Priefert US Open Sunday Oct 27 2013

Priefert US Open Championships

2013 Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping

Sunday October 27 2013
By Melinda Clements

 

          It is almost a bit bizarre the attraction we have for our mentors and the stars in our game.  All of us are a bit in awe of celebrities around us.  We find ourselves wishing we could be as good, as important, as famous and so on and on goes the list.

          We are that important.  Perhaps that is the attraction of team roping.  It helps us to realize we, too, have a shot at greatness even if only for a brief moment in time.

          There was a strange attraction drawn from greatness that made its presence known in this year’s Priefert US Open Championship.  An odd, if not unusual pairing, that revealed all men are able to achieve greatness and fame.

          In this business of team roping team work makes dreams work and no one realized it more than Open Header Aaron Tsinigine.  He honored his humble beginnings and treasured his moment of fame.  He would use it to further a promise to his people and show them all things are possible.

          Tsinigine was realizing his dream.  A poor boy from the Indian reservation in Arizona Tsinigine knew where he began and he also knew where he wanted to end up and how he was going to get there.

          “This is the first U.S. Open I’ve entered with Clay,” he explained.  “I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.  I wanted it so bad and I worked so hard to get here. I am honored. I had put one hundred percent in my practice.  I was down and needed to be up so I went home and started working hard in the practice pen and I think it paid off.  I just had a good feeling about today.”

          Tsinigine had good reason to have a good feeling about the day.  He and partner, veteran team roper, Clay O’Brien Cooper were the second high team back coming to the short go round of the 2013 Priefert US Open Championships. $100,320. was on the line plus Martin Championship Trophy Saddles, Tony Lama Ostrich Boots, Gist Championship Gold Buckles and Western Horseman Collectors Prints to first place in the average.  It was the best team ropers in the business vying for the title.  No wonder Tsinigine had a good feeling.  It was all beginning to fall into place.

          “We have made progress roping together,” Veteran heeler Clay Cooper commented. “We have made enough runs I’m comfortable roping behind him. There is no doubt you have nerves going into a roping like this one.  I was waiting to see how Aaron reacted. You just go and do your job.”

          Less than one second separated the first and fifth teams going into the short go round.  The roping would be fierce, competitive and fast paced.  Every single roper had his eye on the $100,000 plus payout for first place.  It made any Open Roper hungry and determined.  Nothing at all would be left to chance.

          As the second high call team Tsinigine and Cooper knew what they had to do.  They had watched as the third high team, Kaleb Driggers and Travis Graves, took the lead in the average with a time of 32.91 on five steers.  They needed a time of 6.59 to move into the lead in the average. 

          “I knew if I did my job Clay would be there for me,” Tsinigine said with a shy grin. “I wanted to get out without breaking the barrier.  I was happy about second place and first place didn’t matter.”

          When he nodded for the steer Tsinigine was focused and Cooper was right with him, both on the same page and the same commitment.

          “The steer stumbled leaving the chute but I was already committed so I roped,” Tinigine said. “I couldn’t do anything else and for a brief second I wondered if it was going to work but I was already committed to throw and it came together.”  Cooper moved in to complete the run and pair posted a time of 5.85 seconds to take the lead from Driggers and Graves.  They rode out the back gate assured of no less than second place in the average with a total time of 32.16 and a pay check worth $66,880.

          The surprise came when the high team back failed to make a qualified run.  It was a rare thing for an Open Roping short round.  Suddenly for Tsinigine having a good feeling about today took on a whole new meaning.

          “These cattle were big and strong,” Cooper pointed out. “I think this run was the best run of the day.  It is a good feeling to win this roping.”

          Savoring the win Tsinigine is humble and thankful.  It has been a long time coming. 

          “In the last couple of months more and more people know who I am,” Tsinigine said. “I am honored and there are more and more Native American people beginning to realize what they can do. I’m thankful to be a part of that.  Derrick Begay and Erich Rogers have set the stage for that and now I’m thankful to be a part of that also. It means a lot for a boy from the reservation to be able to rope with someone like Clay.”

          Greatness comes in various forms and champions come from humble beginnings.  Sometimes being a champion involves more than what happens in the arena.  Aaron Tsinigne and Clay O Cooper is a good pair.  They represent all that is right and the promise of what is possible in this sport called team roping.