8/29 Drew Horner: Uncoiled. WestStar Roping

As I was getting ready for the roping today, I was thinking about how awesome this particular roping is and the hospitality from the family that produces it. Scoot and Jo Repp and their family puts on the Best of the Best Open Team Roping and Calf Roping for the best cowboys in the world. It’s a phenomenal event!  One of the best ropings we go to all year!

I always get excited about coming to Ellensburg, Washington this time of year. It’s the end of the year and everyone is making that last push to make the finals. With it being such a pressure time, it also is a time to slow down a little bit and enjoy life out here. This is a great time of year. We get to go to a great roping at the WestStar arena and get to go the rodeos while we stay at the Repp’s arena.

When I saddled up and got on my horse, I felt the anticipation coming. I always get excited when we are about to compete at a big event. It’s fun! It’s competition at the highest level! I love it! Although I didn’t win anything at the roping today, I still really enjoyed the roping. It’s an impressive production.

This is the time of year that everyone needs to bring their ‘A’ game, and they do!  Whoever is still on the road full time this time of year typically has been having a good year.  This helps the WestStar roping bring out the best in our sport. It’s a 5 round roping, and pays money to 8 places, along with some great prizes. I roped with Buddy Hawkins and Chase Tryan. Buddy and I didn’t do well throughout the roping, but Chase and I made the Short Round, the final round of the roping where the top 15 teams out of all the previous rounds qualify. This is where the money is won. You need to make the short round.

Anyway, we were the 11th callback to short round, the 11th fastest team out of the first 4 rounds, and I broke the barrier and missed… Not a very good way to end a roping! I wasn’t to happy about that. Although I didn’t win anything and didn’t rope that great, I will still be back at this roping for as long as I am on the road! I hope you guys get to see this roping one day, cuz it is really fun!

I didn’t even talk about the atmosphere out here! It’s a family friendly environment with lots of great people and a ton of good food! They have a pro am roping before the open roping for amateurs that want to rope with a pro, and a silent auction with some great sponsored items!  If you like roping and are a fan of the sport, this is a roping you MUST see or be apart of. Great event! Thank you Repp family for what you do for us.

Drew Horner