BREAKAWAY

SPEEDY WHISKEY.

CHRISTINE HAMILTON, FIELD EDITOR

Rodger Coday of Owasso, Oklahoma, and Irish Whiskey Mix took home the 2006 Select world championship in breakaway roping with a speedy 2.971.

“I was a little concerned about getting out, (that was the) first thing I was worried about,” Rodger said. “Last year when I was here, the calves didn’t leave very good. So we were all trying to second-guess the cattle.

“I looked at the calf move, and when he broke out, he seemed to kind of duck off to the right. I was lucky. When he ducked over there, I threw it. I cut my hand I pulled up slack so hard, because I thought it was going to fall down around his legs.”

The next closest time was Ronnie Austin and RR Sonoita Norbert’s 4.091. Ronnie won last year’s breakaway Select world championship and reserve world championship.

Rodger qualified two to the finals and finished fifth with his horse Coosa Jule.

His champion “Whiskey” is a 1997 bay gelding by Paddys Irish Whiskey and out of My Little Sugar Babe by Sons Doc O Sugar, bred by John R. Scott Jr. of Miles, Texas.

“This horse is the greatest horse that ever took a breath,” Rodger said. “(AQHA Professional Horseman) Robbie Schroeder trained him. He’ll do things that I’m not capable of riding. He is precious.”

Rodger Coday and Irish Whiskey Mix take the Select world championship in breakaway with a time of 2.971.

No stranger to championship arenas, Whiskey has more than $15,000 in AQHA World Championship Show earnings and more than 500 points in all divisions. A multiple World Show qualifier and year-end award earner in several roping events, Whiskey was the 2001 reserve world champion in junior tie-down.

Rodger is an AQHA honorary vice president and serves on the show committee. He was a ring steward for several years when the Ford AQHYA World Championship Show was in Tulsa, and has been a ring steward and equipment judge at the World Show.

He didn’t start roping until 10 years ago at age 52, although he showed in other events for years. He has earned 1,341 lifetime open and amateur performance points.

For his day job, Rodger owns an asphalt company in Tulsa.

“Breakaway is luck,” Rodger said. “It’s fun, and we have a good time with it. If you draw a good calf, and you get out, and you’re up and ready, you can win it. I was lucky.

“The winning’s great; the people are better,” he continued. “This is the greatest bunch of people (to be around). Ronnie Austin rode today, sick (with cancer). He could hardly ride his horse and won reserve.

“I’m the luckiest guy walking,” Rodger added. “This is a game of skill, but I have a lot of luck. It’s been good to me. I’ve had more fun with this - you just can’t imagine.”

He had a long list of people whose help he has appreciated during the years, good friends in the horse business, but at the top is one special lady.

“Joyce Pendergrass, my running buddy, my mate, my best girl,” Rodger said. “She helps me with these horses day in and day out.”