Lion Eyes

Nothing is more piercing than the stare of a lion.  And those that have stared back at roping great, Leo "The Lion" Camarillo understand the power of that stare.  The piercing stare from a real African Lion comes from his confidence in knowing he is the king of the jungle (or Serengeti) and has the skill, polished by endless hours of practice, and the "attitude" to win.  That same confidence in the animal, can be achieved in the human if certain principals are applied.  First, stay focused.  Ever seen a lion in pursuit of a gazelle pull up and start looking at the birds flying by?  Second, expect the results you want.  I'm convinced the lion sees the kill in its mind even at the start of the hunt.  Third, practice.  Its starts with the lioness and her cubs, and everyday that lion refines its skill. Fourth, be consistent.  Lions observed in the wild will typically start a pursuit based upon their knowledge of the prey, terrain and their own health.  Essentially making choices and compromises based upon conditions present.  Your roping should be the same way.  Stay focused, expect to catch (see it mentally every time), practice relentlessly, and be consistent.  Understand the difference between cocky and confident.  Use that mental edge to your advantage.  The Camarillos share stories of yesteryear when Leo, Jerold and Reg would pull into a roping and other ropers would start loading horses to go home.  In some cases the contractor would ask them not to come.  "you're killing me! every time you boys show up, half of these guys want to leave."  Because the Camarillos got lucky and won a few ropings?  No, consistency, focus, and practice yielded many, many, many wins.  If contractors and promotors aren't asking you to load up and go home (because you are winning so much) then maybe its time to "learn from the lion".  Use the same principals a lion uses to hunt.  If you aren't roping with the focus and consistency you want, then get some more expert help when you practice.  Don't just go to the practice pen, doing the same thing over and over expecting better results.  Go talk to Leo or Jerold about a spring tune-up lesson so that your summer season is more enjoyable.  It's fun to go rope, but putting a few bucks in your pocket each time makes it a bit more so.  When you get up tomorrow and you're brushing your teeth in the mirror, take a good hard look at yourself. Do you have lion eyes or lyin' eyes?  (guest author)

CHSRA Challenge of Champions

Every year, California High School Rodeo Association (CHSRA) sponsors a Challenge of Champions rodeo.  This invitational style rodeo selects the top three contestants from each event, from each of the nine districts.  These top cowboys and cowgirls then compete in a single go event split over the weekend, and the top ten come back in a short-go Sunday performance.  This year Jerold Camarillo was present to watch not one but numerous youth champions compete that he had coached over the years.  From Farquer to Valente, Santos-Karney to Hirdes, and the list goes on and on.  "It was like siting next to the mayor of a small town", Byron (contestant Farquer's dad) said when describing how many people Jerold commented on. "He seems to either know everyone, coached their kids, or tuned up their rope horse at one time or another".  he added.  When Case Hirdes (a District 5 top ranked tie-down and team roper) had a horse pull up lame in Clovis, Jerold was able to get him mounted on a really good calf/heel horse in time for the Challenge of Champions.  "I knew what horse would fit him and sent him up with another family so Case would be competitive, not just mounted" said Jerold.  Editor's Note: Case Hirdes and his partner placed in the top 10 in team roping, and came back to compete in the short go on Sunday.  As fellow rodeo contestants and fans watch various performances throughout the year you are likely to see a cowboy or cowgirl, youth or adult, that Camarillo's have either coached or riding a horse that they have tuned up at some point.  Congratulations to all of those CHSRA cowboys and cowgirls that made it to the 2010 Challenge of Champions rodeo.  Some of the kids expressed a big thankyou to the Camarillos who continue to show this sport that winners do more than just win, they help others do the same. 

NFR Finals - The Wrap Up - Leo Camarillo's Point of View

As usual, the team I expected to be savvy proved me wrong. In the final round, Chad Masters had a chance at the one steer I’d been waiting all week for them to cut out. The steer literally walked out of the chute every round, and why they kept the oddball in the herd is beyond me. Nevertheless, Chad drew him in the final round and he was riding Hanson. When referring to Hanson, the first words out of anybody’s mouth are, “HE’LL DUCK.” Hanson, in his day, was the epitome of a head horse, and he still is a great horse, but he’s notorious for ducking. He’s now on the last steers of his life, ready to retire and is what he is. Due to his age and experience he’s good for one round—only! He’ll give a guy the first round, but peg him the second. He’s experienced and quick to figure a guy out.


Last year, Hanson’s owner (World’s Champion Matt Sherwood) understanding this fact, got on Hanson to win one round and then got off him. This year Chad got his run on Hanson in the 9th round. In the tenth, when Chad lifted up and went to swinging his rope in the box (ready to pounce on a world record), Hanson read the play. Understanding the call to cheat (Chad going off in the box) he anticipated the stick and figured to cut left as soon as they left the box. This wasn’t Hanson’s first rodeo NFR. He knew when and where he needed to go. He’s been blueprinted, and he took the route. Unfortunately, instead of heading for the steer, he headed for the hot dog stand.

Them old veteran horses are smarter than most ropers. On a horse like Hanson, a guy can’t advertise his intentions and quit riding because the horse knows exactly what’s up and what should go down—before his rider does. I’m sure Chad knew that steer wasn’t going anywhere. I assume Chad was focused on the drop of that neck rope and Masters-fully stick’n a new record. Hence, he committed to his rope and quit riding his horse. (Que lastima) His reflexive-communication with Hanson (correcting his duck) came long after his shot was gone.

Pulling for Chad, my beef was why they kept that eight-ball in the herd in the first place. But that’s rodeo. Like rolling the dice, you get what you get and that’s what you work with. Prove how high you can cowboy-up and be flexible. Power swings and box-shots seem the trend these days and are beneficial when you draw a dart, but when you’ve got a “walker” and you absolutely know it’s not going to out run you, contain your urge to keep pace with the pack. No sense in swinging (for power) when a steer is stopping. Slow steers can be just as tricky as quick steers especially when they’ve been tried a few rounds. You’ve got to regroup, be patient and let him out before you knock him off. Dribbling your ball up and laying your shot in is perfectly acceptable.

Team Roping is (has always been and will always be) about catching, and no matter what the situation—slow steer, fast steer, any kind of steer, the one thing you always do is ride. RIDE YOUR HORSE! ALWAYS!

With the new NFR requirements for catching I say it’s time to open up that tight, little Thomas and Mac. They’ve got it set like a mouse trap (a quick, short score; smaller cattle), so the cattle have no real chance of their own. Winning or losing is predominantly up to weather the cowboys beat themselves. Since today’s competitors are full-time specialists, it’s time to do-away with two loops, second jumps, and all the running around. Put a little bit more animal back into it (bigger calves, bigger steers, fresh bull dogging steers, etc.), stretch that score out there, and bring on some real cowboy-challenge. Speed takes on a whole new significance when things aren’t set up to be fast.

That’s all I know… Rope Smart! The Lion

NFR TEAMS PLAGUED BY B3 VIRUS

Implementing one loop only (per man) this year triggered no hesitancy in 2009’s finalists. Teams drew their swords like always—including Nick Sartain who impressively fought like a soldier. Nick was sharp and confident. I could see him entertaining the idea of day-money in each run, yet he held his composure enough to stay in the average. Nick was slick.

By the fourth round, more than half the teams (10 out of 15) had fallen. By the end of the fifth, only 3 teams were standing. At that point, a competitor decides weather to make business runs or gamble his shots. When you’re out of the average, sure, have fun with it, but when you’re one of 3 teams left; Average payouts are at least 2 ½ times over day money; all you have to do is catch (barriers and legs are valid) to take at least third in the average. HELLO?

Average-roping is business-roping and in most cases (like 10 head) the basic job is catching, that’s all you have to do. Nobody can tell me those top three teams can’t catch 5 steers. Put any of them teams in the practice pen on 500 head of horns, and they’ll hammer out solid 4s every run (2 horns + 2 feet = 4 seconds, solid). You’ll see machine-style, brilliant roping all day long, yet when the flag’s up the complexion changes. Speed-fevers spike and suddenly it’s no longer about catching but all about speed. This year (NFR 2009), with ropes ablaze, the need-to-be-three virus plagued 14 of the 15 teams.

The fifth round was the wall for a few. About then, I noticed Luke’s (Brown) swing weakening. He kept wanting to throw, but his horse was billy-goat’n and wouldn’t get up there for Luke to take an authoritative shot. Because Luke was not getting a solid start, his horse was short. Instead of sitting down and riding up there to get in position Luke would raise up to swing. (A simple over-under behind will turbo-boost your horse out of a missed start to get you a better shot). Anticipating Luke’s throw, his horse would quit running leaving Luke way out of position. Thus, Luke’s swing grew more and more hesitant, until finally, in the tenth round, it caught up with him.

Team roping is about catching. And your rope is only part of it. Catching is a combination of riding your horse and working your rope. You swing for power. You ride for accuracy. Riding your horse is like dribbling the ball for a shot. Once you stop dribbling, your shot is at the mercy of your position. When you rise up to swing, instead of staying down and riding, your horse anticipates what’s coming (your throw) and usually quits running. It’s very important to get your horse up there, when you know you HAVE to catch. That extra step or two (from your horse) in front can shave an extra second or two behind (for your heeler). It can also be the difference between “time” and “no time.”

Though today’s ropers are phenomenal shooters, they limit themselves to high percentage shots. When catching matters, a guy needs to think outside the box (literally) and set things up in a run. (A) Consider your obstacles and aim to keep your play in the fairway. (B) Get in position and take a commanding shot. (C) It ain’t over ‘til it’s over. A glory-headshot is only glorious when your heeler can slam the door.

Stay tuned for Part Two of “The B3 Virus”
Rope Smart!

The Lion

4 100th of an Inch

That was the rain amount last night in Oakdale, CA. 

It was cold, and a bit windy this morning.  It was certainly easy to watch the horses from the window, and drink another cup of coffee.   But that's not what the Camarillo's do.  Just call them and ask "What are you doing today?" Expect the same response that you might have gotten in April, July or October.  "Ropin'!  Its what we do!".   If you aren't happy with your end of year standings, or maybe that heading horse is cheating off to the left too much be honest with yourself and ask "what did I do to improve my roping during the holiday week?"  One of the best things you can do is a) keep roping and b) get some help.  For most, other than the pros getting ready for Colorado and Texas rodeos in January, the recreational roper has a bit of time off.  For those that want to do better in 2010, now is the time to go back to the practice pen and rope like you did when you were trying to make or win the finals (at any level - high school, am or pro) in 2009. 

There was time to watch the Eagles beat the Broncos in the last 7 seconds and sqwash Denver's hope for the playoffs.  There was time to trim a few bushes or clean up the Christmas decorations, and YES! there was time to rope today.

If you would like to rope better in 2010 than you did in 2009 be honest with yourself and determine if you did what you could today to improve your chances.  Did you throw 50 loops at a dummy?  Did you saddle up and ride to "leg up" your horse?  Did you rope the Hot Heels and then go after 2 flights of live steers? 

If you were in Oakdale, California today, with Jerold Camarillo you would have witnessed 4 horses saddled and later ridden.  You would have seen circles in the arena where the Hot Heels roping dummy made trips in front of the boxes for headers and heelers to practice their timing and delivery.  You would have seen two flights of steers leave the chute, running down a rain soaked arena just dry enough to ride in, and you would have seen the ropers that want to be better in 2010 than they were in 2009 dirty up a rope!

If you watched TV and never threw a loop today, then you weren't roping with Leo in Arizona or Jerold in California today.

That's fine, but don't expect to go to the pay window unless you put down that coffee, saddle that  horse and rope and ride in the wind a bit this winter.

Roping Barriers

I’d like to make one thing clear. Because a majority of the teams have gone out, the battle is now about day-money. Meaning, there are 13 teams trying to be 3.0 and two teams trying to stay in the roping.
Last night I heard the commentators say, “A broken barrier now is the same as a miss,” and I initially questioned, “WHAT??? are they talking about?” No way is a barrier the same as a miss. If the majority of teams had a broken barrier instead of a miss they’d still be in the hunt. However, keeping in context with the way the Team Roping event has played out I can see that they meant a barrier and a miss at this point are the same because in either case you won’t win anything in the round (on that particular steer). Still, not to be misconstrued, when all is said and done a barrier is far more beneficial than a miss in terms of average pay outs.
Barriers play a big role in one-headers. You’ve got to be riding the barrier to win. If you’re not on the barrier, more than likely you’ll be a hair late and out of the money. If you’re too much on the barrier you could be as little as a hair-early and out of the money. In both cases you’re usually not going to win. Bottom line, when it’s about fast, it’s about riding that barrier. You also have to be able to reach, but reaching makes your team very vulnerable. Jojo, for instance, throws a bomb every time. Sometimes it hits, sometimes it doesn’t and when he succeeds his percentage of good runs is still marginal depending on all the long-handle variables that add up against him and his heeler (Randon Adams). Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to have a long shot in your playbook, but remember just because a guy has a hell-of-a-reach doesn’t guarantee a fast run. A long throw generally instigates a longer handle making it hard to be consistent EVEN when you’re a master of your craft. I.e. the sword you live by can also take you out.

The Lion

WNFR first weekend is "In the Books"

Watch out boys! The feathers are gun’a fly. At the halfway point in this year’s finals and 70% of our modern-day ropers are out (of the average), as a result of their do-or-die style, the table is now set to their initial idea. For nothing but day-money I expect they’re roping right in their element. The writing is on the wall. I could be wrong, but I believe only four teams remain that have it figured out. Fourth in the avg. is around $30,000 which is equivalent to two go-rounds. Realizing they are the only ones holding a shot at the big money and all they have to do is catch, the solid teams will rope smart (let’s hope) while the rest go wild with their usual bloodshed ways. We’ll probably see a hyper-gun-slinging exhibit from here on out. Some runs will be spectacular, others will be embarrassing, but one thing’s for sure, it should definitely be entertaining.

The Lion.