Why I Want to Win at the Jackpots
0Ever since I started to work at getting faster at heading for the rodeos, I began to start struggling at the jackpots. I have always wanted to be a good jackpotter. I had some success at an amateur level jackpotting in open ropings, but that was when I mainly went to the jackpots and not as many rodeos. Nowadays, I go to more rodeos than I can count!
My jackpotting has suffered due to my efforts at having success at the rodeos. When I first started roping, much like everyone when they first start roping, all I did was enter jackpots. Therefore, when I worked at my roping, I was focused on the upcoming jackpots I was going to enter. When I first set down and wrote out my goals for roping about 6 years ago, one of my first original goals was to win the USTRC Open Tour. In 2009, I won the Open Tour in the Heading. That year, by the way, was the first year Buddy and I really began to rope with each other. We entered everywhere we could. We went to the amateur rodeos a little bit and went to every jackpot we could find, and we won! We did really well that year. We both wanted to win the Open Tour on our ends, but that didn’t happen… I ended up wining the Heading side and Buddy won second on the Heeling side. Kind of a bummer for both of us, but we were still excited for what we had accomplished as a team that year. After that year, I began to really focus on my rodeo heading. I started to take more chances to win and forced myself to learn how to be fast in competition. As a result, my consistency dropped. I would miss more. My handles struggled a lot and Buddy and I didn’t profit as much as we had hoped for. Since that year, 2010, I have done ok at the jackpots, not that great, but as a result, my heading at the rodeos shot way up! That is what I was hoping for anyway. Now that I have reached some goals at the rodeos, I am balancing out my focus between the rodeos and the jackpots now. I know I can win at the jackpots, I just need to work at it more. I have the experience now to understand what the rodeo season is like and I have learned a lot more about knowing when to take chances and knowing when to back down and catch. All of that comes with experience. All that being said, I am looking forward to these next couple months of jackpots so I can put what I have been practicing into competition. I am looking to have success at the jackpots. After all, with the way rodeo is set up now, we, as team ropers, have to capitalize on the jackpots in order to make money.
This is the Buddy Hawkins and I taking a picture after we got our prizes for the USTRC Open Tour in 2009.
I have always like going to the jackpots. Its more than just roping and winning at those. In order to win at the jackpots, you have to have a good horse, you have to be consistent in every aspect, from scoring to handling steers, and above all, you have to be mentally tough. As I sum this blog up, I am starting to think about a few memories. When I first started roping, as I said earlier, I went to jackpots all the time. What I didn’t realize is that I was making memories with my dad. Those times that my dad would take me to a jackpot are some of the most favorite times I have as a professional team roper. Now, my dad likes to come watch as many pro rodeos he can get to. I don’t want to take that for granted. My dad has been huge for my roping success and I will always remember that. DH
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