Jeff Sanders, of Blum, Texas, and Keith Coleman, of Preston, Mississippi, may have met for the first time backing into the box at the #11.5 Legends Over 40 roping in Fort Worth — but they didn’t rope like it.
The pair caught all four clean to finish with a 32.71 and take the win, proving chemistry can come from anywhere.
“We both have a mutual friend, Martin Lucero,” Sanders said. “Lucero texted me and said Keith had an open hole in this Legends, and I told him I needed a run. So he called Keith, and we were able to get paired up.”
Sanders, a superintendent at a small high school in Blum, stays busy — but not too busy to rope. He’s been on a roll lately, picking up wins at the BFI Week and now in Fort Worth.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have an amazing three weeks, some of the best roping wins I’ve had,” Sanders said.
Coleman, who owns a construction and welding business, balances work and family while still making time to rope.
“With three little girls, all of their activities, and running a business, I’ve slowed down some on my roping from what I used to do, but I’ve never really quit,” Coleman said. “I still love it.”
Even though they had never roped together, they shared something in common — horsepower.
Both were riding Riata horses.
“My horse is out of Streak of Fling, and I rode him at the Riata this past year,” Sanders said. “I’ve had him four years. I got him from Martin Lucero. He scores good, he can really run, and has a good mind to him. I’m blessed — he’s a great head horse, and it makes a ton of difference.”
Coleman rode a 7-year-old gelding named Beau, by Once in a Blue Boone. While not his only heel horse, it was the one he trusted in Fort Worth.
“He’s really good, really quick,” Coleman said. “I have some other heel horses, but he is a little quicker-footed than they are. He’s a lot of horse — it took me about a year to really get with him, but he’s really nice now.”
Good horses, clean runs and a little luck added up to the win.
The pair took home $26,200, along with Gist Silversmiths trophy buckles, Horse Power Boots and Resistol hats.
