sports

Short round qualifiers have an off night at nationals

By Quentin Jodie
Navajo Times

CHURCH ROCK, N.M., July 4, 2013

It was not the type of finals they anticipated but for Ky Farland and Zane Munoz they savored what they could during the championship round of the 2013 National Junior High Finals Rodeo.

Both cowboys faced some hard luck on Saturday night after having an eventful week during the national finals that took place at Red Rock Park on June 23-29 in Church Rock, N.M.

In the bull riding event, Farland nearly covered his short round bull before he was bucked off six seconds into his ride.

"I wanted to ride that bull," the Tonalea, Ariz., cowboy said. "I thought (the bull) was going to turn back to his left but he jumped forward and he got me off my rope."

According to his dad, Ky Farland, his son has been on a roller-coaster ride where he's hot one week and cold the next.

"He rode some good bulls coming into this rodeo," his dad said. "But today it didn't come through. He started booting up but that bull moved forward and that loosen him up a little bit."

Nonetheless, the older Farland said he was proud of his son's progress. Last year the two-time NJHFR qualifier had a tough time riding bulls that went into his hand. But for the most part he's gotten over that.

In fact, he past that test with flying colors as his first round bull went to his right for most of his ride.

"That was his downfall," his dad said. "If the bull went to the right he was guaranteed not to make the next round."

Admittedly, Ky Farland said every time a bull would do that he would lose his rope and get slammed.

"I've been riding a lot of bigger bulls and I've gotten better," the younger Farland said. "I'm riding with more confidence."

By covering his first bull, Farland finished the finals 15th overall.

Munoz, on the other hand, made the short round in two events but he posted two no times in both the boys' goat tying and team roping events.

"You know I made the short go and not a lot of kids can do that in their lives," said the Gallup eighth grader when asked if there were any positives to reflect on.

In the average race, Munoz's best finish came in the team roping with partner Kyle Lucero as the pair posted a 28.696 on two runs. As a team they finished 18th overall.

In the goat tying, he placed 20th with an aggregate of 22.899 seconds by completing two of his three runs.

"My draw was the worst one and everyone else had a good goat," Munoz said.

Nonetheless, Munoz said he learned a lot about himself despite having an off night.

"It taught me no matter what happens don't give up," he said. "You just have to keep on pushing."

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