When you think about the young guys who have seen a pile of success over the last couple of years, you might think of Denim Ross. And this year was no different with Ross racking up over $30,000 in season earnings behind Kavis Drake to punch his 3rd straight ticket to the CFR and Drake's 1st. The pair also ventured back and forth across the 49th Parallel as they look to qualify for the PRCA Winter Rodeos in an attempt at making an appearance in that little yellow building over there in Las Vegas. It was great to catch Ross for a call and ask him a couple questions before he dozed off for his afternoon nap on his way home from Pendleton.
PS for the ladies reading this... He has informed me that he is most definitely on the market if you're interested and want to come hang out.
Question: How's it feel to be heading to your 3rd straight CFR?
Answer: It's good. It's exciting. I'd say it was the best year I've had yet, caught more than I probably ever have and won more money I guess.
Question: How do you feel heading to Edmonton for the 1st time?
Answer: It's exciting, I haven't been there. Dad was at the first CFR ever that they had team roping in Rexall, I guess I get the first one in Rogers.
Question: What do you think you've learned to make this your best year yet?
Answer: I think just being to more rodeos and doing it for more years, you learn how to win and learn how to keep your horses and you sharp.
Question: It was your first year going with Kavis, how was that?
Answer: It was awesome. It was exciting, real exciting to rope with a guy who can throw it that far and that fast. It was fun, we've been best friends since we were 4 or 5. It's fun to rope with a guy you've grown up with.
Question: What horses did you use throughout the year?
Answer: I rode JP (his 12 year-old sorrel gelding) at pretty much every rodeo. I rode Shiner (his 7 year-old roan) at Ponoka and a few in the spring. I like JP at the rodeos more and like Shiner at the jackpots so it works out good they get equal workload. I'm going to start on JP at the Finals is the plan.
Question: What does your practice routine look like?
Answer: We have a set of practice horses where we practice winning first a lot. On our good horses, we just try to keep them working good. That's one thing I have really learned this year, is that when you're at home practicing and you're on your rodeo horses to really practice for your horses and keep them sharp. And then have another set of horses that you can practice for yourself on, to try and keep your good ones good and keep yourself practiced up.
Question: How many steers do you rope a day in the summer time?
Answer: When we're home in the summertime I bet on average we run 50-60 steers a day and about 300-400 goats. Our goats are in good shape.
Question: What's the game plan leading up to Edmonton?
Answer: Keep everything sharp and rolling. It's nice this year to have some rodeos lead right up to the Finals, makes it easy to stay sharp.
Question: What's your rope of choice?
Answer: HM Powerline every time, rain or shine.
Question: What's your favorite rodeo of the year?
Answer: My favorite rodeo would probably be Ponoka cause it's so much different with that long score, it makes it fun. Actually Pendleton might be, but for Canadian rodeos it would be Ponoka. But Armstrong is hard to beat with the big crowd, it's real fun in Armstrong.
Question: Who's the person who's been the biggest influence on your roping?
Answer: Probably my dad, right from the time I can remember he's always been helping me. My dad or grandpa. I watched lots of roping tapes with my grandpa and did lots of roping with my dad.
Question: What's your future goals? What do you want to accomplish yet?
Answer: This fall we're gonna try and get the winter rodeos made and then hopefully next year rodeo south more. We're gonna go to some rodeos right after the CFR and try to get into the winter rodeos that way. Hopefully have a good winter and hopefully be at the Thomas and Mack and if not, get back into the winter rodeos and try it again.
*Sidenote: The PRCA currently has Ross sitting at 38th in the World Standings on the heel side
Question: What's the biggest thing you've learned branching out and going across the line more?
Answer: The biggest thing I've learned I guess is that it's just another rodeo. And how important it is to stay rested and have good horses and stay focused. I guess I learned how to drive a little bit better.
Question: Who else are you excited to watch in Edmonton?
Answer: Oh shoot, all of them. How could you go wrong with any of them? Trey & Jerry, you know that's going to be exciting. I know how fast Trey can get it on em there from roping with him last year and you know Jerry's a World Champ and multiple time Canadian Champ, you know he'll get em heeled. I think Grahams will be an exciting team to watch, obviously we know how good they are. Kash & Spady will be exciting with them coming off their big fall and I'm sure they'll keep that going. It's also exciting to watch D Bird and Tyce rope. It's just cool to be at the CFR with a bunch of NFR guys of that caliber, this is the best set of guys that I've been at the Finals with, I think this will be the toughest year.
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