#12 Shoot Out
2016 Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team
Roping
Tuesday October 25 2016
Brenten Hall and Buddy Bledsoe
By Melinda Clements
Do
not ever let anyone tell you team ropers are not a versatile and talented
group. They have been known to
exchange horses or not, use heel ropes to head and rope up and back just to
challenge themselves and or their peers.
I suppose that is what makes team roping fun, challenging and exciting. When we are so serious we loose the fun
of what team roping is then we miss the point and lose out on what really
matters.
I
labeled them the three B’s in my mind. They made me smile as they needled each
other and played around. The
seriousness coupled with the jabs of humor indicated their love for the sport
of team roping and a camaraderie that is very special. They naturally had
something to celebrate and I was pulled in by their unique way of expressing
themselves as we discussed the #12 Shoot Out at the 2016 Cinch USTRC National
Finals of Team Roping.
All
three called themselves “Cowboys” with emphases on cowboys. They were an
awesome threesome and between the three of them they were sorting out about
$140,000. When it was all said and
done Brenten Hall would pocket $50,000. Buddy Bledsoe would pocket $70,000 and
Blake Larmon would pocket $20,000.
“It
was a little nerve wrecking toward the end,” Hall commented. “I rode my back up
horse today and I just wanted a good start. This is all pretty overwhelming.”
Hall
and Bledsoe were the 5th high call back team going into the short go
round of the #12 Shoot Out at the NFTR in Oklahoma City. Thirty teams were coming back in the
short go round and they were paying fifteen moneys. Add to the money a prize
line of Martin Championship Trophy Saddles, Gist Championship Gold Buckles,
Tony Lama Boots and Western Horseman Collector’s Prints and it didn’t get any
better than that.
The
phenomenal thing was that Bledsoe and heeler, Blake Larmon just happened to be
the sixth high team back in the short go round and they were leading the
average with a time of 32.54 on four head. As Hall waited for Bledsoe to ride back up the arena he
couldn’t help but wonder how all this was going to work. Hall and Bledsoe needed to be 8.44 to
move Bledsoe and Larmon. Now, if
that isn’t confusing enough Bledsoe never even changed horses. He merely differentiated the boxes and
rode in to rope again.
When
Hall nodded he was committed, focused and on track and he had absolutely no
doubt Bledsoe would be there despite it being the pairs first time to
rope. Sure enough the pair posted
a 7.18 to take the lead with four teams left to rope.
“Buddy
has no fear,” Larmon commented. “We are regular partners and it is always fun
and interesting. I knew Brenten and Buddy would make an awesome run.”
“Today
was our first time to rope together,” Hall explained. “It was exciting.”
It
took me a minute to realize there was more going on with these three guys than
meets the eye and I felt as if I’d missed an inside joke. They were frivolous, light hearted and
ecstatic over the results of the roping.
“I
do all I can,” Bledsoe said seriously. “I try to drag every steer into Blake’s
loop.”
“He
has no fear, never changes horses and rarely changes ropes,” Larmon jabbed
back. “I begged him to, at least, please change ropes.”
What
was it with these guys? Perhaps the payoff had, indeed, made them giddy.
All
three guys watched as the short go round played out. To make a long story short Hall and Bledsoe won the average
with a time of 31.27 on four steers and Bledsoe and Larmon placed second with a
time of 32.54 on four steers.
As
cameras clicked and cell phones rang and relatives congratulated the threesome
I discovered camaraderie and a fellowship that describes all team roping is.
Hall,
at seventeen years of age rode his backup horse in the #12 Shoot Out. Bledsoe used the same horse to head and
to heel and Larmon, despite being a bit nervous, was having a good time. He
felt comfortable giving all the money to his wife knowing, without a doubt, it
was safe in her hands.
“My
family is at home watching this on the internet,” Bledsoe said with a serious
look on his face. All three ropers
were very serious in front of the camera’s and yet, it appeared, only they knew
the inside joke.
“This
was the third short go round this week,” Hall’s mom commented. “I guess you
just learn to deal with the ups and downs of team roping and know it works or
it doesn’t but that is team roping and it is okay. Hall handed his mom his checks and buckle and did all he
could to maintain a serious composure.
I wondered how any of them could not want to shout out loud and shout
with glee to the heavens.
The
#12 Shoot Out is in the history books.
Watching these three ropers is indicative of the versatility of the
cowboy culture. They are talented,
committed, discipline and fun loving spirits. They are tough, competitive and embrace each other with a
spirit that defies definition.
They are replicas of the cowboy culture and they express and define that
in this sport we call team roping.
It is, indeed, America’s favorite cowboy sport. If roping is the most fun then watching
is at least second most fun.
