Local boy makes good in Tennessee

WINDOW ROCK

After five rounds of boys’ breakaway at the National Junior High Finals Rodeo, Tuba City cowboy Trey Begay is sitting in the driver’s seat.

Begay posted a run of 2.14 seconds in Monday night’s performance at the James E. Ward Ag Center in Lebanon, Tennessee.

“I roped him pretty quick but I didn’t think I roped him that quick,” said Begay, who recently completed his eighth-grade year at Rocky Ridge Boarding School.

Going into his run, Begay said he wanted to make sure that he caught his draw to stay in the average. Begay will get his second draw on Friday morning with the top 20 contestants making it back to the short round on Saturday morning.

“I’m going to make a (business-like) run to make the short round,” Begay said.

This is Begay’s second time competing at nationals, having qualified two years ago as a sixth-grader.

Gallup breakaway roper James Arviso also posted a time earlier this week, stopping the clock in 3.98 seconds in Monday morning’s performance.

“I watched that calf run and he ran pretty hard,” Arviso said. “The guy that had him before me missed him so I knew I had to be aggressive.”

Arviso is scheduled to get his second calf on Friday night and as a first-time qualifier he’s hoping to make the short round too.

“I’m looking forward to next round,” he said, while adding that roping his first draw is helping build his confidence.

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