million dollar team roping cooper camarillo

If you are going to Las Vegas for the NFR, then run out to the Million Dollar roping at South Pointe and watch two legends rope on Tuesday.  Roy Cooper and Jerold Camarillo!  There is young guns, and there are champions.  You might want to bet on the latter.  Two of the worlds best known ropers in tie down as well as team roping will partner up and compete at 4pm on Tueday December 7th, at the South Pointe.  You really need to be there. Good luck Jerold!

Changing the Game - How the Camarillo Family Revolutionized the Sport of Rodeo

If you love team roping, and the history of rodeo, you're going to want to get your hands on a copy of Changing the Game - How the Camarillo Family Revolutionized the Sport of Rodeo.  Its going to be available Fall 2010.  Watch the trailer at:  www.facebook.com/changingthegamedvd

Young Guns

Jerold gets excited everytime a new student masters a lesson, or he hears about students doing well.  He has lots to be proud of this month.  A number of his students (all adults) competed at the ACTRA Finals in California and numerous youth students competed at the junior high, and high school level rodeos as well.  The Camarillo's also had a good showing at the NCJRA Finals last month where students placed well and collected awards and cash, including a Steer Stopping Year End Champion Title.  The JHSRA first two District 5 rodeos of the season were held in conjunction with the first two District 5 HSRA rodeos.  There were numerous Camarillo students, both boys and girls, competing and placing.  Two Camp Jerold cowboys, (one each from jr. high & high school) faired very well. The high school cowboy won a 1st/2nd in Tie Down Roping and 1st in the Average, 1st/3rd Team Roping (as a Header) and 1st in the Average, Senior All-Around Cowboy.  The junior high competitor finished with a 1st/1st Breakaway, 1st/2nd Ribbon Roping, 1st Team Roping (as a Heeler), 1st/1st Goat Tying, Junior All-Around Cowboy.  Note: the JHSRA rodeos did not have an average.  Other Camp Jerold students did well, placing in various events.  In the past 6 months there has been a steady increase in youth students at the teaching arena (Camp Jerold) in Oakdale, CA and you can see the competition heating up at the rodeos throughout California.  There was a steady stream of new and advanced students (youth and adults) last week, but there is always room to schedule lessons, including multi-day, stay over lessons.  Leo is in Arizona and conducts lessons for youth and adults on a regular basis as well.

Camarillos Receive Top Honor at Oakdale Cowboy Museum's Annual Benefit Dinner

This year, the board of directors at the Oakdale Cowboy Museum has selected Leo, Jerold, and Reg Camarillo as their honorees.  No stranger to awards, this one hits home, literally.  Leo and Jerold moved to Oakdale at a young age relocating from a ranch in Santa Ynez.  The boys, along with their cousin Reg have put the Camarillo name at the forefront of Team Roping with many successful wins, NFR appearances and inductions into the PRCA Hall of Fame to name a few.  PRCA Director of Communications Kendra Santos said of the Camarillo's influence, "It's not a stretch to say that the Camarillos revolutionized team roping.  They are true pioneers and living legends in the cowboy community, and will go down in history among the sport's all-time greats.  Leo, Jerold and Reg showed up with that rare combination of natural talent and tireless work ethic.  Their discipline and fierce competitive spirit could not be denied.  They were a dominant force that raised the roping bar forever".  Leo says the change in Team Roping was born out of necessity.  "We found that when roping in a pasture with tall grass, the 'trap loop' which was the style back then didn't work.  We found that by getting in time or rhythm with the steer, we could rope the hind feet while still in the air.  This new way cut seconds off the old style and subsequently changed the game." 
You'll still see Jerold and Leo regularly competing in roping competitions.  This weekend, Jerold Camarillo will be competing in the 55th Annual Oakdale Ten Steer.  A nearly week long 10 steer marathon that has become an iconic roping event on the West Coast.  What is perhaps even more pleasing to youth and adult ropers alike is that Jerold and Leo have slowed down their competition schedule and opened up more time for individualized roper and rope-horse training.  Both Leo and Jerold conduct regular lessons for adults and youth in California, Arizona and other locations by request.  Congratulations to all three Camarillos for being honored at this year's Oakdale Cowboy Museum annual benefit dinner.

Camp Jerold Roping Students Qualified for NCJRA Finals

7 roping students that receive lessons and training, including tune up training on roping horses, have qualified for the NCJRA Finals being held in Oakdale, CA September 11/12th.  Both boys and girls will be represented and participating in Team Roping, Steer Stopping, Tie Down Roping, Breakaway Roping, and Goat Tying.  The NCJRA Finals invites the top 10 cowboys and cowgirls in each event to the Finals, based on points accumulated throughout the year.  As expected, expert training and consistent lessons are paying off for these top contestants that are being taught by Jerold Camarillo at the Camp Jerold arena and training facility in Oakdale, CA.  "There is a mix of adults and kids throughout the month that come for roping training" says Mr. Camarillo.  "Its pleasing to watch the improvement in roping skill and horsemanship". he added.  One of the cowboys qualified in the top 10 and made the finals despite starting later in the season, missing 4 rodeos in the circuit and roping in breakaway for the first time.  "That takes determination" says another roper, also a Finals qualifier.  Others would say it takes great training to accomplish that feat.  Two of the contestants struggled with difficult horses, both having problems in the box, spoiling many a run early in the season.  Jerold Camarillo worked with the ropers and their horses, and both are now highly competitive, one of which took second in Girls Breakaway during the last  rodeo.  Many of the qualifiers also qualified at the CHSRA (California High School Rodeo Association) Finals in Bishop, CA this past June.  Most of these Camp Jerold students are seated in the top 3 or 4 positions, with a couple of students ranked number 1 in their event coming into the Finals.  That certainly illustrates the benefit of great training.  "Anyone can work with a student, but not everyone can work with a bunch of different students with different problems and achieve results" says Dardalee Bussell, DVM  a mother of two of the roping students.  "You know you're a true teacher when you can see improvement across the board in so many different youth and adult ropers" she adds.  For Camp Jerold and Mr. Camarillo it certainly has been an exciting season to see so many students make the Finals in the same year. Congratulations to all of the NCJRA Finals qualifiers.

July is unseasonable cool in California, but HOT in the arena

The Camarillo's spend most of their free time training others.  When Jerold and Leo aren't roping themselves they are sharing decades of knowledge with students.  The proof in the puddin' is when students do well.  Recently a number of students excelled in the NCJRA rodeo circuit winning the Clements Buckaroos Rodeo (Clements, CA) July 24th rodeo.  First place in Calf Roping, Steer Stopping, and Breakaway Roping were all credited to students that train under the tutelage of the Camarillos.  This summer has seen a significant elevation in roping quality at the west coast rodeos, in part due to a continued increase in students wanting more training.  There is a daily flow of pros, amatures and kids that move through the roping boxes at the Camarillos in California and Arizona.  Lucky for these same students there are a steady flow of wins and buckles that keep following to those that train hard, train well, and train to win.

IN THE HEAT OF THE SEASON

Well it’s June, and in Rodeo that means another chance for MEGA MONEY. For those who have chosen to try and make the NFR it’s a chance to get an advancing foothold towards the big goal. For others (June-July 4th) it’s a time to bust your balls and never look back.

“Cowboy Christmas” (June through the 4th) is an opportunity to excel or reestablish yourself regardless of what happened the past winter or spring. Typically the idea is about trying to post a fast time somewhere and jump ahead, catch up, or at least acquire future entry fees. Of course, as with any time in rodeo, you’re either rock’n-&-roll’n on a downhill go or you’re constantly “recalculating” the GPS.

A good June run on a competitor’s summer tour is like a good June rain on a rancher’s summer pasture (grass grows/greener pastures). Garnering a World Championship at the Reno Rodeo not only puts a nice jingle in your pocket, it puts a nice jingle in your spurs and sets the stage for what I consider the best season of all in rodeo—the period just after Cowboy Christmas.

Embarking what I call the majors (Nampa, Salinas, Salt Lake, Cheyenne, Ogden, Calgary) with a relaxed mind and checkbook, (as opposed to stressed-out and starving) makes a big impact on a competitor’s summer-tour, but nevertheless, you bring your “A” game to these rodeos and expect to do some opportune damage. Most of them are 2-headers and a final, and because these summer majors are where the cream begins to whip, you don’t enter the arenas--in fact you don’t even enter the competitions--without a plan. Unless winning doesn’t matter, you’ve got to be prepared, professional, and proficient, o adios amigo.

Back in the day, if a west-cost team roper didn’t have a good Salinas it got mighty dry. The next nearest “Team Roping” rodeo didn’t roll around until Albuquerque come late September. Consequently, he could head out on a redemption-run through the Midwest hitting every Tom Green County Fair on the map and hopefully still have a horse and a vehicle when he finished. Today’s team ropers have the luxury of a mandated event. With the “75-rodeos” rule one hasn’t much worry about the time of year. Which brings me to a question I’d like to propose to my readers: Why can’t they let a guy rodeo all he wants AND THEN pick his best 75 rodeos of the season?

I welcome and look forward to any discussion or inquiry on this subject via my email or blog page found at (www.camarilloteamroping.com)

Best’a luck this summer…

Make it happen!

The Lion