'Meant to be'

The two senior ropers only had each other to look to when it came to registering for the Dinéland Senior Rodeo Association Finals last year in Fort Defiance.

"All my partners just ditched me," said Leonard Nez. "By the time I showed up there was really nobody around."
The only other roper in the area was Frank Kinlecheenie, who was sitting with his wife, Sarah Kinlecheenie, and his brother Leon Kinlecheenie.

"We were just sitting there and (Leonard) came up and asked me for $150 to sign up," Frank recalled. "I gave him the money and we signed up. We ended up taking that contest with the best average."

"Yeah, I just used to see him around," Leonard said about Frank. "I didn't know him. It was until my partner dissed me. When I got there nobody had put me down as their partner. All the guys that I rope with are all gone. They were already roping with somebody else.

The two figured that they would just take a chance and see what happened.

As of Oct. 30, the duo was crowned National Senior Pro Rodeo Association team-roping champions in Winnemucca, Nev., after competing in the Senior National Finals Rodeo.

"There are things that are considered accidental," Leonard said. "I don't think teaming up with Frank was accidental. I believe that it was meant to be."

The two have since competed within the Southwest circuit but Leonard believed that with Frank as his header and with the competition they've been beating, he convinced Frank to purchase a NSPR membership.

"I wanted to win the world championship," Leonard said. "I knew we could. I believe in us and I was confident."

"He said that back in December that he wanted the world championship," Frank said. "After we took the Southwest circuit in Las Vegas back in October, that hit the nail right on the head for us when it came to the national finals."

Another roper congratulated Leonard and Frank at the finals well before the competition ended knowing there wasn't a chance to catch up with the team known locally by rodeo announcers as the "Navajo Wranglers."

A family tradition

Frank, 56, is originally from Lower Greasewood, Ariz., and remembers running around as a child with a lasso in hand. His family has a legacy as ranchers and rodeo competitors.

He is Kinyaa'aanii (Towering House Clan), born for the Tsenjikini (Cliff Dwelling Clan). His cheis are Taabaaha (Edge Water Clan) and his paternal grandparents are Kinlichii'nii (Red House Clan).

He has been married to Sarah Kinlecheenie for 30-plus years and raised six daughters and one son. They have 13 grandchildren.

Five of his nephews compete in the junior and Grand Canyon Rodeo Association circuit. Ranching and roping has been with the family as far back as Frank remembers.

"I remember being 10 years old carrying around a rope," he said. "I was roping out there out on the range at the ranch. That went on into high school where I was competing in high school rodeo."

At the time he attended Snowflake High School. After high school he continued to compete and recalled placing third and fifth in the U.S. Team Roping Championships in 1990 and 1991. This was his rookie year in the senior pro rodeo circuit.

At his age, Frank said there was a time when he wanted to take a break from roping but the urge to ride, rope and the taste of competition was too sweet to let go.

Frank credits his family and grandchildren for keeping him youthful.

"My family and wife have been there for me," he said. "My wife she's been there, always encouraging me. She said to me, 'When you have a goal you set your mind to that goal.' She's the one that pushes me. Sometimes I slow down and kind of get weak and she's the one that gives me that boost. My children believe in me and they back me up.  They're like my backbone.

"My grandkids, they give me that inspiration," he said. "That youthfulness. This is something for them, to show them. So that when they grow up this is there for them."

Inspiring the young and showing that at any age anything is possible is behind his passion.

Traveling to rodeos is all that he's done this year. He's accrued 30,000 miles on his truck, which his grandkids named "Big Booty Judy."

Throughout the year he only missed four rodeos due to sickness of himself or Leonard or not getting time off from his job as a maintenance worker for Tohaali Community School.

Of course when it comes to traveling family is always close.

"My brother Leon always travels with me," Frank said. "He's the one that makes sure the horses are fed. He makes sure that the horse is warmed up before I take him out. He helps a lot."

It's clear that a champion needs family to succeed.

Confident beginnings

It became clear to Leonard that their meeting was more than accidental.

"I don't think it was accidental," he said. "Nothing like this happens by accident. This was meant to be. We were meant to win this year.

"With the way he ropes I knew I could rely on him," Leonard said. "I told him that I wanted to win the world championship. I had that confidence in us. I wanted to give everyone a run for their money so we went full blast in the NSPRA."
Convincing Frank to purchase a membership was easy. The rest was up to their competitiveness.

Leonard, 54, is originally from Teesto, Ariz., and currently resides in To'hajiilee with his wife Marian Nez. They raised four children - two sons and two daughters - and he has seven grandkids, two boys and five girls.

He is Ashiihi (Salt Clan), born for the Bitahnii (Folded Arms Clan). His maternal grandparents are Totsohnii (Big Water Clan) and his paternal grandparents are Tachiinii (Red Running into Water Clan).

Roping came later in life for the self-employed silver-and-gold jeweler.

"I started roping when I was about 27 years old," Leonard recalled. "I had a great mentor. His name is James Begay Sr. To this day I have a great mentor in Victor Begay as well. He's one of the guys that will tell me when I'm doing something wrong."

His grandson Derrick Begay, a bull rider, is also a mentor and inspiration.

"I got family that I look up to," he said. "It's the way I was brought up - rodeo and ranching."
This is the first major win he has earned.

"To me, like it was all worth it," Leonard said. "It was all worth the traveling we did and the encouragement we got from the NSPRA members. They kept telling us to keep going, keep going. 'You guys can do it,' is what they said. I remember talking to my wife and telling her that I wanted to win world champ."

Together they took the association by storm. They feel that if they can do it anyone can.

"I know there are people on the rez that would do some damage if they tried joining the NSPRA," Leonard said.

"There are a lot of good cowboys and cowgirls on the reservation that can do things," added Frank. "If we can do it, someone else can too."

Local bull rider Tustin Daye qualified for the IIFR for the first time this year.

"I felt kind of excited," Daye said. "I was just getting ready for it, practiced for it every week by going to different bull-riding events.

Daye got two qualified rides out of four, a 69 and a 77.

He said he won the Kayenta wild card by chance.

"I was glad to get on those bulls," he said. "I tied for second or third, for the average, so I had a good time."

In the bareback event, Rock Point, Ariz., native Ferlin Tsosie stole the show on Saturday night with a 76-point ride. The 17-year-old Red Mesa High School student said he tried not to let the excitement get to him.

"I was excited and I was real happy and felt good," he said. "I wasn't nervous, I was happy. When I saw the horses, it was kind of scary. They were big and it was my first time getting on those kind of horses."

Tsosie thanked his family, mentors and sponsors.

"I want to get a world champion title," he said. "Rodeo was in my family for a long time. My mom's uncle was a bareback champion and I want to be too."

Back to top ^