Cruel
Girl Championships
2015
Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping
Wednesday
October 28 2015
Shawn
Tee Rodenberger and Ali Bilkey
Do not ever underestimate or overlook
the lady team ropers. They kind of stay in the background, riding and working their
horse, honing their skills and then suddenly they erupt with the intensity and
tenacity of a cornered bear cat.
They are aggressive, disciplined,
focused and committed. They know what they want and how to go about getting it.
One should never underestimate what the Cruel Girls can do.
Eighteen teams were coming back for
the short go round in the Cruel Girl Championships. The ladies were looking at a first place
purse of $16,200 in cash, Martin Championship Trophy Saddles, a $1000 Cash
Bonus and a one year Cruel Girl wardrobe.
The top eight teams in the average would receive a paycheck. It was a total payout of $62,160 spread
across the board.
The short go round would be
competitive. It was anyone’s ball game
but one thing was certain; they all came to rope and they all come to win.
Ashley Odonnell and Courtney Small was
the third high call back team. When they
took the lead in the average with a time of 39.75 there were two teams left to
rope. Shawn Tee Rodenberger and Ali
Bilkey was the second high team back. The
pair needed a time of 11.66 to move Odonnell and Small out of the driver’s
seat. There was one team left to rope.
“I already knew what I needed to do
and what I needed to see,” Rodenberger said, “I know what I need to see when I
ride into the box. I had seen Ali rope
and there was no doubt in my mind she could rope. I was not worried about her.”
“I try not to let the pressure get to
me,” Bilkey added. “I try not to let it bother me.”
Bilkey, a student at West Texas
A&M in Canyon, Texas is a transplanted Californian. “I go to school in Canyon and we have never
roped together. This was our first time.”
When Rodenberger rode into the box she
appeared confident and on track. She
nodded and everything connected. Bilkey
wrapped up the run and the pair posted a time of 8.88 to take the lead in the
average with a time of 36.96. With one
team left to rope. Both ladies wondered silently if their lead would hold.
Cheyenne Jinks and Whitney Desalvo
would wrap up the short go round. The
pair roped their steer in fine form with a time of 9.30 but it would not be
enough to move Rodenberger and Bilkey.
The pair would take the win in the average of the Cruel Girl
Championships with a time of 36.96 on a four steer average.
“This is my second year here,” Bilkey
said. “But this is my first USTRC National Finals Saddle. I think it will be a trophy saddle for a while.”
“This is our first time to ever rope
together,” Rodenberger reiterated. “I had seen her rope. I wasn’t worried. I
knew what she could do. I knew she would do her job.”
Both ladies feel work ethic and
horsemanship are very important.
“Practice is so important,” both
ladies agreed. Both have a lot of faith and commitment to the horses they ride.
“My horse will do his job,” Bilkey
emphasized. Both ladies were pleased with the roping. “It’s a good place to
rope,” Rodenberger continued. “I won here in 2001 and my win here today will
help me do something for my boys.”
As the ladies paused for the awards
one could sense the quiet humble demeanor that makes these ladies
champions. They know that horsemanship,
work ethic and commitment count. The ladies of the USTRC—don’t ever overlook or
underestimate them.
