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Nov 1, 2014

#10 Preliminary Friday Oct 31 2014 National Finals


#10 Preliminary
2014 Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping
Friday October 31, 2014
By Melinda Clements
          The label “Young Guns” comes to mind.  The younger ropers are more and more making a mark on the sport of team roping.  They are fearless, aggressive, competitive and an upcoming force to contend with.  They have no reservations about anything.
          You could label Louisiana team ropers, Cody NesSmith and Mason Pitts as “young guns!” The two young men complement each other.  They have a certain chemistry.  Despite living some two hours apart and rarely getting into the practice pen together NesSmith and Pitts are making a difference.  They are subtly changing the playing field.
          The young ropers were the high call back team going into the short go round of the #10 Preliminary at the 2014 Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping.  When you visit with them they seem to exemplify and illustrate a wisdom far beyond their years.  They want to win and are willing to do what it takes and what needs to be done to do exactly that.
          A win in the #10 Preliminary average would pay $26,300 plus Martin Championship Trophy Saddles.  The short go round was faced paced and exiting.  Twenty-nine teams were serious about taking home the money and the saddles.
          When NesSmith and Pitts rode into the box for their final steer the writing was on the wall.  They had to rope their steer in an 8.23 or better to take the lead from the second high team back of Pake Cox and Blake Wheeler.
          “I wanted to catch,” NesSmith said. “I knew Mason would catch if I did my part.”
          Pitts did, indeed, catch.  The pair posted a time of 8.05 on their last steer and brought the #10 Preliminary to a close.  The win in the #10 Preliminary was theirs and theirs alone.
          What a feeling of exhilaration!  As the pair made a victory lap around the arena NesSmith and Pitts were ecstatic.
          “I want to invest part of my winnings in a new horse,” NesSmith said. “I also want to keep roping.”  He figures his cut of $26,300 will allow him to do exactly that.
          Pitts figures he will help his mom and dad make some improvements on their place in Louisiana.
          “That is a lot of money,” NesSmith added.  “We don’t practice together but my practice at home depends on where I’m going to rope next.  I like the label “young guns.” We both want it.  I just hope we can live up to what that title means.”
          At this point in time it isn’t about labels.  It is more about two young men from Louisiana who love to rope.  They rope well together and their labels will come in due time.  They have taken the first steps toward defining who they are and making their own labels.