{"id":28961,"date":"2017-12-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-12-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.tarleton.edu\/news\/tarleton-ropers-taking-different-routes-home-from-wstr\/"},"modified":"2023-06-23T13:30:27","modified_gmt":"2023-06-23T18:30:27","slug":"tarleton-ropers-taking-different-routes-home-from-wstr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/tarleton-ropers-taking-different-routes-home-from-wstr\/","title":{"rendered":"Tarleton ropers taking different routes home from WSTR"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br \/>\nFriday, December 1, 2017<\/p>\n<p>STEPHENVILLE, Texas\u2014Like many travelers this time of year, Michael Tash is facing some time crunches at the airport.<\/p>\n<p>Not to get home for the holidays, but to get back to Tarleton State University in time for December commencement exercises.<\/p>\n<p>Tash, a senior about to receive his bachelor\u2019s degree in animal science with concentration in animal production, has qualified for the World Series of Team Roping in Las Vegas and finals wind up the night before graduation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m actually flying back at 2 in the morning to walk and graduate,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ll rope my last steer around 2 or 3 in the afternoon Dec. 14. Then I\u2019ll wait for the airplane that takes me to Dallas, and I\u2019ll walk on Dec. 15.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His roping partner and fellow Tarleton student Max Ramsey, though, will drive the return trip in the vehicle they\u2019re taking to Nevada.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re driving to Arizona first,\u201d Ramsey said. \u201cWe\u2019ll rope in some jackpots there to help fund our trip and we\u2019ll go on to Las Vegas. While he\u2019s flying back, I\u2019ll be driving.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube Video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VDqaAe4NcdQ\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Tash, a two-year member of the Tarleton rodeo team after a stellar stint at Ranger College, came to Texas from Dinwiddie, Va., where he was a three-time qualifier to the High School National Finals Rodeo in team roping, calf roping and steer wrestling.<\/p>\n<p>As a young rodeo competitor, he sought a way to get to more traditional rodeo country. Tarleton was his preferred landing spot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy whole life, I\u2019d never been to Texas,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019d heard about Stephenville and Tarleton. If you want to be a roper, this was the place to be. That\u2019s what I wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Recruited by Ranger College\u2019s Llew Rust, Tash kept his eye on Tarleton.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBefore I committed I asked (Rust) how far it was to Stephenville?\u201d he said. \u201cI got into the NIRA Southwest Region, got noticed by Coach Mark Eakin at Tarleton and came here after two seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While giving Ranger and Rust credit for getting him to Texas, Tash said Tarleton has helped him realize a path to a professional rodeo career, his ultimate goal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs part of the Tarleton rodeo team, I have learned what it takes to become a champion. I know the hard work, the dedication it takes,\u201d he said. \u201cI see my teammates doing what I want to do. You watch those guys; you see their mentality and how hard they practice. You learn a lot from all of them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Header Tash and Ramsey, a heeler, earned their spot in the World Series of Team Roping by winning a qualifying event in Hamilton in February, earning almost $19,000 each.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat really jump-started my year,\u201d Tash said. \u201cThat cash infusion allowed me to go and be involved in more professional events this year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With his eligibility finished at Tarleton, Tash hopes to earn enough in Vegas to allow him a year to practice his craft before becoming a full-time professional roper.<\/p>\n<p>Ramsey\u2019s of a similar mind.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s life-changing money at stake,\u201d he said. \u201cWinners at the World Series can make $300,000. To go out there and win with Michael would be awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ramsey, a licensed real estate agent from Stephenville, started roping when he was about 10 years old. He was the first in his family to rodeo. In fact, he and his dad began roping at the same time.<\/p>\n<p>He eventually made his way to the Tarleton rodeo team, where he met Tash. The two became friends, as well as roping partners.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe hang out, hunt together. It\u2019s nice to have that kind of relationship with someone outside the arena,\u201d Ramsey said. \u201cIf I\u2019m ever in a bind, I know he\u2019s there to help me. It\u2019s hard to find that kind of people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tash agrees the two have really clicked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMax is a great partner,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve become great friends, too. He\u2019s as serious about this as I am.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now working on his MBA, Ramsey graduated with a degree in ag economics in 2016. He has plans if he brings home a fat check from the WSTR.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ll pay off my house and my truck,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd keep roping.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tash admits if he brings home enough, he may even be a little more comfortable on his late-night flight back to Texas.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe might just upgrade,\u201d he said smiling.<\/p>\n<p>Action starts Saturday, Dec. 9, in Las Vegas, with more than 2,000 team ropers in line for a piece of the record $6 million purse. During the 2017 season, team ropers competed at 125 WSTR qualification events. Ropers from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia and Italy are expected.<\/p>\n<p>The event runs through Dec. 17, with action from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. A live webcast will run throughout the event at http:\/\/wstroping.com.<\/p>\n<p>Tarleton, celebrating 100 years as founding member of The Texas A&amp;M University System, provides a student-focused, value-driven educational experience marked by academic innovation and exemplary service, and dedicated to transforming students into tomorrow\u2019s professional leaders. As a member of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) with campuses in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian and online, Tarleton engages with its communities to provide real-world learning experiences and to address societal needs while maintaining its core values of tradition, integrity, civility, leadership, excellence and service.<\/p>\n<p>#<\/p>\n<p>Contact: Phil Riddle, News and Information Specialist<br \/>\n817-484-4415<br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:priddle@tarleton.edu\">priddle@tarleton.edu<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like many travelers this time of year, Michael Tash is facing some time crunches at the airport.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":28962,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[423,425],"tags":[432,436,455],"class_list":["post-28961","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academics-research","category-campus-community","tag-alumni","tag-college-of-agriculture-natural-resources","tag-rodeo"],"acf":{"image":false},"author_meta":{"display_name":"keegan","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/author\/keegan-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/65\/2021\/11\/image-1481-300x200.jpg","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/category\/academics-research\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Academics &amp; Research<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/category\/campus-community\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Campus &amp; Community<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Academics &amp; Research<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Campus &amp; Community<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/category\/campus-community\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Alumni<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/category\/campus-community\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">College of Agriculture &amp; Natural Resources<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/category\/campus-community\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Rodeo<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Alumni<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">College of Agriculture &amp; Natural Resources<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Rodeo<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":0,"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 8 years ago","modified":"Updated 3 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on December 1, 2017","modified":"Updated on June 23, 2023"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on December 1, 2017 12:00 am","modified":"Updated on June 23, 2023 1:30 pm"},"featured_img_caption":"Two cowboys in hats stand behind championship saddles.","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28961","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28961"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28961\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28962"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28961"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28961"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28961"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}