Thursday, March 28, 2024

Young cowboys prove they’re among the best

Young cowboys prove they’re among the best

Navajo Times | Adron Gardner
Jared Todacheenie and Alonzo Begay make their run before clinching the team roping title during the Pinnacle Bank Best of the Best Timed Event Rodeo at Red Rock Park June 24. They finished their three run aggregate in 28.01 seconds and pocketed $3,780 each in the average. Both cowboys also earned a first place check of $750 in the opening round with the 5.66 effort they turned in.

RED ROCK PARK, N.M.

Jared Todacheenie and Alonzo Begay got the storybook ending they wanted.

The two Indian Wells, Arizona team ropers were counting their blessing at the conclusion of the Pinnacle Bank Best of the Best Timed Event Rodeo here last Saturday night.

In a wild finish both ropers moved up two spots in the average race and emerged as champions in what looked like a disastrous run in the short round as the two high call-back teams recorded a pair of no times.

“Sometimes that’s how it plays out,” Todacheenie said of the unfortunate mishaps turned in by the two teams ahead of them.

With a three-run average of 28.01 seconds, they each pocketed the top prize of $3,780. They edged the team of Briena Wells and Zaine Mikata by 0.33 seconds as that pair moved up four spots in the average race.

In addition to those two ropers, Ramah cowgirl Kassidy Evans finished fourth in the average race in the breakaway event and Coyote Canyon cowboy Hiyo Yazzie capped the four-day rodeo with a second place finish in the short round performance.

After two solid runs in the team roping, which included a first place win in the opening round, Begay had some trouble on his end in the short round performance. The recent Holbrook High graduate failed to catch the back end of his steer. But by some miracle he managed to grab his missed loop and on his second attempt they recorded a 13.29 run.

“We got lucky,” Begay said of the short go, which allows each team to rebuild if they miss on their first attempt.


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About The Author

Quentin Jodie

Quentin Jodie is the Sports Editor for the Navajo Times. He started working for the Navajo Times in February 2010 and was promoted to the Sports Editor position at the end of summer in 2012. Previously, he wrote for the Gallup Independent. Reach him at qjodie@navajotimes.com

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