Coming home

Tsingine, Begay take time off busy schedule

CHURCH ROCK, N.M.

Aaron Tsinigine couldn’t have asked for a better summer.

The Tuba City, Ariz., cowboy moved from 19th to a season-best third in the PRCA world standings during the Cowboy Christmas run in early July with heeling partner Ryan Motes.

Both cowboys produced solid runs in four rodeos over the Fourth of July weekend and won $20,010 each, which was the most among team ropers in the PRCA ranks.

“We made the same run every time, and we just had a lot of luck over the Fourth,” Tsingine said. “From there everything got easy, money-wise.”

They actually got their summer run started a couple of weeks before by finishing second in the prestigious Bob Feist Invitational in Reno, Nev., behind event winners Erich Rogers and Cory Petska.

Fellow Diné roper Derrick Begay finished a close fourth with heeling partner Clay O’Brien Cooper.

“That was cool to be up there with all those guys,” said Tsinigine of their impressive finish among the Navajo ropers at the BFI.

At the BFI, Tsinigine said they slipped a leg in one of the early rounds but they fought their way back.

Needless to say, their momentum took off from there as he is currently sitting sixth in the world standings in the headers position with $61,928 won at press time.

Because of his windfall, Tsingine took a break from his PRCA schedule to take part of the 94th annual Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial rodeo.

“Coming back to these Indian rodeos is like a breath of fresh air,” he said. “I like coming to this because you get to see family and friends. You feel right at home and it doesn’t matter if it’s in Idaho or Montana – you get to see the people you grew up with.”

Begay, who also took a much-needed break, concurred.

“This is what I was raised on,” the Seba Dalkai, Ariz., cowboy said. “I think I have been to every rodeo on the reservation, north and south.”

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