 Champions and certainlyKoontz and Tryan were proud to berepresentative of the best team ropers inthe business.

Roping for high dollars and a fantasticprize line put a feather in the hats of bothTryan and Koontz. When the air clearedAnd Then There Was One the 2008Roper Outerwear Open Champions wereClay Tryan and Kory Koontz. n


Clay B. Tryan andKory Koontz at the

USTRC 2008 NationalFinals in Oklahoma City.

26-27 Champ Profile_ CHAMP PROFILE 9/10/09 5:20 PM Page 27

he LoneStar, Southwest and Northwest Regionals have all crowned their Cruel Girl Regional

Champions for 2009. Its an interesting mix of ropingwomen covering a representative sampling of the

likes of the USTRCs feminine gender. First isthe old hand.

Annette Hinkle is not old byany means but she is an old

hand at roping and quitehandy at that. The 29-

year-old from Tularosa,NM has been paddingher bank account withroping revenue sincehigh school. In just thelast decade, Annette

has earned more than$150,000 at USTRC

ropings alone.

LoneStar Regional Southwest Regional Northwest RegionalAug. 6-9, 2009 Aug. 13-16, 2009 Aug. 27-30, 2009

Waco, TX Albuquerque, NM Winnemucca, NVMary Nell Frey Annette Hinkle Brandi PfeiferBrenham, TX Tularosa, NM Gaston, Or

Annette Hinkleand parnter

Bill Hudman,winners of the

#10 Preliminaryat the SouthwestRegional Finals.

Heres how Annette won the Cruel Girl title:

#10 Preliminary 1st Average Bill Hudman (Las Cruces, NM)

$3,250#10 Preliminary 3rd Average

Tanner Jones (Alamogordo, NM)$1,674

#11 ShootOut 6th Average Cody McClain (Alamogordo, NM)Nat S/O

#12 Gold Plus 6th AverageGregory Watson (Lovington, NM)Nat S/O

#12 Gold Plus 9th AverageCody McClain (Alamogordo, NM)Nat S/O

28 / OCTOBER 2009

28-30 Cruel Girl #21_Layout 1 9/9/09 10:30 AM Page 28


NM) for NASCO (NativeAmerican Services Corp), she ispretty well booked. Roping sincehigh school, she credits most ofher success to her dad (DonHinkle) plus the rest of herfamily, three grandparents, asister and her mom (Edna KayHiinkle) plus a little God-giventalent. She also has had somegreat horses. Albuquerque madeher a little nervous as she wasbringing Twister to his firstUSTRC roping. Bought for arelatively paltry $6,400 at a SteveFriskup Clovis Horse Sale (Stevewill be auctioning again at the 4 Roping Ranch National FinalsHorse Sale), and with onlyAnnettes guidance as a heelhorse for less than a year, Twisterproved up to the task. Heprobably bumped his worth atad, too.

Our second Cruel GirlRegional Champion is one of our up-and-coming young guns. Only 17,Brandi Pfeifer of Gaston, OR is provingshe is a roper worthy of reckoning. Sheand Alec Gaynor (McMinnville, OR)dominated the #9 at the NorthwestRegional Finals (Aug 27-30) inWinnemucca. Not only did they win the#9 Preliminary but came right back andtook the #9 Shoot-Out as well ascapturing the overall fast time in thePrelim. That gave her a total of $7,059 intotal earnings to which you can add the

Cruel Girl $750 bonus. But just to provethe #9 wasnt a fluke, she went on to takethird in the #10 Prelim Incentive whichalso earned 10th in the Average, againwith Alec, as well as 9th in the Average ofthe #11 Preliminary with Thad Akins(Harrisburg, OR). While none of thesespots earned her cash, she did getvaluable flex earnings for each of them.

Brandi started roping at 11 years oldat a McMinnville, OR roping club withAlec, other friends and family whichmeans shes only been at this game forsix years. While her performance atWinnemucca stands as her best so far,its a pretty good bet it wont be her last.She will be attending the Cinch NationalFinals but with her fledgling status, is, atthe moment, lacking a lady heeler topartner with in the Cruel GirlChampionships. Her dad, Troy, will beone of her non-Cruel Girls partners. She hopes to improve on one of her fewlackluster performances with him when she hickyed a horn. Brandi wouldlove to win a good one with him,repayment for all he has done for her,like fishing trips to Alaska, pack trips inOregons Hells Canyon and huntingtrips where she downed a nice fourpoint buck. Yes, Brandi and Troy,winning the #10 or 11 Shoot-Out at OKCwould be a good payback.

In the meantime, shell be ridingcolts and starting her senior year atYamhill-Carlton High School. Right nowshes schooling a young four-year-old,Tater, to ultimately replace her tried and

Brandi Pfiefer

Teylor, Legs and Mary Nell Frey

To add to her fame and fortune,Annette became Cruel Girl RegionalChampion at the Southwest Regionals inAlbuquerque the weekend of August 13-16. While this was her first time in theCruel Girl Regional saddle, Annette wasour 2005 season Cruel Girl Championback in 2005. She had an excellent Finalsthat year, capping it all by winning the#10 Shoot-Out. And you need tounderstand she did all this as a heeler.Most of our Cruel Girl champs areheaders. And practically all of herpartners are guys. And the reason, if youwere to ask her partners, is because sheheels just like a guy! While that may bea chauvinistic comment, it is high praisefor one who is arguably one of the bestlady heelers in the USTRC.

Planning to make her mark again atthe Cinch National Finals, Annette willbe roping with Joanie Ivy (Amarillo, TX)and Shelby Smith (Stephenville, TX) inthe Cruel Girl Championships. (She wassecond in the Cruel Girl Championshipswith Shelby last year.) With the Shoot-Out spots shes earned at the SouthwestRegionals alone, Ms. Hinkle will have afull roping dance card.

Roping is what takes up most ofAnnettes time. Between that and her jobas a superintendent on a $25,000,000government contract project atHolloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo,

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30 / OCTOBER 2009

true head horse, Ace, whos been herrock in the arena for the last five years.But if there are any lady heelers out there just itching for a chance to win that beautiful Cruel Girl Championship Martin Trophy saddle, theres a young gun in Oregon heading your way.

Our third Cruel Girl RegionalChampion is neither an old hand nor ayoung gun, she is more like a bornagain roper. Mary Nell Frey ofBrenham, TX has been roping off and onfor nearly 15 years. She started in collegeat Texas A&M, roping with her brotherand other people she hung around withwho roped. She had once been a barrelracer but learned quickly there wasmore money to be made in team ropingthan barrel racing so the switch wasdone. But a marriage and a bouncingnew baby girl (Teylor), now ten, startedgetting in the way of a serious pursuit ofour favorite sport. But the first marriagedidnt last and a little while ago she ranacross a real cowboy named Cody Freywho was about to turn her head and herheart. And we are not talking gunselcowboy here. Cody works cows andtrains horses for a living. And, of course,

he team ropes. Is there a real cowboyanywhere that doesnt? Well, friendshipled to courtship and courtship led tomarriage (May of 2008) and marriage ledher right back into the arena whereMary Nell was born again. Cody andCodys buddies, guys like John andJohnny Phillip brought the born againroper quickly back up to speed. Thatleads us right up to the present day andthe LoneStar Regional Finals (Aug 6-9)in Waco.

Three flex earnings Shoot-Outslater, Mary Nell was in overdrive. WithBrian Hill (Centreville, TX) she tooksecond in the Average and second in theIncentive of the #9 Preliminary and 20thin the Average of the #9 Shoot-Out. Thatwill put Mary Nell and Brian and Codyon the road to this years Cinch National

Finals in Oklahoma City, along withTeylor and the Freys 10-year-old quarterhorse, Legs, a horse she bought threeyears ago that used to be in TylerMagnus barn. She will hope to addsome more Cruel Girl apparel to herexisting wardrobe when she gets thereby winning the Cruel GirlChampionships. Mary Nell likes lookinggood, particularly now that shesembarked on another life-changingevent. She has just become a realtorwith Realty Associates in Brenham,specializing in land and residentialproperty. If its property for which youare in need, Mary Nell can do the deed.Call her at 713/204-5678. Oh, but dontcall during the last week of October.Shell be out of town.

1. $100,000 Jo

ann Merritt

Greeley, CO

2. 30,050 Sh

annon G. McDaniel

Deville, LA

3. 29,242 D

ebbie P. Fabrizio

Pueblo, CO

4. 21,555 Jim

mi Jo Montera

Greeley, CO

5. 19,957 Ly

dia Ulibarri

Las Vegas, NM

6. 19,382 Pa

m C. Kennedy

Templeton, CA

7. 18,352 Re

becca A. Neuhaus

Huntsville, TX

8. 17,989 Ca

ssie M. Walker

Golden Valley, AZ

9. 17,655 Al

yssa Zuniga

Jourdanton, TX

10. 17,214

Joanie K. Ivy

Amarillo, TX

11. 15,941

Hannah White

Dekalb, TX

12. 15,739

Annette K. Hinkle

Tularosa, NM

13. 15,379

Connie M. Hiatt

Red Bluff, CA

14. 15,047

Anna M. Gregory

Amarillo, TX

15. 14,574

Tracie L. Doud

Stephenville, TX

16. 14,458

Becky S. Cannizzaro

Folsom, LA

17. 13,665

Amber Pate

Buffalo, TX

18. 13,528

Jessica H. Connelley

Phoenix, AZ

19. 13,025

Tibba Smith

Stephenville, TX

20. 12,625

Jacque L. Woolman

Llano, TX

21. 12,417

Barrie L. Smith

Stephenville, TX

22. 12,048

Suzie M. Johnson

Brodhead, WI

23. 11,957

LaRae Branham

Phoenix, AZ

24. 11,750

Jessica Hemphill

Tulelake, CA

25. 11,750

Molly J. Hepper

Fort Klamath, OR

26. 11,355

Westi Hicks

Datil, NM

27. 11,175

Robin M. Gasser

Wickenburg, AZ

28. 11,088

Mandi Pate

Buffalo, TX

29. 10,593

Jayme R. Marcrum

Springtown, TX

30. 10,298

Rachel Mendoza

Tucson, AZ

Current Top 30 C

ruel Girl Standin

gs



Running P Ropes

For Dealer Locationsor

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1-800-833-8522or visit

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S10DF_RnngPRps_P_Layout 1 9/3/09 3:57 PM Page 1

32 / OCTOBER 2009

There are a number of common genetic defects thatcan occur in certain bloodlines of horses. For todays team ropers who in most

cases use the American Quarter Horse, certain defects can hit close to home. The two most common defects inthese horses include HERDA and HYPP. Although these are mostly prevalent in AQHA halter and cutting horses, as wellas Paints and Appaloosas, many are crossing over to the roping arena and are becoming something that should beconsidered when breeding or buying your next horse. Thanks to Heather Smith Thomas, author of the following twoarticles, ropers can find more information that may clarify questions on both HERDA and HYPP in horses.

HORSEHEALTH

Common Genetic Defects in the American Quarter Horse

HERDAA Devastating Inherited Skin DefectBy Heather Smith Thomas

uring the past several decades, research has helped usrecognize and understand a number of genetic diseases

in horses. Some of these appear more commonly in certainbreeds, since they originated from mutations in recent years. Ifthe mutation occurred in a popular animal, it got passed alongto numerous descendents. Mutations are common in humansand animals, but generally dont cause many problems

D

ss

32, 34-35 Horse Health_Layout 1 9/4/09 1:13 PM Page 32


THE

Main EvenTHorse Auction

Sat., October 31, 2009

Previews Friday afternoon & all day Saturday

Sale at 5 p.m.

"5#+3+).32/!.30!,/-)./3'2!930!).43

S10DF_RckMchdL_P_Layout 1 9/4/09 11:39 AM Page 33

34 / OCTOBER 2009

because they are greatly diluted in a verylarge gene pool. But if the mutationappeared in an animal that hashundreds or thousands ofdescendentsthe defect may eventuallyappear in a large number of animals.

A perfect example is a serious skindefect in Quarter Horses, Paints,Appaloosas and any other breeds thathave utilized certain Quarter Horsebloodlines. This skin abnormality wasoriginally termed hyperelastosis cutisand also called HERDA (hereditaryequine regional dermal asthenia), a termthat simply mean dermal weakness incertain areas of the body. It is aninherited defect in connective tissue,characterized by abnormal skin thattears easily, and separates readily fromthe underlying tissues. Any trauma orpressure can literally pull the skin apart.The affected foal may suffer more nicksand scrapes than usual, but the problemis often not discovered or recognizeduntil the young horse is started intrainingand then wearing a saddlecreates massive injury to the skin.

This devastating problem was firstdocumented in 1960, but no one knewwhat caused it. Later, research at CornellUniversity led by Dr. Nena Winand, andstudies at UC-Davis, and at MississippiState University where Dr. Ann Rashmirkept a group of affected horses, showedthat the defective gene is a recessive traitthat must be inherited from both parentsbefore it can show up in the offspring.

In recent years, HERDA has beenfound in some of the most popularbloodlines in cutting and raining horses,and in many Quarter Horse pedigreesand a few other breeds as well. The

researchers traced the defect back toPoco Bueno (a famous and popular sire)and his immediate ancestors.

For awhile, skin biopsies were used todiagnose the problem, since theabnormal tissue could be identified inthe lab. Then a DNA test was created,and now horse breeders can readilydetermine whether any horse in theirherd is a carrier.

All affected horses are related, and allof them are the result of inbreeding orline breeding links that have doubled upthis recessive gene. The defective genedid not cause a problem in the offspringof the first mutant animal because thoseoffspring only possessed half of theequation. The trait must be doubled up,with one defective gene from eachparent, in order to be expressed. Thusthe defect was carried forward in acertain percent of the offspring of thatfirst mutated animal, without the skindisease showing up, until some of thedescendents were bred to each other.

In recent years, with the inbreedingand line breeding so prevalent in

producing top athletes in various equinesports, weve seen this skin problempopping up with more frequency. Anyhorse that traces back to Poco Buenohas a chance of being a carrier, butmany are not. During the past severaldecades, breeders had to find out thehard way if they had this defect in theirherdproducing foals that suffereddevastating skin injuries, or that couldnot be ridden when they grew up,eventually having to be euthanized. Nowthey can check an animal beforebreeding, using the DNA test.

Poco Bueno was an importantfoundation sire in the Quarter Horsebreed, and this bloodline is fundamentalin the performance, pleasure and ranchhorse industry, says Dr. Nena Winand, aveterinary microbiologist at CornellUniversity who has worked on thisgenetic research. A lot of horses havePoco Bueno in their background. Somepeople say they have linebred thesebloodlines for years and not had anyproblems, but other foundationlinebreeders have produced foals withHERDA, she says.

All animals have some undesirablerecessive traits, but these dont show upunless doubled. Some of the horsesthat are carriers of HERDA arespectacular animals and very athletic,and if you dont breed them to a relatedhorse you will never double up therecessive trait. Youll never see thatgenetic defect. Its not the carrier thatsthe problem. Its the way we breedthem, says Winand. If horse breederscan make informed decisions on howthey breed these horses, by testing themfirst, they can safely continue to usethem in their breeding program, bybreeding them to non-carriers.

HYPP in HorsesBy Heather Smith Thomas

enetic defects are one of thechallenges facing horse breeders,

especially when a certain defect isprevalent in popular bloodlines that areheavily used in a breed. One example ofa very serious genetic disease that hasbecome very common in Quarter Horsesand related breeds is hyperkalemicperiodic paralysis (HYPP). It affectsmuscle metabolism and the affected

horses experience episodes of muscletwitching, sweating, and often collapse.Severely affected horses may die.

This inherited muscle disease was firstidentified in 1985. By 1990 it was finallyliked to the descendents of Impressive, avery popular Quarter Horse sire. Hisoffspring were champions in the halterhorse world, and his descendants nowinclude Paints and Appaloosas as well as

G


Quarter Horses.The defective gene is inherited as a

dominant trait and can be passed tooffspring by any horse that has it, if thefoal inherits that gene. Breeding anaffected heterozygous animal (N/H,possessing one normal and one HYPPgene) to a normal animal (N/N) willresult in a foal that has a 50 percentchance of being normal and 50 percentchance of having the defective gene anddeveloping HYPP.

Breeding a homozygous animal thathas only the HYPP gene (H/H,sometimes called a double positive)results in all the offspring inheriting thedefective gene, regardless of the statusof the other parent.

Breeding an H/H horse to an N/Hhorse will produce offspring with a 50percent chance of being H/H and 50percent chance of being N/H. BreedingN/H to N/H gives 50 percent chance ofbeing N/H, 25 percent chance of beingcompletely normal (N/N) and 25percent chance of being H/H.

This genetic disease affects thetransport of sodium in and out ofmuscle cells. Dr. David McCarroll inGoldsy, Oklahoma, has dealt with manyHYPP horses, and he even treatedImpressive, when he was in practice atPilot Point, Texas. I was called to treathim for colic, in the late 1970s. He wasactually having an HYPP attack, but wedidnt know it at the time. He was veryweak, with front legs and nose on theground, says McCarroll. The famousstallion had already had several colicsurgeries, which may not have beennecessary, since the pain from HYPP can

be mistaken for colic.In a horse with HYPP, the muscles

contract sooner than they should, due toelectrolyte abnormalities in the cellmembranes. The defective sodiumchannel does not open and closeproperly to allow the electrolytes tomove in and out of the cell in normalmanner, so the muscle contracts morereadily, explains McCarroll.

Signs of the problem include muscletremors, skin twitching, especially in theflank or face muscles. The horses alsoflare their nostrils, he says. The horsesweats and has a fast respiration rate,often making a raspy noise as heinhales, because the muscles at the backof the throat collapse. He may droolbecause of throat paralysis.

As the condition worsens, the horsemay collapse. No amount ofencouragement or prodding will get himup. He is physically incapable of rising,says McCarroll. The horse may lie thereand get up again after several hours, buttreatment, including IV fluids, canshorten the recovery time. Some horsescant be saved. They just collapse anddie. Sedation for dental work or surgerymay bring on an episode and may resultin death of the horse.

The horses die from asphyxiationbecause the pharynx and larynx collapseand they cant breathe, or else theirpotassium levels become too high andthe heart muscle gets out of rhythm,blood pressure drops too low, and theheart stops, he says.

HYPP horses are most apt to haveproblems during exertion. Any type ofstress can trigger the symptomsstress

of transport, weather changes, illness, orexercise. Whether a horse ever showssymptoms may depend on whether he isH/H or N/H. Being H/H can be fatalearly in life, even as a foal. Many of thesehorses have to be on medication andcareful dietary management for the restof their lives.

It is possible for an N/H horse,however, to live its entire life without aspasm, even though there is always arisk, says McCarroll. Most N/H horsescan be managed by feeding them lowpotassium diets, such as grass hayinstead of alfalfa, and maintaining asteady work regime.

After the genetic aspect of this defectwas discovered, and a reliable DNA testwas established in the early 1990s,breeders had the means to eliminatethis gene from their breeding stock.There was a huge controversy over this,however, since many people did notwant to give up these bloodlines.

Finally the AQHA ruled that HYPPwas an undesirable trait. Beginning withthe 2007 foals, all Impressivedescendents are now required to beparentage verified and tested for HYPP,with any H/H animals ineligible forregistration. People with N/H horses canstill breed those, to perpetuate theirdesirable traits, and with genetic testingcan now prevent the possibility of anymore H/H foals being bornby breedingonly to N/N horses. When breeding anN/H horse to a normal horse, half theoffspring will be completely normal, andthe bloodline can be continued on, withthose. Thus HYPP can eventually beeliminated from affected bloodlines, ifbreeders choose to do so. n



36 / OCTOBER 2009

By Amy J. Daum and Kandi KlineCourtesy of Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency

Our rope horses can rack up a lot ofmiles in the horse trailer as we gothrough the competition season. Whilemany of us stick to events within areasonable radius of home, there isalways the destination event like theCinch National Finals of Team Ropingthat can involve greater preparation,such as the following.

The Driver Its important that the driver be well

rested, hydrated, and experienced. Itssafer to go with a companion ratherthan alone so that you have someone tonavigate, answer your cell phone, handyou your junk food, and give you a breakbehind the wheel if necessary.

While driving, leave plenty ofstopping distance between you and thevehicles in front of you, accelerate anddecelerate gradually (not only is thiseasier on your horses, its good for yourgas mileage as well), and take care to goslowly around the corners. Try riding inthe trailer while someone else drives, toget an idea of what your horseexperiences. Hows the suspension? Can

you keep your balance during turns?Does bedding or hay blow aroundinside? Is the air fresh, or are thereexhaust fumes? These questions lead usto consider.

The TrailerFirst, give your trailer a walk-through

before every use, being especiallyvigilant in your inspection if it has beena while since your last trip. Pay closeattention to the floor, since urine andmanure can be a damaging mix to thefloor boards and also cause noxiousfumes. Also, make sure no stinginginsects have decided to build their latesthome in your trailers nooks andcrannies. After getting the all-clear inthose areas, check all doors to make sure they close properly, and inspectyour hitch to make sure it is in goodworking order.

When it comes to your towing vehicleand trailer, the most likely cause of a tireblow-out is incorrect tire air pressure.Check every single tire to make sure theyare inflated to the manufacturersspecifications. At the same time checkfor any excessive or uneven wear andmake sure the lug nuts are all tight.

Your tow vehicle should be up-to-

date on all maintenance, and have allfluid levels topped off. Check to makesure your brakes are working properlyand that all lights are functional. Haveall of your paperwork for the horses inorder, including any required healthcertificates, pack first aid kits for humanand horse. Also, in as organized way aspossible (the last thing you want to bedoing in an emergency is rummagingthrough a pile of random equipment)store extra halters and leads andemergency equipmentjumper cables,reflector triangle, spare tire(s) and tirechanging tools, flashlight, basic tool kit,and fire extinguisher.

In addition, somewhere very easilyaccessible such as the glovecompartment, and also someplace veryvisible like taped to your trailer door,post a list of emergency phone numbersand basic horse care information so thatin the event you are incapacitated in anaccident, emergency workers have theinformation they need to best take careof you and your horses.

While shipping, if you put beddingon the floor, you might dampen itslightly to reduce dust; similarly,dampening the hay in the net canreduce flying debris. Leave windows

The Cinch National Finals of team Roping will be held towards the end of this month and ropers from all across the country will be heading over mountain passes, rolling through grasslands and navigating through cities in order to meet up in Oklahoma City,Oklahoma for this years largest team roping event. Ropers will no doubt be ready to compete, but in many cases, it may be a long way to travel and careful preparation should be taken in order to make the trip to the 2009 Cinch NFTR as carefree as possible.

The stakes will be high as ropers of every caliber will be riding for hundreds of thousands of dollars at the 2009 Cinch NFTR and thanks to Broadstone Equine Insurance Agency, the USTRCs newest sponsorship partner, ropers can look ahead, take some advice and make this years trip to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma safe and pleasurable.

Hitting the Road!36-38 Horsemanship_Layout 1 9/18/09 10:31 AM Page 36


open for ventilation. There are endlessdebates and studies regarding slant vs.straight-load and whether the horseshould face forward, backward, or beturned loose in a box stall. It may takesome experimentation to find what your horse seems to prefer. Most studiesdo agree, however, that the horse should be tied loosely enough (or leftuntied) in order for lowering the head tobe possible.

The Journey Organize your trip so that you avoid

driving more than 12 hours in a singleday, and remember to stop for at least 20 minutes every three or four hours. Itsgenerally not safe to consider unloadingand grazing the horse at rest areas, butits a great relief for the horse to simplystand and have a break from thevehicular vibration. Offer water andcheck the hay and the state of anyclothing worn by the horse. Also if youleave the truck and trailer unattendedfor any length of time, check the hitchand all doors before heading back onthe road.

The Horse Even the smoothest trip is stressful

for your horse, so consider usingimmune-system boosters prior to thetrip and possibly electrolytes while onthe road, as recommended by your vet.

To otherwise protect your horse,since unfortunately they dont makehorse-sized bubble wrap, youll have tomake due with a variety of options. Firstconsider leg wraps or high qualityshipping boots, with the best protectionbeing the boots that cover from the kneeor hock down to the coronet band andbulbs of the heels. Keep in mind thoughthat while these can be excellentprotection, they can also be dangerous if they slip, so make sure that they fitwell to begin with, and that they are puton properly. In addition, a fly mask maybe a good idea depending on theamount of debris that blows around inyour trailer, an issue especially withlarge stock trailers.

You also want to consider a sweat-wicking sheet or cooler, depending onthe weather conditions, and even a head

bumper. These went out of fashion astrailers became taller, but anyone whohas witnessed a horse scalp itself byrearing in a trailer will attest, it can be avery good investment.

Expect the UnexpectedDespite how well you take care of

your vehicle and trailer, you may stillfind yourself stranded by the side of the highway due to a shredded tire orblown clutch. Consider signing yourselfup for a horse-specific emergencyroadside assistance program such asUSRider. Typical auto services such asAAA will not deal with your trailer oryour horses, which is something youdont want to find out while stranded onthe side of the road. Contactwww.USRider.org for details.

After the Trip After youve made it the show

grounds, and once home after the entiretrip is over, monitor your horse carefullyto make sure he drinks adequately andhas no injuries. Watch out for weightloss, respiratory illness, or colic as well.

36-38 Horsemanship_Layout 1 9/10/09 4:29 PM Page 37

38 / OCTOBER 2009

Since shipping presents its own set ofhealth concerns for your horse, if youhave your horse insured with Mortalityand Major Medical/Surgical coverageyou will have the peace of mind inknowing that protection is in place

should he need veterinary care after a long haul. As the USTRCs newApproved Insurance Partner, BroadstoneEquine Insurance Agency not only offers an exclusive rate for ropinghorses, representatives can also explain

your options to you in detail. Call 888-687-8555, or visitwww.BroadstoneEquine.com to make sure your horse is coveredwhether at home, in the arena, or on the road.

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Make a list of all the states you are passing through. Then check outboth their health requirements and driving requirements. Many statesrequire the driver to have a commercial drivers license if the trailer ismore than 25 feet long.

Learn your knots! Horses being transported should be tied with aquick-release knot. The tied rope should be long enough to allow the horse to reach his feed or hay, but short enough not to step over it orbecome entangled.

Carry extra items and supplies. Extra lead ropes and halters arealways a good idea. Bring along extra buckets for water and grainyounever know how far you may have to haul water during your trip and anextra bucket will come in handy.

Check on your horses and offer water to them every time you stop for gas. Check their food supply toothey should have hay to eat at all times.

You may want to protect your horses legs and feet during travel, andthats fine. However, shipping wraps can decrease circulation and probablyare not a good idea for horses traveling more than five hours. Unless yourhorse is a really poor traveler, bell boots on the front feet should suffice.

Spice it up! The water anyway. Some horses may not drink waterthat smells or tastes different than what they are used to. Knowing thisbefore you begin traveling can help as you can begin adding flavor to hiswater a week or so before the trip and continue it throughout the trip. Thiscan be easier than hauling water from home for one horse.

Tips from the Road

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to this years Cinch USTRC

National Finals of Team Roping

Thursday, October 29Cruel Girl Championships#11 Preliminary4 Ropin Ranch Horse Sale

Friday, October 30#11 Shoot Out#10 Preli

superlooper-oct 09

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