The Southwest’s source for rodeo, roping & barrel racing news and information
ll-Around May 2010
Volume 16 • Number 5 $2.00
USTRC New Mexico Championships
Open: Jake Cooper (Monument, NM) / Jimmie R. Cooper (Monument, NM), 37.21 on 5, $2,662
#15: Lane T. Ivy (Amarillo, TX) / Pedro Maestas (Los Lunas, NM), 28.59 on 4, $3,692, National Shoot-Outs worth $3,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings each
Story and pictures courtesy of SuperLooper Magazine
T
eam roping and New Mexico go together like a hand and glove. The USTRC’s New Mexico Championships kicked into gear April 2-4, 2010 and team ropers from 13 states and Canada came to try their hand at some
awesome USTRC team roping. The event is held at Expo New Mexico and provides ropers with some great team roping, good food and a total team roping experience. Twenty-four-year-old Shane Big from Kayenta, Arizona enjoyed the roping a lot. He and his partners took home almost $11,000 in cash, a pair of trophy Martin saddles and a National Shoot-Out worth $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings. “This was a great roping and I had fun,” said Big. “It was just one of those days. I was pretty fortunate and pretty lucky.” Big began in the #11 where he and Roy Begay roped a quick steer in 6.27 seconds. The time was good enough to give them a check for roping the second fastest steer of the roping. “Roy and I had roped together only once before,” added Big. “He is a good header and I liked roping with him. I really liked the steers. They were good and they were strong, but that is the kind I like to rope.” Big then hit it “big” in the #9 Division. He teamed up with Erickson Littleben and they won first and second overall fast time. The team also stopped the clock in 36.33 seconds on four steers to claim first place in the Average. The win gave them $10,412, trophy Martin saddles and a National Shoot-Out worth $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings. “Erickson and I had never roped together before,” said Big. “I got to the
roping early and we both needed a partner so we teamed up. It was great.” Big started roping at an early age and he enjoys the sport of team roping and all it has to offer. “Roping runs in my family. My grandparents and parents rope. We have always ridden and worked cattle so roping just came naturally,” said Big. “I have been doing team roping since I was a kid and I really enjoy roping.” Big attended the Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping for the first time in 2009 and has aspirations of attending again. “My goal is to go to the USTRC Finals again,” said Big. “I went last year for the first time and it was a great experience. I had never been to anything like it ever before and so I want to go back this year.” Another team that enjoyed some success was Patrick Nelson and Octavious Wartz. The team took home an amazing paycheck of $9,812 in cash money for winning the Average of the #10 Division. They also received trophy Martin saddles and a National Shoot-Out worth $6,000 in USTRC Flex Earnings. The pair received the great payout for catching four steers in 36.72 seconds. The New Mexico Championships is one of those ropings that you cannot afford to miss. The experience is awesome and the production is even better. continued on page 2