#13
Preliminary
2014
Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping
Sunday
October 26, 2014
By
Melinda Clements
No
matter what language you speak joy and exhilaration are the same. The smiles are the same, the feelings are the
same and the pressure is the same.
Jorge
Marrufo hails from El Paso, Texas. In
any language team roping is the same.
You work hard, you rope hard, you haul and you practice and you devise a
game plan with the same hope and promise of winning at the sport you love best.
His English may not be the best but his roping certainly is something to be
proud of. Roping is one universal language no matter your culture.
Jorge
Marrufo loves to rope. There is always
lots of pressure in trying to rope well and win. Marrufo and partner, Romeo Moreno live too
far apart to practice or even rope much together. Moreno is from McAllen, Texas so the
logistics of the pair getting together on a regular basis is questionable and
next to impossible.
“This
in only our second time to rope together,” Moreno explained. “We live too far
apart. We were both pretty nervous. I
knew Jorge would catch but I just wanted to be sure I followed up for him.”
“I
was very nervous,” Marrufo said. “There was a lot of pressure.”
Marrufo
and Moreno was the high team back coming into the short go round of the #13
Preliminary at the 2014 Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping. Garett Chick and Colton Lee had posted a 7.76
earlier to take the lead in the average.
Marrufo and Moreno needed a 9.83 to take the lead.
Marrufo
was also the eighth call back team with his son, Orlando Enriquez. When Marrufo missed the head loop for his son
it almost blew his mind. Talk about
pressure. He had one more shot with
Moreno and more than anything he did not want the opportunity to slip from his
fingers.
“I
was so nervous,” Marrufo kept saying.
“Very nervous! I felt really bad missing for my son. I just want to be
sure and catch for Romeo. Senti mucho
presion! Yo estaba muy nervioso!” Marrufo kept muttering the same thing over
and over again.
When
the pair rode into the box they spoke the same language. They both wanted to take the win in the #13
Preliminary. That is a universal goal.
When
Marrufo nodded he was focused on this steer, this run and making this one
work. He left little for error. Moreno followed suit and grabbed up two
heels. The pair posted a time of 7.72
and the win was theirs. What a feeling
like no other, the pair were exuberant.
“We
just hope for good luck and that things would work out,” Moreno said amid
family and friends. “This is my third saddle and I am very proud of this one.”
The
pair would split a payout of a little over $21,000.
“I
plan to buy a horse and just keep roping,” Marrufo said. “I want us to keep roping
and do well.”
As
Marrfo and Moreno shook hands for the camera the grins and thrill of winning
needed no interpreter. Both ropers knew
they had been blessed with some good luck.
“Winning
this roping is important because we live to far apart to practice or rope much
together,” Moreno emphasized. Apparently
they are a compatible pair and it is obvious they work well together.
As
the crowds cleared out Moreno and his family hung around to get some additional
pictures.
“We
will be here for several more days,” Moreno said. “Hopefully, we can do this
again.” Winning the #13 Preliminary at
the 2014 Cinch NFTR proved a blessing and winning is the same no matter what
language you speak.
