Brandon Beers and Jim Ross Cooper may not be roping together in 2015, but they’ll both carry a piece of their successful two-year partnership on their belts everywhere they go.
The pair began roping together in 2013 at Reno, and at the time they had about $10,000 won each. The Fourth of July run was do-or-die for their season.
“One reason I wear my Prescott buckle is emotional, and one is practical,” Cooper explained. “The emotional reason is that it was the first major win that year that started off that really great summer for me and Brandon. It got our careers kicked off again.”
They made a good run in the first round, and after that run Cooper made a deal with himself.
“I decided I wasn’t roping aggressive enough,” he said. “I told myself I wasn’t going to beat myself anymore. I decided I’d go out, win or lose, with everything I had.”
They’d go on to win almost $90,000 that summer. So, for emotional reasons, the buckle reminds Cooper to stay aggressive and stay in the game.
“My practical reason is that it’s heavier than most buckles. It clips behind, so it never just randomly comes undone or anything. It’s just a solid buckle.”
