ABQ Sports April 2011 Issue by ABQ Sports Magazine

Serving the greater New Mexico central region - New Mexico’s Premiere Sports Magazine April 2011

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INVITATIONAL RUN ACROSS

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Greetings ABQ Sports Fans!

Features

Welcome to yet another action-packed issue of ABQ Sports! 2011 is turning out to be quite the sporty year in central New Mexico, as is clearly evidenced in this very issue! It has now been a full year since cheerleading was officially recognized as a sport in the ‘Land of Enchantment’, and inside this issue, we have coverage of one of the biggest cheerleading ‘spirit’ competitions in state history!!

ABQ Sports magazine P.O.Box 15981 • Rio Rancho, NM 87174 505.620.3969 • abqsportsmag.com Publisher Montoya Publishing, LLC

Art Director/Production

Albuquerque is home to many world-class athletes, and world champions; for instance, Lisa Valle, is the world record-holder in the steeplechase run, for her age class. This hearty athlete is an incarnation of the New Mexico spirit, through and through, and she is a prime example of why ABQ Sports exists.

DL Graphic Design design@abqsportsmag.com

Photographers

Carlos Montoya

Albuquerque was also in the national spotlight via ‘Live! With Regis and Kelly’, a national morning show which sponsored Dean Karnazes, an athlete who ran across the country from California to New York. He did it all in the name of healthy living through good nutrition and exercise. Read inside for more!

Stevie Montoya

Kerr Adams

Kayla Montoya

Carlos Montoya

Trula Howe

Michael Black

Paula West

Run Across America ..............................................................................................6 2011 State High School Tournament ..................................................................10

Phillip Lopez

Team Tapia

2011 State Spirit Competition...............................................................................16

Advertisers For any advertsing information, please contact 505.620.3969 or sales@abqsportsmag.com

Ty Murray Invitational ...........................................................................................24

Boxing academy

Julie Kedzie: A True Martial Artist............................................................................26

zine. Got any feedback? We appreciate any ideas,

Story by Trula Howe

suggestions or anything we missed. Please feel to

Writers ABQ Sports is a monthly magazine dedicated to covering all aspects of the Albuquerque and surrounding communities scene. We accept stories and photos for consideration. Email: carlos@abqsportsmag.com All contents of this magazine are copyrighted by ABQ Sports Magazine, all rights reserved. Reproduction of any articles, advertisement or material from this issue is forbidden without permission of the publisher.

ABQ SPORTS MAGAZINE IS HIRING. We are looking for energetic writers and advertising sales representatives and we’d like to meet some bloggers too. Jobs@abqsportsmag.com

Cover photo by Carlos Montoya. Local favorite Travis Briscoe tames the bull during the Ty Murray Invitaional.

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Motorsports, Soccer, MMA and Baseball coming up!

4 April 2011

Isaiah Dave Montoya Friedlander

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Readers

***CIRCULATION UPDATE*** We are on the FAST Track! Our circulation continues to grow! Our Loyal readership is our biggest accomplishment. Paid Readership is up 25% from last month. Newsstand is up 35%

Jonathan R. Clark

It may be hard to believe that, in the midst of this warmer weather, there is still skiing in New Mexico. However, just last month, Taos hosted a ski/snowboarding competition, which was as extreme and exhilarating as the mountainous setting in which it took place. On the business side of things. ABQ Sports is still ready,willing and able to provide to your company, organization or league, a readership with diverse interests in sports and athletics, fitness and health. With over 30,000 readers each month, ABQ Sports can and will showcase your organization to a myriad of readers hungry for new services, sports or products. In our next issue we will continue to provide you with coverage of the awesome sports Albuquerque has to offer. It takes a community effort for ABQ Sports to succeed, so support your local sports team and your local sports mag today!

Body Combat .....................................................................................................12 Team Tapia Boxing Academy ...............................................................................14 Chuck Brenden: Of Tennis and Teaching ..............................................................18

2011 Salomon Extreme Freeride Championships .................................................20 ohnny Tapia, seven-time world champion boxer in three world titles and 392 trophies; to the amateur athlete, such as separate weight-divisions, has had what he himself calls “Mi Vida Loca” (“My Crazy Life”). In fact, Johnny has written an autobiography by the same name, and his own documentary is being filmed by Rick Martinez of Video

Leroy Chavez – who won the 2010 NM Silver Gloves; to the professional, such as Hector Munoz, welterweight boxer of impressive record; to those who are simply interested in keeping their skills and bodies honed.

abqsportsmag.com • 5

Run Across march 18, 2011 - Albuquerque, NM

America By Isaiah Montoya Photos by Carlos & Kayla Montoya

Continued on next page

s e k i B n i a t n u Mo Road Bikes s e k i B l a t n e R

ne Man, Almost 3,000 Miles, and a Goal to Inspire a Nation! On March 18, Dean Karnazes ran to and through Albuquerque on ‘“Regis & Kelly’s Run Across America with Dean Karnazes”, but not before stopping at the International Balloon Fiesta Park & Museum for the local charity 5K event. Karnazes is hosting the event to promote fitness and an active lifestyle, and spring break was a good time for it, as entire families showed for the fitness run. In fact, over 200 people showed up for the event. Bringing some always-welcome national attention to ABQ was ‘LIVE! with Regis and Kelly,” who interviewed Karnazes, while he was in our city. “LIVE!” is partnering with Karnazes, who is an ultramarathon runner known as “Ultramarathon Man”. His current marathon is indeed ultra, as he runs across the US from California to the ‘LIVE!’ studios in New York City! To accomplish such a goal, Dean must run 40 to 50 miles a day for nearly 75 days! He made his way through Grants and Acoma before arriving in Albuquerque. He was then on his way east through the Sandias then on to Santa Rosa and beyond. Participating in the 5K charity event was our own local celebrity, Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry. The Mayor and Dean had a brief discussion afterward, regarding the charity and benefits of health in nutrition and exercise. Additional coverage of the run was provided by KOAT-TV’s Melissa

8 April 2011

Montoya, who also interviewed Karnazes. He stressed the importance of healthy and active kids to the viewing public. Obviously interested in overall health, Karnazes also imparted information at a Eucerin bus, regarding skin protection for athletes and active people. According to Karnazes, “These get-togethers are truly a very big deal because they represent all of the reasons that I am taking my running shoes across the country- to see people get involved and get excited about fitness. There really are so many ways to make an active-lifestyle fun, and by people coming out, it shows they are in the right mind-set.”

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nxious, pressured, excited, exhilarated and heartbroken are just some of the words that described the state of coaches and players alike during the 2011 Boys High School Basketball State Tournament (NMAA.) The UNM ‘PIT’ played host to some great games and showcased some incredible high school talent. Every team competing seemed to have at least one star on their team. Class 5A featured players such as Onate’s Terrell de Rouen, Manzano’s Michael Holyfield, La Cueva’s Bryce Alford and Cleveland’s P.J. Horgan. In class 4A there were two players that stood out above the rest – Espanola Valley’s Rodney Coles and Goddard’s Chase Salazar. In the end, Onate walked away the 5A champs, and the Sun Devils of Espanola Valley hoisted the blue trophy representing class 4A. Espanola family and fans travel to Albuquerque more than any other town or support group in the state, as was clearly shown in the three games the Sun Devils played in this state tournament, held March 9th through March 12th. “We get full support from our community, they give us great motivation, and they are the only fans in the state who pack the PIT”,” said guard Rodney Coles. Espanola Valley had a tough road to the trophy. They began by trumping the Del Norte Knights 61-45, followed by their match with Capital, where they scraped out a narrow victory with a 49-47 final. Coach Martinez’ bunch was then ready to face the St. Pius Sartans, who had just come off a 79-77 quadruple overtime thriller against Santa

said about his Las Cruces team. Onate also had an extremely tough road to the finals. After beating a very scrappy Hobbs team, the Knights then faced the challenge of playing the two-time defending champs, the La Cueva Bears. La Cueva gave the Knights all they could handle, as Bears guard Bryce Alford consistently drove to the basket, drawing contact from Knights star Terrell de Rouen. “We knew he (de Rouen) was in foul trouble, so I wanted to keep putting pressure on him and get him out of the game” said Alford after the game. Bryce did just that, forcing Terrell to foul out with about six minutes left in the game. Knights guard Tim Jacobs stepped up and took control for the Knights, converting on several late free throws. The Bears had a chance to win late in the second half, but they just ran out of time, as Kory Alford was forced to attempt a half-court shot which came up short, resulting in a 60-61 loss to Onate. After defeating the defending champs, Onate felt confident that they could win the tournament. Their next task would be the Cleveland Storm. The Storm had a star of their own – 6’6” post man P.J. Horgan. P.J. played a great game, but as a team, the Storm couldn’t compete

athletically with the Knights, and they too succumbed. Onate then had an extremely tough matchup to prepare for - the State Championship game against the Manzano Monarchs. Manzano is a tough draw for any team, with their 6’11” center Michael Holyfield, who was coming off a game where he had 27 points and 23 rebounds in the semi-final win over Clovis. Standing at 6’3”, Terrell de Rouen took it upon himself to match up with Holyfield. “Everyone has been scared of him (Holyfield) because of his size, but we weren’t, we wanted to get under his skin,” Terrell said. They did just that, getting Holyfield into early foul trouble, and finishing the game with an 85% goal accuracy in the second half. Onate came away with a 54-48 win over Manzano in the State finals. NMAA did a great job with the organization of this tournament, and it was a pleasure to cover and get to know the very classy players and coaches around New Mexico. We are looking forward to 2012, when we can welcome new stars to the high school basketball scene, and continue to cover the remaining underclassmen stars, who were so impressive in the 2011 tournament. I predict Chase Salazar of Goddard and Bryce Alford of La Cueva will lead their respective teams to a state championship in 2012.

2011 High School Basketball State Tournament Albuquerque, NM

By Phil Lopez Photos by Kim Jew Sports Photography

Teresa and were riding high entering the semi-final matchup. However, Espanola Valley was not intimidated, and they controlled the game from the start. “They were able to take us out of what we like to do,” Sartans Head Coach Damian Segura said after the loss to the Sun Devils. Espanola Valley then fixed their eyes on the blue trophy, but there was one team left in the way – the Rockets of Goddard, led by tremendous do-it-all point guard, Chase Salazar. Going into the game, there was a great deal of hype from the media and fans about the great matchup of the two guards, Salazar and Coles. Rodney Coles came out ahead as he was extremely clean and efficient in the second half. “Chase is a great player, but I think I was better today,” Rodney said after the game, when asked about the matchup. Espanola Valley ran away with the lead in the second half, and won the game 50-38. “I have a big monkey off my back; this has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Coach Martinez said after winning the State Championship. “Small Town, New Mexico” was the print on the Onate Knights championship t-shirts they were given after winning the class 5A state tournament. “A lot of teams underestimated us because they didn’t know who we were or where we were from,” Coach Saul Perez 10 April 2011

abqsportsmag.com • 11

get the MOSt Out Of Life

ombat ody I

n recent years Combat Sports have seen a tremendous increase in popularity. Combat sports, and more specifically, Mixed Martial Arts, have permeated almost every aspect of mainstream life: clothing, nutrition, television and fitness. No one has infused Martial Arts into fitness training better than Les Mills, the developer of Body Combat, a program which mimics the training of fighters.

Defined Fitness, a New Mexico institution in its own right, is the first to bring this fun and effective training program to the general public. In this class, students strike, kick and punch their way to superior cardio fitness. With moves that draw from kickboxing, karate, Tai-Chi, Capoeira and other martial arts, Body Combat teaches new skills and builds confidence and self-reliance through a fun and energetic workout. The man directly responsible for implementing Body Combat at Defined Fitness is Group Exercise Director Lawrence Chavez, who has nearly two decades of experience in group exercise programs. “We offer five classes per week at each of our five clubs” Chavez said, “twenty-five classes in total.” He adds “all the moves are borrowed from a variety of martial arts and adapted for safety. Put to music, it makes for a fun, highenergy aerobic workout.” Competitive fighters can benefit from

Story and Photos By Dave Friedlander

the class as well, as part of their cardio conditioning, while working the muscles directly involved with the various strikes they use in competition. “We do front kicks, roundhouse kicks, sidekicks from Tae Kwon Do and knee strikes from Muay Thai” Chavez says. Jody Coletta, a group exercise coordinator, has been with Defined Fitness since 1994 and also teaches the Body Combat. She was assisting in the class of nearly sixty students alongside Chavez on the day I visited. Watching the two instruct, one may find it hard to believe they don’t have prior fight experience. Their form and technique is the stuff of real fighters, and they execute their moves with precision and power. Anyone interested in learning more can visit any of the five Defined Fitness locations in Albuquerque, or visit their website www.defined.com. Learn more about Les Mills programs at www.lesmills.com. Lawrence and Jody will be joined by their fellow instructors on July 30th at the inaugural Southwest Combat Sports Expo at the Santa Ana Star Center, where they will perform two demonstrations of the Body Combat workout. More info on this event can be found at www. combatsportsclub.com.

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world titles and 392 trophies; to the amateur athlete, such as Leroy Chavez – who won the 2010 NM Silver Gloves; to the professional, such as Hector Munoz, welterweight boxer of impressive record; to those who are simply interested in keeping their skills and bodies honed. Team Tapia boxers compete in events both local – here in Albuquerque, where there are at least 15 other participating boxing organizations – and around the state of New Mexico and the Southwest region. The 2011 Golden Gloves championship is coming up in Clovis, on April 1-2, 2011, and Team Tapia plans to dominate the competition, bringing five of their best amateurs. Chris Chavez, co-owner and brother-in-law to Johnny, says they opened the gym to pass on their knowledge, and to help get kids off the streets and focused on positive activity. He says that Team Tapia excels because they train in the professional style, Johnny’s style, more aggressive and focused. Besides the opening of the new school, Johnny has some other exciting activities coming up, including a reality series which is scheduled to begin filming at the end of March. In addition, Team Tapia is interested in working with local charity organizations, to give back to the community and teach their students to do the same. You can find out more about Team Tapia by going by their location, 2500 San Mateo, or calling 505-8047938 or 505-884-0441.

ohnny Tapia, seven-time world champion boxer in three separate weight-divisions, has had what he himself calls “Mi Vida Loca” (“My Crazy Life”). In fact, Johnny has written an autobiography by the same name, and his own documentary is being filmed by Rick Martinez of Video Interlude. However crazy his life and experiences have been, he is a man dedicated to his roots, his family, and his community. He has now retired from his illustrious boxing career, and he strives to share his knowledge, experience and abilities with a new generation of athletes, through the opening of his school, Team Tapia Boxing Academy. The grand opening of the facility was held Saturday, March 5, 2011, and was attended by hundreds of family, fans, potential trainees, and plenty of media. All ages were welcome to tour the facility, enjoy delicious outdoor barbeque, while kids played on the inflatable jumper, and even meet and talk to Johnny Tapia himself, who made time to talk to anyone interested. The school had open enrollment the following Monday, for students of all ages and levels of boxing. Johnny and his family had actually already been training a few pupils at a smaller facility for about a year, but this new facility gives them the ability to reach and teach many more. They now boast 18 amateur fighters, among the many students, and 4 professional boxers. Their students are widely varied in age and background: from the young, including Dylan Vargas – 10 years old, 25 karate

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Cheer The

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By Isaiah Montoya Photos by Kim Jew Sports Photography and Carlos Montoya

he New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) hosted the State Spirit Competition,

which was presented by Farmers Insurance Group from March 25 to 26 at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho.

Ten different schools from New Mexico’s various classifications were winners of top honors at the twoday event which garnered over 16,000 spectators. The competitions were cheerleading, dance and drill, with a crowd involvement cheer, cheer with music, a pom routine and props dance and cheer. In cheerleading class 1A Gateway Christian took top honors, while second went to Escalante and third went to Springer. In cheer class 2A, number one was Texico, two was Pecos and three was Tularosa. Cheer class 3A winners were, number one Hope Christian (of ABQ), two Raton and three – Silver (City) H.S. 4A cheer winners were Roswell, two Artesia and three Bloomfield. For class 5A the cheer winners were host town school Rio Rancho! Second place was La Cueva and third was hometown team Cleveland! Goooo, Rio Rancho!!! COED Cheer winner was Eldorado; an in second was Las Cruces and third was Mayfield. In A-AA dance competition, Tularosa won. In second was Gallup Catholic and third place was earned by Santa Fe Prep. In 3A dance competition St. Michaels won it all while in second was Hope Christian. In third place was Sandia Prep. 4A dance winners were first Gallup, second Roswell, and third Moriarty. In 5A dance competition, ABQ’s Valley took first place! In second was Volcano Vista, and in third was Rio

Rancho. Overall, the rousing competition featured over 100 school squads and the entire state of New Mexico was highlighted at the event. Though not every team won a first through third trophy, every school was a winner. After all, cheerleading has been an official sport for a year now! abqsportsmag.com • 17

Chuck Brenden:

Of Tennis and Teaching By Bobbie Sue Davis Photos by Kayla Montoya

e’s a school teacher, teaches tennis, and plays tennis competitively. Is he the Superman of tennis? No, he’s Chuck Brenden. Chuck Brenden is the type of man you see and automatically know he’s an athlete. As it turns out, his original game was basketball, until he fell in love with tennis while he was in high school. He had always enjoyed watching the sport on television, and he truly loved playing the game in high school, which led him to play competitively in college. He has over twenty years of experience in this slow-changing sport and has been a USPTR certified teaching professional since 1996. When asked what the differences are between tennis now and tennis from the 1970’s he replied, without hesitation, “The rackets, without a doubt. They are lighter, more powerful, and the strings have changed in their design, as well. Now men’s serves can reach over 130mph and women’s can reach close to 120mph. This makes for shorter rallies and quite an interesting match.” Chuck’s enthusiasm is highly contagious, which must be the reason he teaches not only tennis, but also the fifth grade at MLK Elementary School. What’s more, he’s been teaching for thirty years! How’s that for ambitious?! What really moves Chuck, though, is being able to teach tennis. “It’s such a pleasure to teach this sport because of the immediate 18 April 2011

feedback I get, and the improvement I see after a lesson. I love the enthusiasm of the students, and the amazing progress over such a short period of time is so wonderful.” He also stated that teaching kids is a bit different than teaching adults. He said, “You tend to have to repeat yourself more often for kids. However, they haven’t had time to be stuck in a certain format or pattern of learning, which is quite nice.” Want to get to know Chuck and learn how to play the engaging sport of tennis? You most certainly can at Haynes Park through the Rio Rancho Parks and Recreation Center. He teaches group lessons for children and adults. He holds lessons twice a week for four weeks or every Saturday for eight weeks. Don’t want to do the group thing and prefer private lessons? Never fear, Chuck does private lessons, too! You can set up private lessons with Chuck at (505) 717-5415.

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As a final thought, Chuck also stated, “I love to teach this sport, because it’s so great to see students come back for more lessons and it’s also fantastic to meet new faces.” Teaching is Chuck’s passion both in and out of the classroom. Come and learn more about tennis with Chuck. You’ll hear plenty of encouragement and laughter when you are on the court with him.

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2011 Salomon

E treme Freeride Championships Story by Isaiah Montoya Photos by Will Fox

aos, New Mexico’s rugged and steep mountain terrain was a fitting setting for the 2011 Salomon Extreme Freeride Championships, held from March 3rd to 5th. The world qualifying championships featured skiing/snowboarding competitions of a progressive nature. Kachina Peak and West Basin Ridge possess tight lines, cliffs and rocks for the various levels of competitors to attempt to traverse. In the early rounds the terrain is mild, but it gets wild in the later rounds. Adults and minors, men and women, masters and juniors from across the globe participated in the event, which was sanctioned by the Freeride World Tour (FWT). Over 100 skiers and snowboarders were required to make it through a variety of early qualifying rounds to reach the championship round. As each day passed, the difficulty of the terrain increased. Day one showcased competitors in on-hill action, and day two presented the Buttercup Sneak Peak Rail Jam, where awe-inducing ski and snowboard tricks were executed

20 April 2011

to the delight of the viewing public. On the third day the finals took place, and the winners for each class were awarded afterward, at the Martini Tree Bar. In the senior women skiing class, Katie Gillen earned first place, and second place went to Angel Collinson. Senior men skiing winner was Chris Hinckley, and in second was Rob Dickinson. Junior Women Skiing winner was Chysanthe Demas, and in second was Stefany Cook, while Junior Men Skiing winner was Gregory Hope, and in second was Max WalkerSilverman. Snowboard Women winner was Missy Tracy, and in second was Ivana Crone. Snowboard Men winner was Joey Stokes, and in second was Jake Larue. Finally, Masters Men winner was Mike Masiowski, while David Saputo finished second. Although the competition took place 153 miles north of ABQ Sports athletes were highly visible, with their competitive spirit and skill. Be prepared for next year’s event, which promoters hope will be as, or more, marvelous than this year’s championships!

abqsportsmag.com • 21

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isa Valle is ABQ’s very own world record-holder in the 2000 meter steeplechase run for the 40-44 age bracket, which she achieved with a time of 6:51:92 in Sacramento, CA in 2010. She is currently in training to set the world record in 2000 meter steeplechase for her new age bracket 45-49. Valle was born in southern New Mexico’s city of Alamogordo, and she has been running competitively since she was in middle school. “President Jimmy Carter used to have Presidential Fitness Tests, and many of us children wanted to earn a trophy,” she explains. “My P.E. teachers picked up on the fact that I was a good runner because I kept beating everyone, even the boys, in the 600 meter run.” That is how she began her lifelong dedication to fitness through running; but how, at age 45, does she maintain it? The UNM graduate with a Masters Degree in Biology, is now a biology teacher, but running is still her hobby and her passion. She encourages the youth and well-aged alike to keep running. “I have been lucky not to have garnered any injuries over the years, but for older people, running can be an injuryprevention method,” she says. “For high school runners, it is important to keep running once you leave school, and into your 20s, and beyond!” Valle has been able to maintain speeds akin to her high school speeds in various runs, and in some cases, she 22 April 2011

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housands of Professional Bull Riding fans from all over the state flocked to the UNM “Pit” this March 25-27, where the world’s 40 best bull-riders together with the industry’s rankest bulls, competed for pride, glory, and a hefty paycheck in the PBR’s 2011 Built Ford Tough Series. At least 40 tons of dirt was hauled into the “Pit” and 1000 man hours put in to set up and take down the entire production, including lights, speakers, fencing, floor and podiums. Each day’s events began with an electrifying pyrotechnic and light show, followed by an invocation and the singing of the National Anthem, which led into several rounds of some of the most exciting bullriding in the world. As each rider was introduced, along with their many accomplishments, the crowd screamed and cheered not only for the riders, but also the phenomenal bulls, some of which are just as well-known as the riders themselves. Each ride had fans on the edge of their seats, cheering wildly at successes, and when a rider would fail to complete the 8 seconds, clapping encouragingly. During the times between rides, audiences were entertained by the antics of Flint Rasmussen, world-class comedian/entertainer, a former high school teacher from Montana. Rasmussen filled all the spaces between the action with dancing, comic routines and playful interaction with the crowd. Each day, there was a “Best-Dressed Cowboy” award, which went to adorable children in full cowboy-regalia; a “Stanley Stud-Finder” which encouraged the crowd to scream for their favorite cowboy when shown on the roaming camera; a “bigmouth bass” fishing contest; a Dickies Toughest Job contest, the winner of which was chosen by the cheers of the crowd; and the always-popular crowd sing-along.

By Trula Howe Photos by Carlos Montoya 24 April 2011

For those of you who may not know how the sport works, each rider is paired with a randomly-selected bull. That rider’s score depends on him staying on the bull for at least 8-seconds from the time the bucking chute opens, just to qualify. His score (if he does qualify) is based on not only his own performance, but also on that of the bull. PBR’s bulls are bred to buck, from breeding-selection to training from birth (to buck as soon as the chute opens), as well as the use of an annoying (but not abusive) flank rope, which the bulls try to dislodge by kicking out their hind legs at the height of their bucking action. As soon as each cowboy dismounts the bull (voluntarily or involuntarily), experienced bullfighters quickly step in to protect the rider from the bull, and herd it back into the stockade. Each qualifying ride is (appropriately)scored half and half, rider and bull, for a possible ride total of 100 points. The top ten riders received additional points for placement in the overall round, with 100 points going to the top rider for each round. Each BFTS 3-day event consists of 5 rounds of action, two of which are only available to the riders with

the top 10 cumulative scores. For the Built Ford Tough Series, there are 28 stops in 23 states, the final event of which will be in Las Vegas, NV, in October, where the top 40 riders (at that time) will compete for the grand bonus of $1,000,000 and the title of 2011 PBR World Champion! Although bull-riding is arguably the toughest, most dangerous sport in the world, at least 1200 young men world-wide compete to be a part of it, and although that possible payday is a huge part of the incentive, most of these guys will tell you it’s also the thrill of the ride, the contest of wills, and the prestige of a reputation that is undeniably “Tough!” New Mexico was superbly represented by 4 of the 40 bull-riders: Travis Briscoe – the only contestant currently living in New Mexico, in Edgewood; L J Jenkins – originally from Texico, currently living in Porum, OK; Ryan McConnell – originally from Farmington, also currently living in Oklahoma; and Spud Jones from Tohatchi, NM. As was to be expected, the crowds, already excited and cheering loudly for each cowboy, absolutely erupted when each of these young men exploded onto the arena, gamely pitting their wills and skills against their 2000-lb bucking counterparts. Much to the delight of all who attended this Ty Murray Invitational event, the first and second place winners were none other than LJ Jenkins and Ryan McConnell, proud natives of our state. Travis Briscoe placed 8th on the first night, but sustained an injury. He gamely attempted to ride again on the second night, but only aggravated the injury. Physicians say he may be unable to participate in the tour for two-six weeks. More information on earnings, standings, riders, bulls, and everything PBR, may be found on their website, www.pbr. com , which is updated several times daily.

abqsportsmag.com • 25

MMA fighter Julie Kedzie

is the embodiment of a true martial artist. As intelligent as she is tough, she is an articulate spokeswoman for female fighters. Not everyone agrees that fighting is a girl thing, but Kedzie begs to differ. She is quick to extol the hard work and commitment of the women in mixed martial arts, a sport generally dominated by men. In fact, if you meet Julie, she can quite likely convince you of many things, not because she could enforce the point upon you with a round house kick to the head (a feat of which she is quite capable). On the contrary, Kedzie is so bright, articulate, genuine and passionate, that it is difficult at times to reconcile her personality with what she does for a living. However, that is just the point: most MMA fighters are actually quite intelligent, caring people. They also happen to be adrenaline junkies, hell-bent on conquering their fears and mastering their universe. Kedzie, loyal and caring, and with a degree in English Literature, is an ideal steward of MMA and specifically female MMA. On April 9th Julie will take on Kaitlin Young of Minnesota Martial Arts as the main event of the Jackson’s MMA Series IV at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Both fighters are ranked in the top ten and have been on a collision course for several years. “Kaitlin and I are good friends. We both had success in the Hook and Shoot fight promotion and have both fought on televised cards,” Julie said. “I have great respect for her, as I do all my opponents. It’s an honor to compete against her,” she adds.

Julie Kedzie:

True Martial Artist

Kedzie moved from Indiana, to train under Greg Jackson four years ago, when they met at an event, in which Kedzie and Jackson’s fighter Joey Villasenor both competed. “It was on the Elite XC card,” Kedzie says, a historic first for MMA as it was aired live on CBS. “Coach Jackson invited me to come to Albuquerque and the rest is history,” she says with a gleam in her eye. With the fight just weeks away, Julie is putting the finishing touches on another fight camp. With a record of 14-8, she is considered a veteran of the sport, and she trains right alongside the men of Team Jacksons, preparing for a fight, which is creating a big buzz in the industry. Get your ticket to the show, watch the strength and grace that Julie displays when she competes, and make sure to pick up the May issue of Albuquerque Sports Mag for full coverage of the Jackson’s MMA Series IV.

Story By Dave Friedlander Photos by Carlos Montoya

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