Yesterday and today was the big roping event. I went to Waco Texas for the USTRC Regional Finals qualifing in three roping catagories. Roping is kinda like golf where you are ranked based on your ability and past performance. There are several catagories where you team up with another roper (your choice) to form a team and your team enters a roping catagory that matches your qualification. I roped in catagories 12, 11 and 10. At these roping I actually have a pretty good chance to win but if you can imagine all of the variables that go into roping (your own performance, your team partner's performance, both you and your partner's horses and then there's the steer your competing against). With all this said, it can get a little dicy sometimes and you can get in a rut and not do well. All in all my performance and my horses performance was very good. I came very close to winning big in one of the three catagories and somewhat close in another. I feel that we (my partners and I) had a couple of bad breaks. Even though I didn't get in the price money it was a very good weekend for me, I don't expect to win at every competition I go to...it's actually very tough to get in the prices competing against up to 300 other teams that are basiclly classified as you and your partner. The horse I rode is getting better and better at these big events and I'll be ready to go to the next one.
A few of you asked for photographs. Here is a link to the photographer's website where you can see many of my roping runs at the event.
http://www.allensrodeophotos.com/
Enter 33324 into the "Find Your Proofs" (at the right of the page)
Select me 33324 Preston Tatum (you should be able to view all the pictures by clicking on the thumbnails)
There are many other pictures of me competiting in the "Proofs On Demand" if you're really interested. It might get a little confusing in alot of the other pictures because I am riding a variety of horses (mostly a white horse) and roping the heel end (back feet). Reciently I have gone back to the head end (roping the horns) after many years of layoff from the head end (that's a long story...I can tell you later if you really want to know).
Anyway...there's Team Roping 101 ... Enjoy... :-)
Jeremiah 4:13 Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled. | 