#12 Preliminary
2013 Cinch USTRC National
Finals of Team Roping
Monday October 28 2013
By Melinda Clements
By Melinda Clements
It
is a pretty safe bet to say that Georgia header, Zackary Thrift, won’t forget
going to college in Oklahoma. In fact,
this year at school may be one he will hold in his heart for a long time.
“I
didn’t even know we were the high team back coming into the short go round,”
Thrift commented. “This is my first
USTRC National Finals and I was just trying to rope well.”
Thrift
and draw partner, Chad Baker had, indeed, roped well together. Twenty two teams were coming back in the
short go round and a little over two seconds separated the top teams. It had been a competitive, aggressive, and
focused roping with every roper involved and wanting to be a part of the
action. It was a good place to be on a
Monday evening at the 2013 Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping.
As
the short go round unfolded it quickly became evident it was going to be a
quick paced, action packed short go round.
“I
didn’t watch the short go round,” Baker said. “I wanted to maintain my focus
and was thinking about catching two feet.
You have to draw the cattle to win a roping like this and I was hoping
for a good steer.”
There
seems to be a lot of pressure involved when you are the high team back. Thrift knew as the round drew to a close what
the pair needed to do.
“I
just tried to cut out all the noise and focus on roping this steer. When I found out we were the high team back
it stirred my nerves but it also made me a little hungry. I wanted this one.”
There
was a little over a second separating the top six teams. When the second high call team of Jake
Ratliff and Jason Bagwell took the lead with a time of 8.02 in the short round
Thrift knew he needed a good solid run.
He had his game face on and was ready to rope. He wanted to own this
short go round.
When
the pair backed into the box only one steer mattered, only one steer would
determine the end result. It didn’t
matter what had transpired throughout the day. All that mattered was right now.
Thrift
knew his horse and he knew the possibilities. He was ready to rope.
His focus was on track and he
knew in his heart things happen for a reason.
He was paired with Baker for a reason so he wanted this to work.
Baker
and Thrift needed a 8.72 to take the win in the roping. He nodded and tuned everything out but this
one run. When the flagger signaled the
run was over it was close. The announcer
paused and Thrift’s heart skipped a beat.
“How
about a time of 8.63,” the announcer said. It was exactly what the pair needed
to hear.
“This
is my first finals,” Thrift commented. “It worked out really well pairing up
with Chad. I’m glad we got to rope together.”
Both
men have a tremendous respect and mutual feeling for the importance of their
horses. They feel horsemanship makes the
game.
“I
grew up with this horse,” Thrift commented. “In short I was raised with this
horse and he is all of my roping.”
Baker
agreed. “Horsemanship is absolutely everything. I worked for Trevor Brazil and
he taught me the importance of good horses.”
Team
Roping is about new opportunities, new friendships and the chance to experience
roping at its best. Thrift will not be forgetting this year’s USTRC National
Finals any time soon. He has a new
saddle, a new roping partner and a new experience to show for his first trip to
the Cinch NFTR. It is a pretty safe
thing to say this probably will not be his last trip here.
