Rodeo Round Up
The Weight of a Gold Buckle- How a Shiny Piece of Hardware Can Change a Cowboy's Life
by Kendra Santos
 |
There is only one gold buckle. It’s awarded to world champion cowboys each year, and regardless of how fancy and full of silver, gold, diamonds, and
rubies other buckles may be, no other can compete when it comes to recognizing ultimate achievement in cowboy sport. You can spot a gold buckle from across a crowded room. The traditional look of the iconic cowboy trophy is unmistakable, and what it stands for is unparalleled accomplishment. He with the gold buckle goes down in history as the very best in his game eac given year - period.
Ever since we were little kids, we dreamed about being the world champion,
says reigning World Champion Team Roper Walt Woodard, who rocked the rodeo world with a cowboy comeback for
the ages in 2007. “That’s Mount Everest. You want to climb it and stay on top of it.
Woodard won his first gold buckle back
in 1981, at a spry 24 years of age. He left the
full-throttle rodeo road for many years to
build a reputation as one of the renowned
teachers of next-generation ropers. But
Woodard returned a couple of years ago to
defy all odds by taking aim at another gold
buckle. The naysayers theorized that his
fundamentals-based teachings were obsolete
in the modern era, but Woodard, a master at minimizing mistakes, proved
them wrong and strapped on his second gold buckle at the age of 52.
| |
 |
| |
Mote responds to his fans with a flourish of his hat at the 2007 WNFR Buckle Presentation. |
“In my thinking, the world championship is the key that opens the door,” he says. “Whether your goal is to go catch a 1,200-pound marlin
or to shoot the biggest bull elk in the world, when you’re the best in the world at anything there are doors that open for you. If you don’t walk through the door, you’re wasting your opportunity.”
The gold buckle is a gift you give yourself. And the undying dedication, sincere
sacrifice, and complete commitment that go into every such treasure pay some pricey dividends if you play your cards
right and parlay your arena success into life beyond the chutes. Woodard recently announced that 2008 is his final season in rodeo’s fast lane. “If you stay out here too long with the golden ticket it turns to brass,” he says with a smile.
Native Californian Woodard and his son, Travis, are building a full-service roping training center in Stephenville, Texas. The guy who’s earned guru status among the growing worldwide roping student population will soon open a state-of-the-art facility complete with an outdoor arena, covered indoor roping arena, clubhouse, and even a couple
of stocked fish ponds for post-roping relaxation.
Defending World Champion Bareback Rider Bobby Mote also loves to rope. But the friendly Oregonian makes his living with a riggin’ in hand at the roughstock end of the arena. Mote won his first gold buckle in 2002, and like many—if not most—first-time titlists he expected a smoother, easier road to follow. Sure, the title came in handy when it came to negotiating sponsorships, but along with it comes increased pressure to stay on your game. It’s tough to rest on your laurels when you’re the guy everyone’s gunning for.
| |
 |
|
Bobby Mote at work winning the World at the 2007 WNFR |
“They say success is easier to attain than it is to maintain, and that’s definitely true,” Mote says. “After I won the world champion title in 2002, I felt like I
kept doing the same things that got me there the first time. But I didn’t win it again. I decided I needed to work harder and realign my priorities. This year, after being through this once before, I know I need to work harder at keeping my physical condition up and I need to keep trying to improve my riding. There are young guys coming along every day that ride better than they did the last year.”
“Often, in the early evening, when the
stresses of the day are weighing heavy, I
pack it in and head out to the pasture.
I’ll sit on my favorite
rock, or just stand, with my shoulders slumped, head down, and wait. It’s never
long before I feel the magical tickle of
whiskers against my neck, the elixir of
warm breath across my ear, a restoring
rub against my cheek. I have spoken
their language and they have
responded. And my problems have
vanished.”
From The Soul of a Horse: Life
Lessons From the Herd by Joe Camp.
(Harmony Books, 2008) |
|
|
Because the professional rodeo season is basically year-round, most gold buckle freshmen are somewhat surprised to realize that the race is on again right after Christmas, which falls just after the world championship-determining Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
“One of the times of most mixed emotions for me is right after you get that gold buckle and they take all the pictures and you come out of the NFR press
room and they’re tearing the arena down and everybody’s already talking about the next year,” Mote says. “My goal is to repeat this year, and I’m working harder at it now than I did last year, no doubt. The hard part is that everybody who’s entered has the same goal.”
The occasional cowboy comes along who wins one gold buckle and rides away. Others look to longevity. It means something to a guy like Mote to have proven he’s no one-hit wonder.
“What sets guys who win multiple titles in any sport apart is knowing what it takes to win it all and giving it everything you’ve got,” he explains. “You can’t let the fact that it all starts right back over again burst your bubble. You have to go right back out there and mix it up.”
Kendra Santos has been Rodeo Editor for AC since the magazine’s founding in 1994. She lives with her husband and two sons in Creston, Calif.
On The
RODEO ROAD
Brought to you by
Playoff Dates Set
The race is on to see who will take home the $1.62M in total prize money
during the 2008 Ariat Playoffs.
Established in 2007, the playoff format pits the top 35 contestants in each
event from the Wrangler ProRodeo Tour based on total money won during
the season, as well as the event champions
from the Dodge National Circuit
Finals Rodeo, in a knock-out elimination
tournament. Winning cowboys compete
during the final four events of the
ProRodeo tour. After the third round,
the top 10 contestants in each event will
advance to the Wrangler Pro Rodeo
Tour Championship Nov. 7-9 in Dallas.
The schedule for the 2008 AriatPlayoffs, which will be broadcast on
FOX Sports Net (FSN), is below. Visit
www.ariat.com and www.prorodeotour.com for updates.
CALDWELL ROUND Aug. 11-16 Caldwell Rodeo Arena
Caldwell, Idaho
Caldwell Night Rodeo
PUYALLUP ROUND Sept. 5-7 Western Washington Fair Grandstands
Puyallup, Wash.
Western Washington Fair
OMAHA ROUND Sept. 25-27 Qwest Center
Omaha, Neb. River City Roundup
ARIAT PLAYOFFS CHAMPIONSHIP Nov. 7-9 American Airlines Center Dallas Texas Stampede
|
[Sidelights]
COLLEGE RODEOS
OF THE YEAR, as determined by the
National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association
and National Intercollegiate Rodeo
Foundation. Southwestern Oklahoma State
University (Central Plains);
Casper College (Central Rocky Mountain);
New Mexico State University #3 (Grand
Canyon); University of Tennessee-
Martin (Ozark); Walla Walla Community
College (Northwest); College of
Southern Idaho (Rocky Mountain);
McNeese State University (Southern); Howard College (Southwest); University
of Nevada-Las Vegas (West Coast)
MOST IMPROVED COLLEGE RODEOS
OF THE YEAR,Colby Community College (Central
Plains); University of Wyoming (Central
Rocky Mountain); Navajo Technical
College (Grand Canyon); Troy University(Ozark); University of Idaho (Northwest); Utah Valley State College
(Rocky Mountain); Wharton County
Junior College (Southern); Texas Tech
University -Lubbock (Southwest); Lassen College (West Coast). |
|
