OUCH! That hurts
Jake Barnes knows the feeling of being a world champion. He's earned seven gold buckles in his distinguished rodeo career.
He won't win an eighth this year, even though he and team-roping partner Kory Koontz were having a fabulous National Finals Rodeo.
No, Jake Barnes is leaving Las Vegas without a world title this year. And he might be leaving without a thumb. The 46-year-old roper had his thumb severed during Tuesday night's fifth go-round at the NFR. He was transported to the hospital with hopes of having the digit reattached.
This is nothing new in the world of team roping. Cowboys roping either the head or the heals will, after securing the loop, dally the tail of the rope around the saddle horn. When two loops are securing a steer in team roping in a matter of four seconds, things happen quickly. Barnes' thumb disappeared just as quickly.
Of all the rodeo events, team roping seems to be the most popular activity. Anybody wanting to learn can team rope, and there are events nationwide that allow for a handicapping competition -- top ropers compete against top ropers, while beginners rope against beginners.
Heck, it's the one rodeo activity I can see myself trying, because you are still allowed to be athletic -- roping well is like being a good 3-point shooter in basketball, except you're on a galloping (or sprinting) horse chasing a steer. And you don't have to dismount to complete a run. My knees just couldn't take what steer wrestlers and calf ropers do.
But I type for a living, and I don't rightly believe I could do so without each of my 10 digits.
Now Jake Barnes will have to relearn many of his own skills with limited use of his thumb or without it altogether. And while this happens regularly among team ropers, it seems strange that a 25-year ProRodeo veteran and seven-time world champ had it happen as he competed for the championship.
Koontz will continue competing this week, roping with three-time all-around champ Trevor Brazile. While Brazile can still win go-round money, none of the cash he earns over the final five rounds will count toward a world title, and he could use it. He leads the all-around race again this season, but NFR newcomer Ryan Jarrett is about $12,000 behind and closing fast.
Brazile qualified in calf roping, so only money he wins in that event will count toward the standings. Jarrett, though, is competing in calf roping and steer wrestling, giving the Georgia cowboy twice the opportunity to win money.
But none of that matters when one of the best ropers in the game is laid up in the hospital hoping to get the feeling back in his thumb.
He won't win an eighth this year, even though he and team-roping partner Kory Koontz were having a fabulous National Finals Rodeo.
No, Jake Barnes is leaving Las Vegas without a world title this year. And he might be leaving without a thumb. The 46-year-old roper had his thumb severed during Tuesday night's fifth go-round at the NFR. He was transported to the hospital with hopes of having the digit reattached.
This is nothing new in the world of team roping. Cowboys roping either the head or the heals will, after securing the loop, dally the tail of the rope around the saddle horn. When two loops are securing a steer in team roping in a matter of four seconds, things happen quickly. Barnes' thumb disappeared just as quickly.
Of all the rodeo events, team roping seems to be the most popular activity. Anybody wanting to learn can team rope, and there are events nationwide that allow for a handicapping competition -- top ropers compete against top ropers, while beginners rope against beginners.
Heck, it's the one rodeo activity I can see myself trying, because you are still allowed to be athletic -- roping well is like being a good 3-point shooter in basketball, except you're on a galloping (or sprinting) horse chasing a steer. And you don't have to dismount to complete a run. My knees just couldn't take what steer wrestlers and calf ropers do.
But I type for a living, and I don't rightly believe I could do so without each of my 10 digits.
Now Jake Barnes will have to relearn many of his own skills with limited use of his thumb or without it altogether. And while this happens regularly among team ropers, it seems strange that a 25-year ProRodeo veteran and seven-time world champ had it happen as he competed for the championship.
Koontz will continue competing this week, roping with three-time all-around champ Trevor Brazile. While Brazile can still win go-round money, none of the cash he earns over the final five rounds will count toward a world title, and he could use it. He leads the all-around race again this season, but NFR newcomer Ryan Jarrett is about $12,000 behind and closing fast.
Brazile qualified in calf roping, so only money he wins in that event will count toward the standings. Jarrett, though, is competing in calf roping and steer wrestling, giving the Georgia cowboy twice the opportunity to win money.
But none of that matters when one of the best ropers in the game is laid up in the hospital hoping to get the feeling back in his thumb.
posted by Teditor at 10:25 AM
5 Comments:
UPDATE:
Word out of Vegas is that Barnes' thumb cannot be reattached, and that word comes directly from the PRCA. Doesn't sound like much fun to me.
No, not much fun at all. Been there, done that (except on my left hand - go figure - and I'm a header). Also took off part of my middle finger. When I was learning how to rope I got Jake and Clay's book on team roping and read it front to back many, many times. Jake is a legend! I was so saddened to hear about his injury. I guess it can happen even to the best of us. It has not even been a year since my accident... but it does get better over time. I got back to roping after about 3 months.... Feel better soon Jake!
Koontz also ropes without a right thumb, so all is not lost for Jake Barnes. I also have fallen victim to the amputation of my right thumb at a rodeo three years ago while heeling. Re-attachment was not successful, but I rope better now than ever before. It wont be easy, but Jake Barnes will be back on the scene.
Wow, I didn't know that about Koontz... Yep, Jake will be back soon, no doubt. Sorry about your thumb anonymous 2. One thing is for sure, ropers are a determined, resilient bunch.
(By the way, I'm the first anonymous in this string...)
I have spent alot of time with Kory and he helped me get through my disaster losing my thumb. Most people don't know that about Kory. He is a great friend and his support helped me alot. We play alot of golf together and people usually don't know what to think about two guys playing golf without right thumbs.
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