"Once a Cowboy, Always
a Cowboy" - July 22
It's the final day of Cowboy U, and it's time for a
rodeo. Rocco's hoping that everyone makes it out in one
piece. We have Sal, Rachel, Tera, and Corey. One will
win $25,000.
First thing they do is
meet some meet. They get smaller-but-meaner bulls.
Rachel still sees them as very big. "I just hope today's
my day."
Time to spend some time
in the arena to cowboy up mentally. Rocco tells them to
get intense, get peaceful, and picture each event
mentally. Tera thinks that she has the best chance.
She's cowboying up to every challenger, being one of the
better ropers and better riders, but will this day push
her to the limit?
Sal quit his job to be
here. He needs a win. He started rocky, but caught on.
He may not look pretty, but he gets the job done. Sal's
come a long way, but will it be enough?
Corey wants to stay as
relaxed as he can. He's been the leader all the way
through, but he is way too reckless. He's got a little
temper, but looks great on horseback. He's the most
aggressive of all the riders.
Rachel is the underdog,
having the greatest transformation from softback to the
big dogs via sleeping out with the horses. She caught
fire with dogie punching, but can she dance with the
bulls?
The ambulance is set,
the field is ready, the bulls are irate. Let's rodeo!
EVENT 1: Mounted
Shooting (15 points available). Winner take all. Each
cowboy gets 60 seconds, and 5-second penalties will be
assessed for any missed balloons. Break from the pattern
is a DQ.
Sal |
48.02 +
penalty = 53.02 |
0
points |
Tera |
41.36 +
penalty = 46.36 |
15
points |
Rachel
|
38.00 +
3 penalties = 53.00 |
0
points |
Corey
|
Eight
penalties push time over maximum, no score. |
0
points |
EVENT 2: Barrel Racing
(20 points available). Winner take all. Fastest time
wins. Break from the pattern is a DQ.
Corey
|
19.81 |
20
points |
Sal |
25.05 |
0
points |
Rachel
|
Broke
pattern, no time. But fastest we've ever seen her. |
0
points |
Tera |
27.30 |
15
points |
EVENT 3: Breakaway
Roping (15 points available). Everyone gets three steers
and three chances to get one loop. Legal catches - slick
horn, half-head, or neck - count for 5 points each.
Corey
|
0 for
3. From hero to zero. |
20
points |
Tera |
0 for
3. |
15
points |
Sal |
2 for
3. |
10
points |
Rachel
|
2 for
3. |
10
points |
EVENT 4: Bull Riding (50
points available). Winner take all. Time to stare death
in the face, eight seconds at a time. The clock stops
when a rider lets go, touches the ground, or touches any
part of the bull with the free hand.
Rachel
|
3.42 |
10
points |
Sal |
4.37 |
10
points |
Tera |
4.21 |
15
points |
It's down to Sal vs.
Corey for $25,000! If Corey can beat Sal's time, it's
all him. If not, it's all Corey. Ambulance is still at
the ready. Let's go!
Sal |
4.37 |
60 points |
Corey
|
2.96 |
20
points |
And Sal, choir director
form Los Angeles, takes away the 25 G's! And he's off
and running. What's more, he beat Tera by two-tenths of
a second! What does Sal say? "Four seconds felt like a
lifetime. This is the moment that changed everything. I
quit my job to come to Cowboy U... and I WON!"
Graduation: Everyone
gets a belt buckle, signifying graduation from Cowboy U
Texas. Sal gets the all-around buckle, having REALLY
earned it. Lots of love to go around, but as Judd loves
to say, "Love gets you thrills, but money pays the
bills." Here's a check for $25,000! He wants to spend it
on "real wedding rings." He fought for everything and
won. He earned his buckle. Judd has never seen so much
heart from four people. "I think every one of them has
earned the right to call themselves cowboys."
Corey learned to get
back on the horse when you buck off. Rachel likened this
to therapy, Tera gets an appreciation for all that
cowboys do, and Sal has a newfound appreciation to the
fire within.
Cowboy U is not a place
but a journey. The journey of all that have come before.
The stewards of the land, the livestock, and the people
they love. "They have to be better people than they
came." With that, you can visit Rocco at
www.arizonacowboycollege.com. And with that, just
remains to ride us into the sunset. See you, space
cowboy. |