#12 Gold Plus Shoot Out
Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping
Tuesday October 23, 2012
Oklahoma State Fairgrounds Coliseum
By Melinda Clements
Sometimes
life puts us with those that can bless us the most. For whatever reasons paths cross it is not ours to question
but only to embrace the blessings that come our way.
Colt
McGargish and Micah Lynch is a coupling that blesses them both. They both love
to rope, both are family oriented and both have goals of accomplishing bigger
and better things.
The
hours the pair spend in the practice pen, the focus on discipline and the goals
to reap the rewards of their hard work occupied their minds leading up to the
2012 Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping.
“We
roped every day getting ready for this roping,” McGargish said. “There are just
a lot of things to think about and plan for. We practice to catch and do things right.”
“We
practice hard,” Lynch concurred. “It’s a family thing and we work hard at it.”
McGargish
and Lynch had roped well all day long.
Planned or not their focus and discipline had worked well throughout the
course of the #12 Gold Plus Shoot Out.
The pair was the high call back team going into the short go round. The roping was one of the best. The prize line was phenomenal. First place high money winner would
drive home a 2012 Ram Rodeo four door dually truck. Second place high money winner would claim a Case IH Framall
75A Tractor. Winning the average
would pay $55,900 as well. No
wonder the pressure infiltrated the coliseum. It was mind-boggling.
The
short go round proved to be a very competitive fast paced action packed go
round. A lot was on the line and
ropers were willing to do whatever it took to be a part of the final product. Only one half a second separated the top
five teams coming back in the short go round. Every team that roped in the #12 Gold Plus Shoot Out would
receive a paycheck. With a truck,
a tractor and a total payout of $264, 200 nerves were on edge. Pressure was
mounting minute to minute.
The
top three high call back teams were like lions waiting to be fed. It was tedious; nerve wrecking and the
caged lions stalked the perimeter.
McCargish and Lynch wanted the win but so did everyone else. When the third high call back team
posted a time of 8.22 to take the lead in the average the pressure moved from a
simmer to a rolling boil. Ab
Hendley and Joey Martin were not backing down and they were not afraid. They were already assured $35,000 with
a second place performance. They
rose to the occasion and posted a time of 7.87 to move into the lead with one
team to rope. It all fell in McCargish and Lynch’s lap.
“I
didn’t watch or focus on what was happening,” Lynch said. “It was exciting but
we had one steer to rope and I had the easy part. I was confident Colt would do his job and allow me to do
mine.”
The
pair needed a time of 8.14 or better to take the win in the average. A good practice run echoed through both
men’s minds. When they rode into
the box it became a matter of roping and roping right, mistake free. The pair did exactly that and
when Lynch nabbed the heels it brought the crowd to its feet. The pair had accomplished their
greatest goal.
“I
just give God all the glory,” Lynch said. “That makes it all worthwhile.
Following
a brief action packed rope off it was determined Lynch would take the truck and
McCargish would be awarded the tractor.
It was overwhelming and almost beyond reality.
McCargish,
as a single dad raising a six-month-old son, hopes his winnings will make a
down payment on a place.
“I’m
so thankful for Micah and his wife.
Micah’s wife keeps my son for me and they are at home. I hope to make a payment on a place and
buy better horses to keep roping.”
Lynch’s
daughter is also a roper and it humbles him and makes him proud that she ropes.
“My
daughter is a header and that is the tough end,” Lynch said. “I have the easy
part heeling.”
For
McCargish to be close to Lynch and his family is a blessing beyond belief. They have been put together for a
reason. The reasons God puts
people in our lives is to bless them and both McCargish and Lynch know their
win today was a blessing beyond understanding. Winning the #12 Gold Plus Shoot Out is a gift both men will
treasure and relish for a long time.
It is not doubt things happen for a reason.
