Bronc busting in the blood

By Brett Okamoto (contact)

Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Many of the livestock involved with this year's 50th Anniversary National Finals Rodeo were bred and built with a professional rodeo career in mind. You might even say one of its cowboys was too.

The 2008 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Rookie of the Year tie-roper Tuf Cooper may be new to the sport this season, but his family is not. On certain nights it's hard to find a man on the leaderboard or the history books who Cooper isn't related to. His father Roy was the 1976 Rookie of the Year and won eight World titles during his career. His grandfather Clifton Smith was an NFR cowboy in the 1960s. Older brothers Clint and Clif are both PRCA competitors. His uncle Stran Smith is a nine-time NFR qualifier, currently in fifth place in the World standings. His brother-in-law is five-time all-around World title winner Trevor Brazile.

"If there ever was somebody bred and raised for this, it's him," Stran said. "He's taken something from all of us and and he's tried to take it in and mold it and make it his own. And now he's got his own style and his own technique."

Tuf's earliest memories of roping aren't from when he was eight or ten. They're from when he was three.

"I have memories of my dad going out and roping the dummy with me for hours when I was three and four," he said. "And I remember the first time I ever tried to rope a calf from a horse I missed it. I got the second one though."

At 18-years-old, Tuf is the youngest cowboy at this year's NFR. In fact, it would be impossible for him not to be the youngest. The PRCA requires that cowboys be at least 18 years of age and fill a permit card with at least $1,000 worth of winnings before participating in PRCA events. So on Jan. 31 of this year when Tuf turned 18, he immediately got a permit card, filled it and joined the PRCA 2008 season.

But by the time everything was legit, the season was half over.

"The first rodeo I had that actually counted wasn't until around March or April," Tuf said. "So I had already missed the big winter rodeos. It was tough to catch up, I had to take every chance I could to get a chance to qualify for Finals. I just went at it with everything I had."

Cooper guesses he was around $22,000 down when he finally entered his first PRCA event. He stepped up to the challenge by winning $90,604 throughout the remainder of the year, and came into the Finals in Las Vegas in sixth place in the World standings.

Such an accomplishment might come as a pleasant surprise to another rookie roper. But with Tuf's background, not making the '08 Finals was never an option.

"In the summer of 2006, I decided I was going to work as hard as i could and be ready for the Finals in 2008," Tuf said. "I expected myself to make the finals when I was 18. There's pressure when you come from a family like this sure, but I just block it all out and try to focus on the motivation and support I get from them instead."

It hasn't been an outstanding NFR so far for Tuf, as he's failed to take home any money, including a tenth-place finish Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center. But considering what he was able to accomplish in half a season, he isn't counting himself out.

"The sky's the limit for him if he stays healthy and continues to have the desire to compete," Stran said. "The one word I always use to describe him is he's a winner. He ropes to win. He's already experienced far beyond his years. You can't even guess what he could accomplish in his career."

McTaggart Watch: Colin McTaggart is the cowboy with the closest ties to Las Vegas in the competition. McTaggart was a student at UNLV last year and plans on returning next year to earn his degree in marketing. He entered this year’s finals, the second of his career, in eighth place in bull riding. Last year he finished 15th in the final world standings.

McTaggart was knocked from his second bull of the NFR Saturday night as he failed to post a score on Beutler & Son bull 38 Special. McTaggart shouldn't feel too bad about missing a ride, only two of 15 competitors were able to ride their bulls in the third round. So far, McTaggart has been bucked off twice and posted a 84-point, third-place finish in the second round Friday night.

Round Winners

Bareback Riding: Royce Ford; 88.5 points

Steer Wrestling: Dean Gorsuch; 3.5 seconds

Team Roping: Matt Funk, Bucky Campbell; 4.0 seconds

Saddle Bronc Riding: Billy Etbauer; 89.5 points

Tie-down Roping: Cody Ohl; 6.9 seconds

Barrel Racing: Lindsay Sears; 13.91 seconds

Bull Riding: Chance Smart, Douglas Duncan; 91.5 points (tie)