Making his move

Tuesday, Dec. 7, 1999 | 10:39 a.m.

To the casual rodeo observer, it may appear that Lan Lajeunesse came out of nowhere to qualify for this year's National Finals Rodeo.

But don't tell that to Lajeunesse.

Although the 29-year-old from Morgan, Utah, qualified for his first NFR in bareback riding, Lajeunesse has more than paid his dues on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit since getting his card in 1994.

"I've rodeoed pretty hard for four years, but as far as the Finals go, I've been right there and then I'd get hurt and have to go home," Lajeunesse said. "I'd miss the Finals by like $6,000 to $10,000 and be off two or three months (because of injuries).

"I'm not saying I would have made it, but I had a really good shot to make it. In '97, I got hurt in September and only missed the Finals by $8,000, so there was a good chance I would have made it that year."

Lajeunesse sat out last year after undergoing a fourth surgery to repair a split pelvis, but has come back strong in 1999.

"I'm a rookie to this thing (the Finals), but to myself and everybody else, I've been on this circuit a long time," he said.

Lajeunesse entered this year's $4.4 million NFR ranked 10th in the world in bareback riding, but vaulted into second place with his steady riding through the first four go-rounds.

After taking second Friday and tying for third Saturday, Lajeunesse won Sunday's go-round and took second Monday night. Through four go-rounds, Lajeunesse has earned $38,795.52 to lead the average and is only $21,665 behind Pete Hawkins in the world standings.

While his riding may be catching some fans by surprise this week, Lajeunesse said he isn't riding any differently than he has all year.

"I'm just riding like I have for quite a while," he said. "To tell you the truth, everything's clicking for me and I'm drawing good horses.

"I'm drawing -- I'm not saying the best horse in the pen, but possibly the best horse in the pen for me. They've been bucking and I've been riding good and so far, it sure has worked out good."

Now that he has the world championship firmly in his sights, Lajeunesse said he isn't about to change his game plan the next six nights.

"I'm going to keep doing what got me here," he said. "I've got to forget about looking at the average (NFR championship) or anything else and keep doing what I've been doing every night and go from there.

"My dad used to always tell me when I was a kid, 'Take care of your pennies and your dimes, and your dollars will take care of themselves.' That's kind of what I've been doing here: take care of the go-rounds and if the average happens, it happens.

"I don't believe in sitting back and trying to shoot for that average and letting all these go-rounds go by."

So far, Lajeunesse has been taking his father's advice to heart.

"I could not win another dime and it's been a good Finals," Lajeunesse said. "To win a gold buckle, that's every cowboy's dream; to say you're the best in the world in that year."