JUNE, JULY, AUGUST 2013 VOL. 31 NO. 2 Photo by Art Streiber Garrett Tonozzi and Dugan Kelly Win 2013 GSTRC Garrett Tonozzi Becomes the Richest Single-Event Roper in History at The George Strait Team Roping Classic The 31st edition of the George Strait Team top 50 teams, welcome the fans and take a things shaped up eerily similarly to the 2012 Roping Classic was the biggest in the event’s lap, handing out high fives to fans. As the edition. That year, Clay Tryan and Patrick history, with 685 teams plunking down $500 roping unfolds, the first two rounds feel like Smith were the fast back and Tonozzi and per man for the chance to run at $260,000 in Kelly were second high team back. Back cash plus two Chevy trucks and two Bruton then, Kelly legged up (they still finished trailers. Among the entrants were has-beens, 7th) while Tryan and Smith won it all. never-weres and an inordinate amount of This year, Tonozzi had the sixth high gonna-bes. But, as usual, it was household call back with York Gill and the fifth with roping names coming out on top. Kelly. Tryan and Smith were high team Garrett Tonozzi, in fact, came out not only again. on top, but in second place, too. Heading Despite larger cattle on the first day (and for Dugan Kelly, they roped three steers in predicted slower times) the roping was 15.58 seconds to win $131,060 each. Then, plenty fast and sped up considerably start- he and York Gill roped three in 16.41 to win ing with the 15th high team back when $52,425. That brought Tonozzi’s total to a Tyler Magnus and Mickey Gomez stopped whopping $183,485. Not to mention a brand the clock in 4.86 seconds. The next team, new Chevy Truck, Bruton Trailer and all Aaron Tsinigine and Cesar de la Cruz kinds of other plunder. went 4.61 and shot to the top of a tightly The GSTRC is a two-day event. On day packed top 15. The next three teams went one, teams are split into 10 rotations and out of the average. the top five in each rotation on two head “Everybody was trying to be aggres- advance to the final-day with clean slates sive,” Tonozzi said. “A lot of heelers were for a winner-take-all three-header. Ropers hazing quite a bit today because it got so can enter three times and seven men made fast.” Some headers missed trying to be it out of the rotation on two: Nick Sartain, aggressive and some ran out of room on Clay Tryan, Justin Yost, Jade Corkill, Garrett the left fence leaving heelers to slip legs. Tonozzi, Paul Eaves, and Jake Long. Inter- The next clean, fast run came from estingly only two of those men ended up an opening act. For third go, the ropers are Lance Brooks and Kyle Lockett, who placing in the average once the dust settled. arranged by time and the drama rises until stopped the clock in 5.25 and took over the On the final day, the San Antonio Rose the top 20 teams when the building is buzz- lead in the average. After Dustin Bird and Palace is packed to the rafters with team rop- ing with excitement. Ropers are perched on Paul Eaves turned in a no time, Levi Simp- ing and George Strait fans. Strait himself did every fence rail and fans are literally on their son and Matt Garza got a flag n 5.66 to move not rope, but his fans weren’t disappointed feet. to second in the average. Next up was as he rode in to the arena to introduce the After the first two steers on the final day, Continued on following page... - 1 - STRAIT TALK Garrett Tonozzi and Dugan Kelly Win 2013 GSTRC Continued from previous page... won at one roping ever, but not unprecedent- While working on a welder to fix a piece of Tonozzi and Gill, who went 5.48 and took ed. In 2008, Travis Tryan finished first and sucker rod sticking out in Circle Back’s pen, over the average lead. second to net $134,785. The very next year, he heard a loud bang that would eventually The building was on edge with every clean Jade Corkill finished first, second and sixth change all his plans. Circle Back had run run taking over the average lead, however, to earn $152,193. The header he won it with, that very piece of sucker rod five feet into after Tonozzi’s first run, fans had a chance to Chad Masters, finished first and fourth. his chest. The full story of his recovery is catch their breath as Tonozzi had to get his “This is a life-changer for me,” Tonozzi in the April 2012 SWR, but after fighting rope off the steer and ride up the arena for said in the midst of back slaps and con- infection and basically re-teaching the horse his next steer. gratulatory texts and calls. “I’ve never had to walk, Kelly was finally able to saddle him While prodded to explain his mindset as he any kind of money like this. I’m just really up for his return to ProRodeo last year. By made the trip back up the arena, in his view, excited for the rest of the year. I’m still kind then, he was too invested in the horse to ever it was simple: “It’s a great feeling, because of in shock.” sell him, and knew this could be the horse to me and York were already winning it,” he Kelly was just as overwhelmed. It was just help him realize unfulfilled roping dreams. said. “It was just a blessing to have two call- last year that he returned the rodeo trail after The return began in earnest at the Strait in backs that high. Actually, my main concern a seven-year hiatus. Ironically, many of the 2012 and he went on to qualify for his first was my rope. I had left an extra rope with waypoints on his return to professional rodeo NFR in eight years. Spencer Mitchell and I was wondering if I revolve around the GSTRC and his horse “I took 7 years off and the horse I won on should switch or not. I swung the one I used Circle Back. After roping at the Strait in today was the reason I wanted to rodeo,” first a few times going up the arena and it 2009 on a promising young sorrel, he headed Kelly said. “I didn’t get a chance to ride him didn’t feel great at first, but by the time I got home, where he was building pens and an a whole lot last year because he was sore in to the box it felt just as good as it had with arena. He turned the horse, Circle Back, out. and out. I got to ride him these last couple York.” So that’s the rope he stuck with. The horse showed a lot of promise, and at weeks, and it sure was nice.” As Kelly waited in the box for his header, the time being fully dedicated to his rodeo As he explained, the hardships of three he considered his strategy. retirement, Kelly was planning to get the years bubbled to the surface and Kelly “I needed to be able to put the pressure on horse just a little further along and sell him. choked up trying to describe the meaning of them,” he said. the win. Tonozzi got out and Kelly snared his “It sure takes the pressure off. I’ve steer to stop the clock in 4.87 and they been under the gun the last year and shot to the lead by .83. a half,” Kelly said. “This helps. This Then, all they had to do was wait. A thing changes your life. It’s changing combined 19 gold buckles, however, mine right now. I never got to meet remained among the top four teams. George Strait, so this is a great way Speed Williams, as the fourth high to meet him. We thank him for that. call, waved it off for Travis Graves. It gives us an opportunity and one or Then a couple of young-guns: Clay two teams have a chance to really get Smith and Will Woodfin took every ahead and make a living doing what penalty on a run that would have sent they love.” them to the top of the leader board. The day, however, belonged to To- Second high call, Keven Daniel, nozzi. Officially, he becomes the team missed for Rich Skelton. The high roper to have won of the most money team back, Clay Tryan and Patrick at a single event in the history of the Smith, needed to stop the clock in 5.54 sport. or faster for the win. Instead, Smith “I’ve thought about it,” he said a slipped a leg and their 4.91 turned week after the roping. “That’s the into a 9.91. Their time—even with the highest paying roping we’ve ever had, leg—let them finish 7th in the average so I guess I’ve got to just say thanks to and basically flipped the script from a George for letting us rope at that kind year ago when Kelly legged and Tryan of money. I never thought I could rope and Smith won.