LAS VEGAS – In his first week of competition in Sin City, J.C. Yeahquo has learned that there’s a lot more to do than gamble and party.
“It’s been fun out here,” said Yeahquo, a first-time National Finals Rodeo qualifying header from Stephenville, Texas. “When I’m riding into the box, that’s the most fun I have at night.
“I might be wrong, but if I was doing bad, I’d probably say I was still having fun because I get to be out here. It’s very enjoyable. I’ve got all my family out here, and we’re all just hanging out every day and taking it easy. It’s been good.”
So has Yeahquo. He’s placed five straight nights. His most recent came with a 4.1-second run to finish fifth in Wednesday’s seventh round, worth $8,700. He his heeler, Buddy Hawkins, were saddled with a no-time on Night 1, and they suffered a five-second penalty in the second round. They’ve placed every night since and have a six-run cumulative time of 30.9 seconds.
They are third in the aggregate race with three rounds remaining for this NFR and have each roped $88,513. Yeahquo is sixth in the heading world standings with $214,808, but there’s a ton of money still up for grabs over the coming nights. Should the team remain third in the aggregate race, each will add a bonus of more than $55,000 when the championship concludes Saturday night. If they move up one spot, it’ll pay $70,000.
There’s a ton of confidence coming out of the North Dakota-born cowboy, and a good portion of that rests on El Chapo, a 14-year-old sorrel gelding. Yeahquo relies on the red racer to put him in position, then he trusts Hawkins to finish stopping the clock.
“El Chapo is a finished horse,” he said. “I don’t know that I could do anything now to make him any better than he is. I think he’s right the way he is now, and I think he’ll always be. He’s perfect for this setup, and he does a great job of pulling the cow and letting the cow’s hip swing just perfect for Buddy to be able to heel him. He definitely loves it.”
Every team roping tandem has a quarterback, and oftentimes it’s the header because he’s the cowboy that must start in time with the steer and secure the first loop. That’s not the case with Hawkins and Yeahquo, the latter of whom understands his job.
“I try to make it happen and let Buddy finish,” Yeahquo said. “I try to make it to where we can be fast. I told him when we started roping that I’d feel more comfortable going further across the arena than down the arena. If I can hit him fast and let Buddy do the tracking, that’s what feels best for me. Buddy has been teeing off on them.”
It’s working, and that’s a valuable asset in Las Vegas.