NTRL Comes to Youth and Livestock Ranch

By Judy Weeks

IMMOKALEE — Immokalee Seminole Youth and Livestock Ranch (ISY&LR) was the host of the National Team Roping League on Saturday Nov. 13 at the John Jimmie Memorial Arena. The numbers roping included five, seven, nine and eleven and 11 United States Team Roping Championship (USTRC) rated entries in addition to the open event.

National Team Roping League (NTRL) President Jeff Motes was on hand to oversee the undertaking and coordinate the event. Operations Director Michelle Burns traveled all the way from Arrington, Tenn. to handle the paperwork and record the results in the league archives.

Ropers were offered the opportunity to enter five times, pick or draw, in each category in accordance with their USTRC standing. Cash awards were presented to all winners. In addition, the first place winning teams received NTRL saddle pads.

For roping enthusiasts, it was a very exciting day as they had the opportunity to meet several champions. Jimmy Tanner came all the way from Tifton, Ga. to compete in the day’s event. Tanner has qualified several times for the top competitions in the nation. He won the national average twice in a row at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nev. The United States Team Ropers Classification as of October ranked Tanner fourth in the nation on the heading side. Those who attend the National Finals Rodeo this year look forward to watching Tanner compete one more time.

The 39th-ranked healer Manny Cunde Jr. attended the Immokalee event too as a partner for his younger brother, Dustin, who is not yet a teenager. Together they made it all the way to the fourth round. The competition should keep a sharp eye on this young man, who is following in his brother’s footsteps. He shows championship promise.

It should be noted that last years seven times World Champions Rick Skelton, heeler, currently ranks 43rd and his header, while Speed Williams holds the 38th slot in the nation. Comparison wise, this places Cunde in some excellent company.

Celebrities including John Hudson, the well-known roping horse trainer from Ocala, Fla., who also attended the event. Hudson is a familiar face at most of the top competitions in the Southeastern U.S. and a very serious competitor. Rudy Osceola, tribal elder and Seminole roping legend, was on hand to rope one more time with the pros.

ISY&LR Director Benny Motlow was instrumental in arranging for the roping and introducing the NTRL competition to Immokalee. Brad Oxer from North Florida supplied 50 of the steers required for the event and Randy Rimes officiated as judge.

Immokalee’s 4-H members and their parents operated the concession stand and provided a labor force for the day. Norita Yzaguirre and Jennie Martinez ran the kitchen with the help of Lazara Marrero and several 4-H youth. Kenny Joe Davis applied his culinary skills to the barbecue grill producing mouth-watering pork steaks for the luncheon special about which the ropers raved.

The youth ranch employees were hard at work all day providing the necessary manpower to make things happen. Greg Betancourt held the key position at the heading box while Gabriel Acosta took charge of the cattle run.

Outstanding 4-H youths, Jonathan Rodriguez and Josie Davis, pushed cattle in the run all day. Lupe Cepeda and Benny Hernandez made sure there were plenty of cows in position so as not to hold up the operation. The stripping chute was efficiently handled by Carlos Alvarado and Eli Venable.

While it was a long, hard day for the workers, they managed to run things smoothly and the result was a successful roping competition. There were numerous compliments about the operation and many of the NTRL ropers look forward to returning to Immokalee.

Open: 1. Judah Fleming and Phillip Kelce, 2. Spunk Sasser and Kyle Lawrence, 3. Jimmy Tanner and Arky Rogers.

#11: 1. Benny Hernandez and Arky Rogers, 2. Yoel Urra and Arky Rogers, 3. Chester Rimes and Brad Oxer.

#9: 1. Jeff Motes and Kiki Juvert, 2. Danny Garcia and Brad Oxer, 3. Dan Wilcox and Arky Rogers.

# 7: 1. Terry Weeks and Kiki Juvert, 2. Pat Gallagher and Kiki Juvert, 3. Kiki Juvert and Yoel Urra.

#5: 1. Terry Weeks and Josh Weeks, 2. Jason Richardson and Pat Gallagher, 3. Jason Richardson and Houston Flint.