SENIOR TIE-DOWN ROPING

JUST LIKE 2005.

BY LARRI JO STARKEY 

This year is 2006.

That reminder comes to you because down in the arena at the AQHA World Championship Horse Show for the senior tie-down roping November 17, it looked a lot like 2005.

In 2005, Blair Burk and Eightys Sport were the first two to work, jumping out to set a score no other team could reach.

In 2006, Blair Burk and Eightys Sport were the first to work, jumping out to set a score no other team could reach.

Blair Burk and his daughter T'Lee, 3, accept the championship trophy from AQHA President Walter Fletcher for senior tie-down roping.

“We call him Sweetness,” Blair said. “He’s just an awesome horse; he’s a great athlete. He’s been wonderful to our family. The run (just) now was a pretty explosive run. I was first out again, and so I kinda had to set the pace. I guess it works out good for me; I’ve been first the last two years, so that’s good.

“The calf was good. He ran a little bit, and Sweetness likes it when they try, so it helped out and made him run out there and get a little more action in his stop and get back good. He was as good as he could be today.”

Blair was happy to give Sweetness a chance to defend his 2005 title.

“When you can come back up here for the second time in a row and beat these guys that have the great horses up here and stuff like that, it just – this horse has proven himself now. He’s as good as there is,” Blair said.

Blair also takes the 1993 sorrel gelding by Easy Eighty to timed ropings.

“I rode him at the National Finals Rodeo and (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) rodeos all over the United States,” he said.

In fact, Blair and his wife, Tawna, and their daughter, T’Lee, planned to leave the World Show right after the win and take Sweetness to a roping in Amarillo. The next stop is scheduled to be this year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

“(Today’s win) is great momentum,” Blair said. “We like to win wherever we go, and I’ve just been blessed. The Lord has blessed me with some great horses and the ability to do my job, and I just do the best I can in every situation."