Home  News & Results March 2010 Beth Cooper Memorial Results
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Beth Cooper Memorial Results |
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Liquid Sunshine Dampens the Fun at the Beth Cooper Memorial
For the first time in several years there were 3 barrel futurities in as many weeks. The first week was dry and uneventful, weather wise. Then came the rain and more rain; week 2 saw the hard working crew at the Buckeye covered arena having to move stalls to higher ground and moving warm up areas to accommodate the multitudes who expect to come to the Valley of the Sun not the Valley of the Sludge.
If conditions weren’t bad enough at Buckeye the skies opened up again on Tuesday prior to the Beth Cooper and dumped even more rain on the big outdoor pen at Casa Grande. Rube Woolsey and his right hand man, Blaine Tow had the presence of mind to rent a blade from Mitch Earhart @ Earhart Equipment in Tucson and got the ground sealed prior to the deluge but even that was not enough to have things ready for the normal four day event.
Of all the great runs that were made none of them could compare to the efforts made by Rube & Blaine at the Walking N Arena. They made it clear that without the generous use of the equipment that Mr. Earhart provided their efforts might have not been enough to “pull it off” even for the abridged version. Each year we thank our partners at the Walking N but it never meant quite so much as this year and we add that thanks to a guy we never even met – thanks Mitch!
There is something about the Beth Cooper that nearly each year the results have something to do with family. Whether it be a family of horses via their breeding or a family of barrel racers; over the years more often than not that family thing is predominate. The 8th edition is no different. The Futurity Champion, Terri Wood-Gates has competed against her mother, Norma Woods, for as long as she has competed. Both ladies always ride nice horses; horses that Norma’s husband – ergo, Terri’s dad, Glen has bred. This year added to the mix is the Champion equine GW Jenny Lou whose mother is a full sister to Norma’s best rodeo horse, Boscoe Fame. The Woods family don’t stand a stud of their own but Glen’s ability to always keep the right mares in his small broodmare band is a testament to the kind of horses that they unload at any given barrel race. They are not only a threat to their competitors at the barrel races but also at the race tracks around the mid-west, nearly all of their colts go to the track prior to the arena, a testament to the training ability of the Wood’s gals.
On her way to the Championship Terri won second in both the go-rounds, behind Susan Siggins aboard Tellers Rocket in the first round and Viki Friedrich riding Blaze Ta Thunder who ran the fastest time of the event. Terri’s total take on Jenny Lou $5,316.06, and since she entered two head Terri also won 6th in the average on Jenny Lou’s ½ sister, GW Sierra for an additional $1,132.55. Both mares are by the barrel horse super star sire Dash Ta Fame.
Reserve Champion in the 1D Futurity is a name well known in barrel racing circles – Judy Myllymaki of Arlee MT took part of last year off to have a hip replaced. Never one to let a little thing like that slow her down Judy brought another Dash Ta Fame bred colt (this time on the mama’s side) Smart Fame is co-owned by Judy and daughter Rachael. So you see where we go with this “family” connection. The mob’s got nothing when it comes to family where the Beth Cooper is concerned.
The 2D Champion traveled from the cold country of South Dakota. Owned by Erling & Linda Olsen, Kristie Thorstenson jockeyed Devils Freckles to win $1,872.18.
With $8,000. added money the total payout in the futurity was $33,019.
This year’s Amateur Champion is a continuation of that family thing – Courtney Dobson aboard Mom & Dad’s Dash Ta Fame’s mare Cooking Up Trouble to win both go-rounds and the average. It’s rather ironic that our new Amateur sponsor is a son of Dash Ta Fame – John Fame and his owner Land Farms and Daren Longfellow. Thanks to John, Ralph Land & Daren for their participation.
Our sponsors make our Futurity so special. When the decision was made to remember our friend Beth we just did it, mostly because we’re lousy at asking for sponsorship dollars. Laurie Nichols made the first phone call and she and her husband Howard along with their daughter, Kasey & husband Dan Etbauer from the 4N Ranch offered to sponsor the Futurity. They have never waivered and will again be with us in 2011. Friends like that are very special!
Also in our corner with the sponsorship of the Maturity is the gang at the Mountain Rose Ranch, Tony & Elyse Cullum and Dallas & Valerie Howell. When they started out they added $1,500. they are the ones who have said “let’s add more”, tough decision to make…even us blondes know to say yes.
Thanks, also, to the Potter Ranch for their free breeding donation to none other than “Dinero” the flashy palomino stud who not only has won tons of money for Sherry Cervi but his colts are doing the same. Terri Wood-Gates had already planned to breed to “Dinero” so she was plenty thrilled to win a breeding.
Then along come our neighbors, Bob & Deb Meredith, who also have an own son of none other than Dash Ta Fame and out of Deb’s good mare “Wings” and offer a hundred dollar bill to each go round winner…another “no brainer”.
To you our friends, our sponsors….for Beth’s memory, we thank you!
We can’t have a Futurity without mouthing the babies to make sure that they are indeed babies, our thanks to Dr. Darrel Kramer and his wife Sharon who come out each year and check teeth, they donate their time so graciously and are a definite plus to the entire production.
Future Fortunes, Inc. has become an integral part of the Beth Cooper. Many of the contestants who come to warmer climates in the winter are able to compete at the $10,000. added bonus money for Future Fortune eligible colts. Because of the participation of FF not only has our Futurity grown but there are now many more colts from this part of the country that are from FF stallions. This year 20 colts were competing for their owners and stallions. Congratulations to Denise Taylor of Utah for being the FF Champion riding Chicks Are Perks by Smoke N Sparks.
The one head Maturity, also a 2D format, was won by a first time competitor to the Beth Cooper. Samantha Flannery, also of South Dakota, made the trip with 2 of her own horses and rode 3 others between the Futurity & Maturity. None shined brighter on this given day than her own CM Stoney Bubbles which she bought as a baby, the runt of the sale, Sam says he has grown into one of the biggest colts she has ever rode. Since Sam doesn’t rodeo and the colt is too big to work on their ranch (getting off and on a big horse is not conducive to ideal ranch work) she has him for sale. Sam says she never cries as all of her colts go to other people but that this one will be tough to part with. She says he is so laid back that her boys could ride him but since they both rope, they too want the shorter version of equine athletes.
A list of results would never be complete without Rayel Robinson’s name. And this year is no different, Rayel brought back Grant Little’s super horse from last year’s Futurity Championship to win Reserve in the Maturity.
The 2D Champ is none other than Dude Overton, our minister (along with husband Bill) at the church service held each year. Dude and Bill share the training responsibilities on all of their nice barrel horses and it’s a toss of the coin as to who will get the jockey duties, their decision was the right one for Cash To Class one of the many Paint horses entered at the Beth Cooper.
No event, no matter how large or small, can be done without a crew and Didi and I have the best. Virginia Rogers has been with us since the first year and is invaluable. Gena McNeil is the 4th leg of our office crew and is a joy to work with, not to mention a whiz with the computer stuff. This year the Central AZ College rodeo team handled the not-so-fun task of setting barrels all day and into the evening and my brother Dave takes the stress off running the gate. Muchas Gracias to all!
In spite of the weather shortening up the event by a couple of days we did get in two of the three planned open BRN4D approved races. The “Long & Short of It” is two separate races with an average for those who want to participate. Typically, the long (standard pattern) is run first on Thursday, this year it was the “short” pattern being run first and that done on Saturday after the 1st go of the Futurity. Then the long pattern was run Sunday in the same slot. Complete results follow.
After a year like we have had one wonders about doing it all over again, but like they say, what doesn’t kill ya’ makes ya’ stronger, so plans are set for the 9th annual. As always our first desire is that all who compete do what Beth did…enjoy! See y’all next year~keep ‘em all standin’!
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