PRCA regular season coming to a close

Begay, Rogers and Tsinigine make WNFR

ALBUQUERQUE

A lot was said on Sunday about what mental shape and physical condition most of the cowboys were in.

With the regular season winding down some of the top cowboys in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association ranks made the 19-hour trek overnight from Pendleton, Ore., to take part of the New Mexico State Fair.

Some were there to add to their season winnings while the others were trying to punch their ticket to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The top 15 cowboys qualify for the WNFR, which will be held Dec. 3-12 in Las Vegas, Nev., at the Thomas & Mac Center.

Rough Rock, Ariz., cowboy Erich Rogers was one of those cowboys who competed in the short round at the Pendleton Round-Up on Saturday before he made that grueling trip to make Sunday’s performance.

He made it as far as Cortez, Colo., before he had to find other means to making it into Albuquerque.

“I drove all night and I overslept so I had to charter a plane to get here,” Rogers said.

Rogers placed seventh in the average at Pendleton Round-Up while Seba Dalkai, Ariz., cowboy Derrick Begay finished third and pushed his year-end total to $94,867 with roping partner Clay O’Brien Cooper.

“We got our steer down and we made a little money there,” said Rogers, who pocketed $1,320 in Oregon.

As for Sunday’s performance, Rogers had some tough luck.

“I was going pretty fast and I was trying to float it out there but I missed,” Rogers said.

Fellow Diné roper Aaron Tsinigine, meanwhile, exceeded his expectations by finishing third with a 5.4 run with heeling partner Ryan Motes as both cowboys collected $3,384 for their efforts.
“We had to be a 6.3 to win fourth or fifth,” Tsinigine said. “We’re just trying to win some checks for Ryan and I think that run secured his spot.”

Going into last week’s standing, Motes was No. 12 in the heeling position but with their successful weekend the Weatherford, Tex., cowboy moved up one spot with a $69,474 in earnings.
Last season, Tsinigine made his first WNFR without his partner as Motes finished three spots of qualifying.

“That really helped Ryan right there,” Tsinigine said of their run. “Now he can go home and rest a little easy.”

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