TEAM PENNING

THREE OUT OF FOUR

BY LARRI JO STARKEY, COPY EDITOR

If the people in the winner’s picture with this story don’t look familiar to you, they should.

For three of the four Bayer Select World Championship shows, those three riders have been world champions in team penning.

“It’s just that we’re confident in this pen,” said Paul G. Dopuch of Hermann, Missouri. “It worked for us before, and it seems to keep working, and we’re not intimidated by it.”

Paul joined Ron Dunigan of Union, Missouri, and Leroy Uber of Nixa, Missouri, as the penultimate team to work.

The time to beat was 41.260, set by the Pennsylvania-based team of Joseph Jeff Albanesius, Dominic Conicelli

Leroy Uber, from left, Paul Dopuch and Ron Dunigan, all of Missouri, are the 2006 Bayer Select World champions in team penning.

and Dick Rosell. The Missouri team knew that time would be hard to beat.

“We knew what numbers (on the cattle) were left, so we only had four numbers to choose from,” Paul said. “That gave us a slight advantage. The game plan was that if there weren’t two (cows) on the end, we were just gonna get a clean run, and Ron picked off two on the end.”

Paul picked off the third cow, and the team threw arms up in the air, stopping the clock in 34.922 seconds.

“We got an excellent draw,” Leroy said. “I’ve got two super partners, well, actually three (counting) my little mare. That really makes a difference.”

Leroy’s mare is GM Freckled Annie, a 1995 sorrel by Freckle Doctor and out of Genuine Mercedes by Genuine Doc. Paul’s horse is Bristers Uno Hickory, a 1996 bay mare by Uno Hickory and out of Bristers Flash Bar by Doc Bristers. Those two mares were the same horses the men have ridden for their previous world championships in 2003 and 2005.

Only Ron was on a new mount, Fox N Pep, a 1999 sorrel gelding by Smartest Little Pep and out of Foxie Willa May by As Smart As The Fox.

But even with the good help and the good horses, Leroy has certain rituals that he relies on before the Bayer Select World.

 “Yeah, you have to buy a cap – an AQHA cap – and you have to get your boots shined, even if it doesn’t show,” he said, referring to the rain that fell Saturday in Amarillo, turning some of the warm-up areas into mud and dirtying some previously shined boots. “And you got to have a turkey feather. (Mine is) 29 years old. I got it from my first turkey. And a friend gave me the hat. That’s about it.”

Ron was happy to be in Amarillo. He had heart surgery four months ago and only started riding again 30 days ago. Still, he’s already making plans to return to the Bayer Select World in 2007 for more team penning.

“Plus ranch sorting,” he said, talking about the new competition that begins in January.