Teen wins U.S. rodeo event

St. Peter student Cody Fry competes in breakaway roping at All American Quarter Horse Congress

DOURO -- Before Cody Fry competed at the All American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio last month, his mother questioned if he was confident enough to tackle his first roping competition outside of Canada.

The Douro resident answered Andrea Knox by winning the championship in breakaway – where a calf is roped, but not thrown and tied – and being named reserve champion in both youth calf roping and heeling, also known as team roping.

The 16-year-old Grade 11 student at St. Peter Secondary School competed against fields of 14, seven and seven in the three events, respectively, during the prestigious three-day event billed as the world’s largest single-breed horse show.

“It was very exciting,” Knox said Tuesday, describing the nervewracking process of watching from the sidelines as other roping competitors tried to best her son’s leading time posted on the scoreboard. “It was hard for me watching.”

Fry began roping four years ago and has competed in the Ontario summer rodeo circuits, Rawhide Rodeo Company and Ram Rodeo Tour, for the past two years.

He didn’t expect to do nearly as well as he did at The Congress, but said it goes to show that his practice is starting to yield better results. He ropes calves three times a week, while honing other skills, like tying calves, every day.

Knox pointed out that Fry and his sister were told that they had to maintain a strict practice regimen in order to take part in the summer events. “Thankfully (the message) stuck.”

Coach Brad Heffernan, who has competed at The Congress several times himself, credited having a game plan going into the event for the great results.

The practice helped, too. If time allowed, he said the two would practice even more often. “We’d rope every day if we could.”

Fry’s favourite part of the sport is meeting and competing against others. It’s something he’d like to do for the rest of his life – although his mom said she may have a say in the matter.

NOTE: For more information on the All American Quarter Horse Congress, visit http://www. quarterhorsecongress.com/

CLIFFORD SKARSTEDT/EXAMINER Cody Fry, 16, hones his calf roping skills with his horse Josie on Tuesday at his farm in Douro-Dummer Township. Fry is a St. Peter Secondary School student who competes in rodeo and recently attended a major rodeo event in the U.S. He is coached by...