#9 Preliminary
2016 Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team
Roping
Saturday October 29 2016
J J Richard and Eric Hoelting
By Melinda Clements
The
nine days of the Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping always proves to be
a hive of activity. It is non-stop
team roping with the best ropers in the business and each event during the
event opens doors, changes lives and makes lasting impressions on everyone
involved.
Team
Roping has a way of taking hold of us and it never lets go. It is fun, addictive in the best sort
of way and brings together families, friends, strangers, teachers and students,
kids and anyone else who might have saddled a horse or picked a rope in their
life time.
The
#9 Preliminary would be the last roping for the day on Saturday October 29th
and it involved a total payout of a little less than $70,000 and Martin
Championship Trophy Saddles, Gist Trophy Spurs and Gist Championship
Buckles. The top twenty teams
would be coming back for the short go round and first place would pocket
$19,100. The roping would pay
eight monies in the average and as everyone geared up for the short go round
nerves were on edge. Everyone
wanted a little piece of the action and winning would be a great way to close
out an eventful Saturday afternoon.
When
the short go kicked off it seemed pressure and nerves were toying with game
plans and strategy. The teams were
a little hyper and perhaps trying a little too hard. There was an underlying tension that triggered
overreactions.
Ben
Butt and Katie Nolan was the eleventh high team back. The pair posted a time of 7.61 to take the lead in the
average with a time of 41.79 on four head of steers. The pair held on tight and watched several teams go out
without making qualified runs.
When
J J Richard and Eric Hoelting rode into the box for their short round steer the
pair was determined and focused.
Hoelting had made his presence known earlier in the week with his win in
the #10 Gold Plus Shoot Out.
Hoelting was roping with his best friend and number one “practice guy.”
The
pair needed a time of 14.36 to move Butt and Nolan. They needed a good solid
practice run.
“I
had already missed one for my son,” Hoelting said. “I hated that and didn’t
want this one to get away. I wanted this win in the worse way. I had already
felt some pressure by missing for Camden.”
When
the pair backed into the box they were focused and on track with one team
remaining. Richard called for the
steer and did what he needed to do.
Hoelting heeled the steer and stopped the clock with a time of 8.60 to
move into the lead. One team
remained. With a leg the top team
failed to move Richard and Hoelting and they took the win in the average of the
# 9 Preliminary with a time of 36.02 on four head of steers.
“I’m
getting kind of used to this circle,” Hoelting said with excitement in his
voice. “I’ve never ever had a week
like this. It’s unreal. I’m so
glad to win this with my practice guy. We are best friends and rope all the
time.”
Richard
mirrored Hoelting’s thoughts. “We practice all the time at his house. We are roping tomorrow in the #9 Shoot
Out and many thanks to Eric’s mom for providing the horses. We rope a lot and this win is so
exciting. This is my first short
go round at the Finals ever and I can’t believe it. I will never forget it. We
do a lot of roping and it sure paid off today. I think I will be able to pay
off some bills.”
As
the pair finished up with the photo session and received their prizes one
wondered how things would shape up for tomorrow. Regardless, of what happened this week in Oklahoma City it
had been enlightening and fun. It
had been a week to remember. The #
9 Preliminary was in the history books.
It was a roping and a week Richard and Hoelting would not soon forget.
