# 9 Preliminary
2015 Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping
Saturday October 31 2015
Cody Davis and Clayton McLaughlin
For Texas
team ropers, Cody Davis and Clayton McLaughlin, being the fifth place high team
coming into the short go round of the #9 Preliminary was a good place to
be. At that point, it was almost a
win/win situation. The pair had roped
well to get into the short go round and even if they ended up fifth place they
were assured of a paycheck.
Hamish Harley
and Buddy Adkison was leading the average with a time of 40.19 on four steers. Some teams struggled to make qualified runs
in the short go but Davis and McLauglin knew one thing for certain. A good solid run in the short go round would
assure them of a paycheck and both men wanted to do well and make a good run.
The pair
needed a time of 10.06 on their steer to move Harley and Adkison. $20,200 would
be awarded to first place in the average plus Martin Championship Trophy Saddles.
“I wanted to
take my best shot,” Davis said. “I wanted to have fun but I wanted to do well.
I wanted Clayton to have his shot. We
have roped good all day.”
“I struggle
with horse position,” McLaughlin said. “I just wanted to catch. A lot of teams were
having problems so I wanted to make a good run.”
Davis and
McLaughlin did exactly what they intended to do in the short go round. The pair posted a time of 7.51 to move to
first place in the average of the #9 Preliminary.
As the last
four teams roped there were a lot of problems.
Perhaps, it was nerves, lack of concentration and focus or just trying
too hard but three teams failed to make qualified runs and one team legged
their short round steer. Suddenly,
winning the average of the #9 Preliminary fell into place for Davis and
McLaughlin.
“I watched a
couple of teams go after we roped and realized we really did have a chance,”
Davis commented.
“I actually
thought we were done after we roped our steer in the short go round,”
McLaughlin elaborated. “I cannot believe how it worked out for us.”
With buddies
and friends chiding them and giving the pair a hard time in the prize area it
was a bit chaotic. Buddies and friends
were kidding and teasing about how they could help the pair spend a little over
$20,000.
“I’ll
probably put my money in the bank,” McLaughlin said with a serious tone in his
voice despite all the teasing.
“I’m probably
going to buy a new saddle,” Davis commented. “Evidently, his new trophy saddle
was going to be a “trophy” saddle for a while.”
The pair were
a little hyper, understandably so. They had
roped together, perhaps, three or four times before their debut at the 2015
Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the
pair made a pact after their win in the #9 Preliminary to keep roping
together. It would be a wise
decision. They complement each other
quite well.
