Drew Horner July Post

June and July have been rough for us, but we are finally getting back on track. We have a lot of chances left in July to make up for all the mistakes we have made.  I need to turn more steers to give my partner more chances and to let him see the feet more.  It has been frustrating at times to not win but it happens.  We are only half way through the season so there are a lot more rodeos left.  We have Cheyenne and Salinas this month, along with Nampa Idaho, Ogden Utah and some other big ones that we can make up a lot of ground with. 

            I changed my workout routines a little bit to help me regain focus.  I made it a little more athletically focused.   I do more cardio along with my weight training to keep my energy up and to develop more discipline and focus for my goals.  I am starting to feel stronger on horseback and it really helps me out with my rope speed and control.  I react faster now than I used to and I ride better throughout runs with my legs more now.  Staying in shape keeps you mentally and physically prepared.

            We’ve had a crazy past month or so.  It has been a long journey of ups and downs, but it has been an amazing journey.  Being able to see and meet people everywhere around the country, seeing all sorts of different parts of this land, and being able to compete nearly every day in rodeos has been such a learning experience.  God has definitely challenged me.  I didn’t realize how much I would actually learn out here on the road, not just for roping, but for life.  I mean stuff in life that actually matters.  It’s extremely easy to lose focus out here but God has put people around me to develop me and to help me grow.  The people in the rodeo world are a big help in my life.  I learn more about people every day on the road going to rodeos.  People have let us stay at their places and put up our horses, and even cook us some amazing home cooked meal.  You learn a lot about hospitality and service just based on the fact that these people truly want to help you.  They deliberately seek you out and ask you if you need a place to stay.  The “down home”, southern lifestyle that dwells within rodeo strengthens my morals and views.  I love to see all these different people out here in different parts of the country.

 Roping is fun and competing at rodeos is one of the best things to do.  You’re up against the best in the world nearly every time you make a run. It’s the best feeling ever, but what’s even better is getting to know those individuals for who they really are.  Not just as team ropers or competitors but as friends.  Going to lunch with some of these guys has been a huge opportunity for me because I just want to hang around these guys and learn how they act and win at all these rodeos.  Just doing that brings about so much change in my life.  You learn that these people and there families truly care about what really matters in life.  We are all competitive, but out here, it’s not necessarily an “every man for himself” type attitude.  There are genuine people on the rodeo road that really want to be apart of your life. There are people in this world that really do care about more than just themselves.  That’s something that God has harped on me throughout my entire life, to put others first no matter the circumstance.  It’s really easy to lose track of that mindset while rodeoing.  It can get lonely out here when you don’t really get to interact with a lot of people, and you can start to have a bad attitude about life if you lose focus on the important things.  I have had to refocus on having a servant’s heart, a genuine servant’s heart.  So, I started reading proverbs again.  Reading Proverbs all the way through can bring about so much change in your life. To truly glorify Christ is to live as Christ lived, to act like Christ in every way you can.  One major part of Christ’s life was serving others.  Staying disciplined in your quiet times, like reading Proverbs can get you back on track with your priorities.

 The people around me are the ones that I can have a direct influence on. The people I surround myself with can help dictate my priorities and goals.  Surrounding yourself with winners will help you win, in the same way surrounding yourself with solid Christians will help you become a better Christian.  Iron sharpens iron, so as one man sharpens another.  That’s HUGE!!! I like to evaluate where I stand in my relationship with Christ more than anything.  Keeping honest with God, even though He knows everything anyway, keeps me on a straight path of integrity.  Serving God and worshiping God is a lifestyle, and one way I am trying to keep that constant lifestyle of worship is by having a genuine servant’s heart.  The best way to lead is to serve.

I’m not saying at all that people will 100% dictate who you are.  When you read this, you must understand that you are God’s creation and no one can take that away from you.  You are more than just a team roper, cowboy, college student, business man, or barn manager, you are a person, a genuine 100%, flesh and bones person.  Everyone has a heart and everyone has a passion.  Finding that passion that is placed in your heart relies on a relationship with God.  Life is not what you do or who you hang out with, life is how you live it and how you treat those people you hang out with.  It all starts with belief.  You must first believe you can accomplish something, and then you can achieve that thing.  For me, a relationship with Christ helps my belief in what I can achieve here on earth.  I promise you, read Proverbs all the way through and you will see change in your life. Whether you’re a Christian or not, Proverbs is a book of wisdom, and you can’t help but learn from it.  Its only 31 chapters long, and each chapter is maybe a page and a half.  Its easy! I promise.

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Sarah Ingle July Post

The margin between success and failure is often determined by one's decision not to quit.

The latest news on the rodeo road I competed at the Texas High School State Finals two weeks ago. I competed in the events Team roping, breakaway roping and goat tying. In the breakaway roping I was 2.4 in the first round and placed 5^th and received a buckle. The second round was pretty disheartening I was 2.7 plus 10 I broke the barrier. I would have been 2^nd high call coming back to the short round. Breaking that barrier really messed with me; I got some pep talks and got pumped up for my goat run. The goat tying I was a little long in the first round. But second round I had to be fast to be able to make it back to the short round.  I ended up making a fast run of 7 seconds. I placed second in that round. This carried me to the short round 13^th call back. I wasn’t scared at all. I had no fear on my mind. The short round in goat tying was going to be tough. But I wasn’t worried I had ‘GOING FAST ON MY MIND” my goal was to win in the round and just do the best I could do on the draw of goat I had. I drew goat number lucky 21!!! Anyone could make to nationals in goat tying because from the 15^th person to number 1 coming back was only a second apart from each other. My horse was really pumped and I always know he’s going to do good if he warms up bad. He acted so silly warming up and I literally had to walk him the alley and get ready as fast and calm as I could to get ready for my name to be called. The short round run I tied another 7 second run and also won 2^nd in this round I got beat out of first by a tenth. But oh well I did what I had to do and I did it. I was pretty excited about my last two goat tying runs. It was so much fun. As I ran back up to the arena to hear how I was sitting in the average. People tallied me up as 5^th which is one out to making it to nationals… but as soon as they said that the announcer called out the national qualifiers for goat tying Top 4 in the state of Texas. My name was the first to be called! I was so overwhelmed and shocked because I didn’t think it would be possible because the top four goat tiers in the short round had good runs. But I had two really fast times and my points carried me into the finals helped me out a lot. I was so excited and I just prayed thanking my Lord for even giving me the opportunity to do what I love. Winning is fun but not near as fun as winning with the Lord because none of this would be happening if it wasn’t for him.  So next week I will be at Shawnee Oklahoma competing at the ifyr and headed from there to Gillette Wyoming for the national high school finals!

Give God the Glory!

Don’t give up and always keep your faith through good and bad.

Never quit on God, don’t quit on yourself, don’t give, and don’t ever give up. Jesus didn’t quit, he went all the way to the cross and now lives in us. So don’t ever quit on your LORD. Don't quit! Someone once said, "If Columbus had turned back no one would have blamed him; but no one would have remembered him either." The margin between success and failure is often determined by one's decision not to quit. Success and failure are relative terms. What might be termed a failure by the world's standards may be a glowing success in God's eyes. Don't quit praying, don't quit serving, and don't quit loving. He hasn't quit loving you…and He won't! Come to Him at anytime, he is always willing. 2^nd Peter 3:9 The Lord is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

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Sarah Ingle Update before State

An update on my results at Joe Beaver’s I won 4^th in the average in breakaway and also won the fastest time in the short round. My time was 2.13. I received money and a Carroll Leather jacket.  The 4state final was a very successful weekend. I won many averages, an all around trailer and the breakaway saddle. At region finals I won the breakaway saddle and 2^nd in the average. I also won the average in goat tying. My team roping partner and I failed to have a clean run. At the Barry Burk roping I caught my first two calves well but I missed my 3^rd round calf. This really hurt, all I had to was catch and I would be 3^rd high call in the roping. I missed a calf I shouldn’t have missed. He was really slow; there was no separation between my horse and the calf. So this past week I really have been working on what I need to work on so that will not happen again if I can handle it. That miss was trying to mess with my mind, trying to bring my confidence down. My mom told me I couldn’t let that one run bother me; you have state finals in two weeks. I will be competing at the Texas State finals in three events team roping, Goat tying, and breakaway roping. I called up the past Texas state champion breakaway roper from last year and asked her for some advice. These were her words don’t hold anything back, rope like you know how, try not to get nervous God already knows the outcome it’s just your job to do what you do to the best of your ability, stay focused and take one run at a time.

The Bible is Gods practice pen. The roper who doesn’t practice or study his sport will be ashamed. The same with a Christian. If you don’t read or practice what the word says, life will bring you shame and embarrassment. Why, because God’s word is the truth, it is his winner’s manual for life. The Holy Spirit loves to reveal Jesus. Championships may occur in the Thomas and Mack or other competition arenas but the practice pen is where it all takes place first. In life the word of God and faith in the word is where life’s victories are won in advance. Phil 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which gives me strength.’’

Live by faith in God’s word. Read, study, and pray. Live with authority in the power he intended you to live in.  Be strong in the Lord.

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Drew Horner in Redding, CA

It has been a rough ride, but things are looking up.  We have not been very consistent but we have been putting together better runs and I have been able to practice more because I have been home.  We did alright in April, and now in May we have started to get to practice and compete more consistently. 

We are here in Redding California for the tour rodeo this weekend.  We really need to take advantage of this one.  The average is somewhat soft so far and we are in the last set to go so we need to stick to our game and make two runs that will hopefully place us deep in the average.  We go home and get to practice for a week before the Windy Ryon jackpot.  I am roping with Trey Johnson, Allen Bach, Kyle Crick, and Chase Tryan at that jackpot.

            I am still working out consistently and eating well.  It keeps my energy up and helps me to maintain focus.  Maintaining focus with everything and keeping priorities in line is a daily chore.  To keep focus for me, is all about my priorities.  Staying in communication with God, my relationships, and my lifestyle are three major aspects that keep me disciplined and focused, most important of these my communication with Christ.  There are times when you don’t have the motivation or energy to go on, especially when times are not good, not winning, but keeping your priorities straight and in line develops motivation and keeps you focused.  This is where discipline comes in.  Discipline, self- discipline, keeps you on track and forces you to keep your priorities straight.  These steps develop character and integrity, and it all works together like a big cycle of things.  The decisions you make affect your priorities, and the relationships around you.  Then those priorities can get messed up and the relationships destroyed, then you start losing motivation and focus.  Keep your discipline in your relationship with Christ and you will struggle less with lack of motivation and focus.

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Confidence

Why is it when you have confidence it seems like you will never not have it, but when you lose your confidence it seems like you will never get it back?

            Over the past few weeks I have watched my boys live on both sides of that conundrum.  They have both had days when they were sure they could do no wrong, and days when they couldn’t even remember how to do things right. Watching them is almost painful.  I see how when they win or play good pride starts to grasp at them, and I see how when it goes bad fear and discouragement try to grasp at them as well.  I have been there so many times riding the rollercoaster of success and failure until you just want to get off.  My boys and I talk about our value not being tied to our success in the arena or on the field and I know where my value is found chapter and verse.  However, knowing the truth and living in the truth are completely different things.  One can say their confidence is in the Lord but only the trials of life will let you know if the statement is true or not.   When I find my confidence on the wane the only thing I know is to do the little things.  Rope the dummy a few more times, hit a few off of the tee, work your horse… and in the midst of being faithful in the little things I usually find (what I guess I really always knew) the  Father is there with me and if he is with me then it’s going to be alright.  Likewise when my confidence is high I find if I will just remember to do the little things I am reminded the victory belongs to the Father.

            I hope it doesn’t take my boys as long as it has taken me to get off of the confidence roller coaster!

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Layton's Region Finals

Layton, my 14yr old son, competed at his region finals this week.  You know it is an interesting thing a dad has to do.  You work and work to work yourself out of a job.  Since Layton went to his first rodeo I have been there to help him saddle, check his calves, make sure his ropes are tied on… all while trying to help him learn to do those things for himself.  Then one day you look up and they don’t need your help anymore or at least not to the same degree.  Layton has learned how to get himself and his horse ready to compete.  He is starting to know how to focus on and prepare for each event without ol’ dad’s help.  So, I found myself during the finals one part proud and one part sad.  Proud not because he won a ton at the finals but proud because he was doing what men do.  Sad not because he was growing up but sad because he didn’t need me. 

            This got me to thinking about the Father.  God helps us to our feet, He lifts us out of the miry clay and sets us on level ground knowing we may need Him again but not for that.  Still the Father keeps picking us up and setting us free.  Trusting us to take the next step and trusting His love will keep us coming back to Him.  He never clutches, He is never clingy or smothering, He simply helps us up and releases us to be who He has called us to be. 

            Later that day, I had a moment when Layton came back by me, not because he needed anything, but because he wanted me to be a part of his victory and that was really cool.  I think the Father must like that pretty well too.

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God will not give up one you

Well hey there! I have so much to share with ya’ll. These next few months are my favorite months of the year. These months are also the busiest for someone who rodeo’s. I have region 4 finals on the weekend of April 5th, 6th, 7th also I have 4shsra finals the weekend of the 15^th, 16th. And I also have Joe Beaver’s goat tying and breakaway roping on Easter weekend.  Then the next week I have my exit level Taks test since I am a junior in high school. I have three tests left and I have to pass them to graduate high school and become a senior the next year. So fingers crossedJ . I have been roping so much this year trying to get better and go to that next level in my calf roping. It’s been a struggle at the rodeos. It’s like rodeo by rodeo something always goes wrong in the breakaway roping. I am only winning breakaway by one point in region 4.  At the last rodeo I drew a really fast calf and he ran through my loop which made me have to use my second loop. I ended up top ten in the round but this let other girls catch up to me, putting more pressure on me before the finals. I can’t let the pressure get to me. But I am confident in my lord and myself that I can get through this struggle in roping. I started roping my calf dummy a different way, I started roping a coastal hay bale instead and going back to the basics and catching every calf one by one. I also been going to professional calf ropers’ arenas and getting roping lessons and trying to learn new things and become a better roper. So far this past week has been one of my best weeks of roping calves. I feel a lot better about my roping.

 All I am trying to say is no matter how hard life gets and the obstacle you may face, don’t give in and don’t give up on yourself and especially don’t give up on your lord. God is there for you at all times. God loves you.

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” – 1 John 5:14-15

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Drew- California run

The past couple weeks have been a lot better.  We went to Laughlin, NV, Pocatello, ID, and Logandale, NV for the tour rodeos, and also to Las Vegas NV for the Hork Dog jackpot.  My partner and I have been roping better.  Hopefully this can start us on a role and we can keep it going.  We were 5.8 on our first one at Laughlin, but our second steer stopped and we missed him.  We were long on our first one at Pocatello, 19.6 with a barrier and a leg.  The set up at Pocatello was fast.  We made a good run on the next one and were 4.1, which ended up tying for 5^th and 6^th in the round.  We placed 5^th in the average at Logandale.  We were one out of the first round, 5.3, we drew a runner on our second one and were 7.2 on him to be 12.5 on two.  I was fourth call back at the Hork Dog with Jay McClain and I broke the barrier.  Our roping is starting to build some momentum going into Red Bluff and the Jackpots.  We go to Red Bluff this Friday, the 15^th of April.  After that there are two or three jackpots we are going to in California, then Clovis Ca the next Sunday on the 24^th of April, Easter Sunday then its home for a while.

            I have been staying disciplined with my workouts.  It has been easy to stay in a routine because I have had plenty of down time in Vegas, where I have been staying for a couple weeks.  I have been eating better and maintaining my energy levels by staying active and eating right.

            I have a lot of ideas about certain things and future rodeos, but we shall see where God leads me on that.  It is crazy to me how God gives me a vision and an idea, and just lets me do the planning to put it into action.  I love letting God take control of it by just doing what I can do and letting God work the impact.  He lets me see enough for me to take another step.  I guess He just keeps building my faith for my future.  I am a visual person.  I like to see the goal in my mind, believe it can happen, and then walk in that direction.  Everyone is different with their mental game and mental disciplines, but however you learn and reach goals, you must first believe you can do it before you can achieve it.  That’s where faith comes into my life.  I can see the end objective, but how I get there is a crazy journey that only God knows every step I need to take to reach that goal.  Roping is what I do, how I go about it is what God cares about.

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WTEC (The Finish)

My grandmother died the Monday before the Timed Event.  Grandma was 98 and she had an amazing, healthy, long life but it is still hard to say goodbye to your last surviving grandparent. I arrived at Guthrie a day early so that I could put my horses up before attending my grandmother’s funeral on Wednesday.   While this was a bit stressful emotionally I woke up Thursday feeling ready for the weekend.  We got the cattle ready on Thursday and my horses felt really good.  I headed a few and heeled a few and it all went really well.

               Consequently, when the first round began Friday at noon I was excited to see how it would all turn out.  The first round started great. After the heading, calf roping, heeling, and steer wrestling I was in position not only to be good in the average but also to place in the round.  Then it was time for the steer roping.  I got a good start and roped the steer slick horns but as I laid the trip the loop dropped over his nose. With my second loop I had trouble getting the steer to line out at the back end and I took a bad shot and necked him again.  Taking a 60 hurts but you can still win a lot with one or even two 60s so I still felt like everything was going to be ok. However, from there the tripping only went from bad to worse.  Before the WTEC was over I had taken five 60s in the tripping and I was headed home having done well in every other event yet winning nothing. 

                After the third round and the third 60 in the steer roping I was at the trailer roping the steer horns and beginning to question why I had put all of the time in and why I had worked so hard when I heard the Father ask me a question that didn’t answer my questions but it did bring me back to the right place.  The question was “Will you quit or commit?”  You know that really is the question that is being asked of us at every difficult point in our lives will we quit or commit.  I believe all too often we choose to quit.  We may not quit that day but we begin a process of drawing back and not fully committing which is essentially quitting.  We do it when things get unpleasant in our jobs or careers.  They get difficult we don’t get the raise or promotion we feel we deserve and we begin to just put in time.  It happens in our marriages when we get our hearts hurt by our spouses, by what they did or didn’t say and so we pull back and we protect our hearts instead of continuing to commit our whole heart, our entire lives to our marriage.  It happens with our kids when we hit a rough patch in raising them.  We fear we won’t be able to cross the finish line with our relationship with them being the way we want it to be, so we pull back and prepare our excuses for why it didn’t work out. 

                 I am just here to say that if you are born of God then you were not born a quitter.  Jesus finished the work and He is still the author and the finisher of our faith.  I am not saying there will never be a day when I won’t enter the WTEC or there won’t be a day when I don’t stop working at Sky Ranch But if I am to follow the Father’s example I will finish my last day fully committed to the task at hand.  I pray I will finish in my marriage and with my kids, taking my last breath knowing I stayed fully committed, with my heart totally open to the Father and to them.
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Don’t give up on God!

Well hey there! I have so much to share with ya’ll. These next few months are my favorite months of the year. These months are also the busiest for someone who rodeo’s. I have region 4 finals on the weekend of April 5th, 6th, 7th also I have 4shsra finals the weekend of the 15^th, 16th. And I also have Joe Beaver’s goat tying and breakaway roping on Easter weekend.  Then the next week I have my exit level Taks test since I am a junior in high school. I have three tests left and I have to pass them to graduate high school and become a senior the next year. So fingers crossedJ .

I have been roping so much this year trying to get better and go to that next level in my calf roping. It’s been a struggle at the rodeos. It’s like rodeo by rodeo something always goes wrong in the breakaway roping. I am only winning breakaway by one point in region 4.  At the last rodeo I drew a really fast calf and he ran through my loop which made me have to use my second loop. I ended up top ten in the round but this let other girls catch up to me, putting more pressure on me before the finals. I can’t let the pressure get to me. But I am confident in my lord and myself that I can get through this struggle in roping. I started roping my calf dummy a different way, I started roping a coastal hay bale instead and going back to the basics and catching every calf one by one. I have been going to a professional calf ropers’ arena and getting roping lessons, trying to learn new things and become a better roper. So far this past week has been one of my best weeks of roping calves. I feel a lot better about my roping.

 All I am trying to say is no matter how hard life gets and the obstacle you may face, don’t give in and don’t give up on yourself and especially don’t give up on your Lord. God is there for you at all times. God loves you.

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” – 1 John 5:14-15

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Roping in February



I haven’t written an update in awhile.  Things have been a little different here lately.  I have had the opportunity to rope with a few different partners because my partner, Trey Johnson, broke his finger and had to have surgery on it.  We were entered at five rodeos and he doctor released and I drew out of four of them.  I went to San Angelo got a calf roper, Clint Robinson, to heel for me.  He cross fired the first one and then we ended up placing in the second round, then I missed the third one.  I came out of Angelo with about $1,200 which was good.  After San Angelo, I went to Athens Texas for the USTRC roping.  I had a great opportunity there to rope with Patrick Smith and Garret Jess.  Patrick and I made the short round and were 5.5 in the short round, but to long for any money.  We got one point, not necessarily good but it means I’m one point closer to the US Open in Oklahoma City.   I roped at two other ropings and didn’t do well at them.  So, for now, I have not been winning much.  I am hoping I can turn things around here at the start of March.

            March will be a new beginning for me.  I have had a lot of time to practice in February and time to prepare myself for what is to come.  I am heading to Austin Texas right now for the slack in the morning.  I entered there with Ryan Motes.  After the slack tomorrow morning at Austin, I drive straight to Boerne Texas, just outside of San Antonio, for the George Strait Team Roping Classic.  I am roping with Michael Fortenberry, Allen Bach, and Kyle Crick.  I am looking forward to tomorrow, it’s a big day.  I need to do well at Austin and the other rodeos that are coming up.  After this week, Trey gets to start roping again, and we are entered at Huntsville, Nacogdoches, and Graham Texas.  We need to really do good, we have been set back by a few things that hindered us in the winter, but we are really fired up about Trey getting back to roping and then leaving for California for the start of the Spring.

            What I have been working on:

I went to Speed Williams place the other day and got a lesson from him.  He taught me so much and explained a lot to me about what to look for and expect when I go to some rodeos that I have not been to.  I have been trying to make my head loop more precise, speed my rope up and still deliver a smooth loop. Also, I am working on combining my reaching game with good horsemanship.  It’s been great being able to work on all these things for a little more than a month before I leave for California.  I am still maintaining my health and fitness, trying to stay loose and build a little more strength in my legs and upper body for power in my horses and my swing.

My mental game I feel like is getting a lot stronger.  I have been visualizing myself making good runs.  This helps me focus, relax, and not worry about what other people do.  I am very visual and I learn best by watching, so when I watch other ropers its really easy for me to imitate them.  That’s why I tend to watch myself make runs on tape, or visualize myself making those runs before I rope.

I have been reading the Story of King David from 1^st and 2^nd Samuel.  Great Story of a strong leader who we can learn a lot from.

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Stretch Run

Things sure can unravel quickly.  For the first two weeks of this stretch run my tripping really improved my calf roping and team roping were looking sharp and I was preparing to sharpen my steer wrestling up as well. When things kind of came to a screeching halt.  My brother and I learned 1 week prior to the WTEC that we were not going to be able to ride the horse we had been planning on riding in the steer wrestling.  I also rode the horse I am riding in the steer roping at the Timed Event for the first time and it didn’t go well.  It would be easy at this point to push the panic button.  If your hope is in your horses or in your plan you will push the panic button but if your hope is in the Father you can stand firm.  Psalms 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

            This doesn’t mean I didn’t get on the phone and find a new horse to ride it just means after the initial shock I had to remember that God has a better plan than I have.  As it says in Proverbs 21: ³¹ The horses are prepared for battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.

Improvement

·        Team roping went great at Ricky’s

·        I feel strong and healthy

Needs Improvement

• Didn’t get along with new tripping horse that well

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The Power of Prayer

Lately I have been busier than ever with rodeos and basketball. Basketball is now over and I have so much time to get better at what I love most and that is roping. Lately I have been striving toward my goals. State is coming soon and I have been working but I believe not hard enough. So I started roping twice a day. Waking up 6 in the morning to go saddle three calf horses and pen a set of ten calves. I rope for an hour before school and now after I come home from school, I give goat tying lessons and then I rope all over again working on different things. My message this week is about Power in Prayer.

"…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" James 5:16

The quality of our prayer life then determines the quality of our relationship with God. Prayer is talking with God. Prayer is listening to God. Prayer is enjoying the presence of God. It can take many forms - for example: worship, confession, thanksgiving, praise, petition (asking for things), waiting (silent, listening and sensing of God) and warfare (command). If we are baptized in the Spirit we can pray with the spirit, in languages unknown to us but not to God, 1 Corinthians 14:2,14.

Prayer is not simply saying words. It is not repeating formulas. God is looking for heartfelt relationship. There is power in prayer; it’s our one connection with God in which the devil cannot interrupt. To have a good relationship with God is to have good communication with Him. Not only is there power in prayer, but there is purpose in prayer. He is your Father, He is there for you unconditionally; put your all into the relationship with Him and it will pay off.

Life on Earth isn’t easy, we face obstacles, people and things stand in our way, and prayer is the way to reach God for help. He knows all, but you have to talk with him, confide in him, and ask of him. But in the end God is our anchor and he is what we have to hang on to when times are tough.

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Steer Roping

Why can it be so much harder to rope the horns when you are tripping than it is when you are team roping?  I might head 15-20 in a row without missing yet I might also run six steer roping steers and waved it off one, necked another, and flat out missed the third.  Why are there areas of our lives that seem so difficult?  Intellectually we can see that if we simply will do x, y, and z it will all work out, however, in the doing either x, y, or z always seem to go haywire.  It is difficult when you are doing all you can think to do and yet it isn’t working out.  I wish at this point I could give you an amazing Spiritual lesson that I could give you chapter and verse on what needs to happen next, I wish I could tell you how to overcome, but that would mean I had it figured out and I do not.  I still struggle with my tripping.  I may even be accused of having a bad confession by saying I still struggle.  But maybe that is the point as long as I am still struggling I’m not finished.  Maybe there are parts of life that are not going to come easy but if we are still struggling God can still come through.  All I really know for sure is the only way I have found to not experience trouble with my steer roping is to not steer rope.  Since that isn’t an option I guess I will rope the dummy again tonight, practice again tomorrow, keep seeking the Father, and get back to you when it is no longer difficult.

Improvement

·        Tripping horse is doing better

·        I am starting to get into fighting shape

Needs Improvement

• Missed too many tripping steers

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Work Hard

We prepared the calves for the Ft Worth Stock Show and Rodeo this week.  120 head of big black fresh calves.  We had to flank and tie everything twice and breakaway everything twice as well.  It was hard, tiring work but it also helped me prepare for the WTEC. 

            I am amazed at the believers who don’t want to work hard.  They take Scriptures that speak of entering His rest as an excuse to be lazy.  Then they seem offended that they are broke and in debt, as if God did not intend for them to adhere to Proverbs 6:6-11.  “Look to the ant you sluggard, who having no master and ruler over him still gathers his food in season” (in other words he works hard without being told to work hard) it ends with “a little sleep a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity will come on you like an armed man.”  I get tired at times as well and I want to skip going to the practice pen or I want to lie on the couch instead of doing what needs to be done, however, I know that when I get up and get after it I am usually really glad I did.

Improvement

·        Flanking and tying was really good

·        Cardio is starting to improve

Needs Improvement

• Missed too many break away calves

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Iron Sharpens Iron

I love the Elite clinic!  The students are so motivated to improve.  They feed off of each others enthusiasm and work ethic and this makes the environment perfect for lots of improvement.  It says in Proverbs 27:17 “as iron sharpens iron so a friend sharpens a friend.”  Practicing with the right people is extremely vital when you are preparing for anything.  The right people will encourage, motivate, inspire, and challenge you to be all you have been called to be.  On the other hand, the wrong voices in the practice pen can discourage, drain, stagnate, and frustrate your efforts to improve.  This is true for more than just practicing.   In life we need to check if the people we are purposefully surrounding ourselves with are encouraging, motivating us to grow, or are they stagnate and wanting us to stagnate with them.  In the areas of your life that you are trying to improve make sure you have the right people in the practice pen with you.

Improvement

·        Steer wrestling Improved

·        Cardio is starting to improve

Needs Improvement

Need to spend more time on my tripping

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Time

During any time of preparation I find it very helpful to take a break somewhere in the middle to let all that you are learning have a chance to settle and germinate within you.  You work hard in the practice pen trying to improve then you kind of hit a wall where it seems that you are not getting any better, and then you take a short break and it all goes better. 

            I see this in the details of my personal life as well.  I am made aware of some shortcoming in my walk and I begin to sow the seed to grow in that area but often I become discouraged when growth doesn’t appear to be happening.  I forget that there is a time element that takes place between sowing and reaping. 

            I am still roping a little and preparing a bit but I have taken it way back the same way a farmer may pull a few weeds, water a little maybe even work on his harvesting equipment, but the real work will have to wait a while for the seed to grow and mature. I know with my timed event prep it will go better after the break than it went the last day of practice before the break.  Now, I just need to learn the same patience in my personal life.

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Helping Others

Week 8-9

Nov 15-28

                Helping Others

                I love getting to teach a steer wrestling clinic.  I find when I teach others I learn so much myself.  I have been teaching these clinics for 20 years now and I still learn something new at each one.  This year it was my steer wrestling that needed improvement.  I was taking the steers heads too low which was keeping me from making clean runs. 

                The Bible says to give and it will be given back to you good measure pressed down shaken together will men return it to you.  The schools give one of the best pictures of this for me.  I never have one that I don’t find myself being so extremely blessed by what comes back from my students.  This year one of the students that had been here for a couple of schools shared how god had turned his heart and had set his families course on a better path and to see this extremely tough Navy man changed by the power of God was so awesome for me and my family. 

                It really is true you can’t out give God!

Improvement

·        Steer wrestling Improved

Needs Improvement

• Not getting to work on my calf roping as much as I would like
• Work on my cardio

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Drew Horner New Year

We went to Odessa for the rodeo, and it didn’t go so well.  I roped with Trey Johnson and Allen Bach at the Sand Hills Classic Open roping and didn’t make the short round.  Trey and I went out on our first one in the rodeo.  We made a good run on our second round steer and were 4.0 on him, which would of won the second round, but we got called out for crossfire.  I roped with Trey and Buddy Hawkins at the Waco USTRC roping and made the short round with Buddy, but we had a few legs that put us out of any money and points for the US Open tour. 

My main focus has been keeping my confidence up by making good solid runs and staying consistent.  My horses have been doing great at staying honest for me and giving me a good chance to catch and make consistent runs.  The consistency makes it easier on my partner to rope behind me because he knows where the steers back feet are going to be every time.  Its been a fun first couple of weeks, getting to practice with other ropers from time to time.  Hanging out with winners in our sport will help me to be a winner. 

I have been focusing more on my health lately.  I have been doing a little P90x in my workouts and mixing things up a little bit.  I have been eating gives me energy that I need whenever I compete.  I have been weak in reading my Bible everyday though.  I have been praying constantly and that keeps me in contact with Christ, but reading and actually studying His word keeps me in understanding with Him so I need to be more disciplined in that area.

It has been enjoyable so far, at least, for the first couple weeks of the year.  We got a long ways to go before it is over and I look forward to the next rodeo.  I always have to remember to stay focused on what really matters in life and that is my relationship with Christ.  Roping is fun, but it is not life.  True life is through Christ.

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