Cruel Girl Championships
2016 Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team
Roping
Wednesday October 26 2016
Lari Dee Guy and Courtney Small
By Melinda Clements
If
you ask Lari Dee Guy how you compete in a man’s sport she will tell you
emphatically to “rope like a girl!”
When Guy and partner, Courtney Small, got it together during the 2016
Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping they put together some runs that
would make any roper sweat, male or female.
The
pair sizzled as they came back third high team in the Cruel Girl
Championships. The roping had been
tough all morning and the top nineteen teams came back for a shot at the short
round and Martin Championship Saddles, a Cruel Girl Wardrobe and a $1000 cash
bonus. The roping would pay five
places in the average plus the prize line. First place would pocket
$16,600. It was no wonder the
ladies were aggressive and quite competitive.
When
the fifth high team back posted a time of 9.21 to take the lead in the average
the pace quickened and it was anybody’s game. Guy and Small needed a time of 11.31 to move Shannon
McCright and Becky Cannizzaro. The
last four teams were on a mission.
The pressure was on to take the win with an all or nothing frame of
mind.
Ordinarily,
you will find Guy on the heel side but this time she rode into the box with
heading on her mind.
“We
just got together today,” Guy explained about roping with Small. “We’ve known each other and seen each
other rope but just never have roped together until today.
“I
just wanted to focus and catch,” Small added. “We literally just got together.
Heeling is a hard job and I just wanted to catch and complete the run. It was important to wrap it up right.”
“I
have won this roping heeling but this was my first time to head,” Guy
said. “For once I was glad I
wasn’t heeling.”
When
the pair rode into the box they each had “catch” on their minds. Both ladies wanted to do what was
needed to win the average. They
had roped well and this was one more steer to deal with.
The pair made a smoking run of
7.84. It was the fastest time in
the short go round with two teams left to rope. Guy and Small rode out the back gate and waited to see how
things would shape up.
Lydia
Martin and Whitney Deslavo posted a time of 9.43 but it wasn’t enough to move
Guy and Small. The high team back
failed to make a qualified run.
Both Guy and Small took deep breaths and discreetly applauded their win.
Both
ladies gave their horses a lot of credit.
Guy rides a mare she has had about a year and is partners with Trevor
Brazile on the horse. She is proud
of the mare and glad she was able to win on her. It is Guy’s first heading
saddle at the Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping.
Small
has had her horse since he was a two year old. She gave him a lot of credit for winning her first National
Finals saddle. The ladies plan to
pair up again later in the week.
Small
offered this advice to any young ladies wanting to rope. “Stay dedicated and
work hard. Heeling is a hard job
and it takes doing what needs to be done. It is all about hard work and a good
horse.”
Despite
the pair never having practiced together they make a good team. Guy advised for others to follow their
heart and “rope like a girl!” Roping like a girl is how you compete in team
roping. I think the advice is
solid. Guy now has a heading and
heeling saddle from the NFTR.
Evidently there is some truth that adage about roping like a girl. Then
again, both ladies rope as tough as any ropers I have ever seen. Don’t be misled. They are a force to contend
with at any roping.
