Ladies Night Out: Crownpoint cowgirl wins all-around race in tight finish

CROWNPOINT – The all-around race at the Eastern Navajo Fair Ladies Night Out Rodeo was a fight to the finish.

Only $61 separated the top three as Crownpoint cowgirl Cassidy Begay fended off a strong push from Arizona cowgirls Jocelyn Co’nei’sen’ney and Jareth Curley.

Begay placed second in the barrels and third in the breakaway roping, which paid her a total of $668.70. The win on Saturday night earned Begay the coveted all-around saddle.

This was the 21 year-old’s second all-around title at the all-women’s rodeo at the ENF. Five years ago she was awarded a squash blossom for said title.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been back here,” Begay said of being in the winner’s circle.

Co’nei’sen’ney collected $634.30 for placing first in the team roping with heading partner Debbie Robbins. She also earned a paycheck in the barrels with a fourth-place effort.

Curley came in next at $607.60 with a first-place win in the barrels and fifth-place effort in the breakaway.

“This is great,” Begay said. “I’m just glad that I accomplished this. I just want to be a role model for the younger kids.”

Begay turned in a 17.804 run in the barrels behind Curley’s winning time of 17.579.

“I’m just really proud of my horse because he’s come a long way,” Begay said of her equine, Liam. “I just got him started on barrels. When I got him, he only knew team roping so it’s nice to have come this far.

“I mean, Jareth’s horse is pretty seasoned,” she added. “Her horse has been to the INFR and the WPRA rodeos and for my horse to come that close is just a really good feeling.”

Since her horse has moved over to barrels, Begay has put a lot of trust in Liam.

“The word Liam comes from the Bible, and it means protector,” Begay said. “His name is just powerful, and I believe he’s gonna give me a good run every time. You know, I have never knocked a barrel on him. He’s a really good horse and I really admire him.”

In the breakaway roping, Begay turned in a 3.2 run on her 19 year-old horse named Honey.

“It’s great to win this with her,” Begay said. “She’s helped me win three saddles, so I like to thank her for that. She’s also come a long way because when I got her she was a bronc horse.”

Co’nei’sen’ney credited Robbins for giving her a good handle as the pair recorded an 8.48 run.

“Debbie stuck it and I just had to go in there and do my job,” Co’nei’sen’ney said.

Despite turning in a clean run, Co’nei’sen’ney ran into some trouble on her end.

“I don’t know how I pulled that shot off,” the 19 year-old cowgirl said. “I actually lost my coil, so I thought about regrouping, but I just told myself to just go for it.”

Co’nei’sen’ney added a fourth-place run of 18.229 run in the barrels that put her in the running for the all-around title, of which she was unaware.

“This is my first year here at Eastern Navajo Fair and it’s always good when you can go to a rodeo for the first time and win it, especially with Debbie,” Co’nei’sen’ney said. “We haven’t roped since March, and we finally got to rope together again.”

After making a so-so run in the breakaway, Robbins rebounded in a big way by winning the team roping competition with Co’nei’sen’ney.

“I knew that we had a short score line, so I went with it and caught it,” Robbins said. “Once I got a hold of it, I turned it and then I let my healer take care of everything else.”

In the barrels, Curley maneuvered through the clover-leaf pattern with her prized horse, True Grit. The pair turned in the rodeo’s fastest run at 17.579.

“This was a pretty good setup,” the Beshbetoh, Ariz., cowgirl said. “We came in a little earlier and I saw that they (rodeo committee) wet the grounds, so the grounds were good.”

In the breakaway roping, Sheila Sells turned in a sizzling 2.82 run. Earlier on Saturday, she turned in a no time during the open show rodeo.

“I had to redeem myself from the afternoon performance,” Sells said. “I was totally off my game this afternoon and so I had to regroup and make sure I did it right this evening.”

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