Published: July 17, 2009 09:29 pm      

Lessons Learned

Beaver hoping second time’s the charm at National High School Finals Rodeo

Trying to make a huge splash during his first trip to the National High School Finals Rodeo, Huntsville’s Brody Beaver made some costly mistakes last summer.

The son of Joe Beaver, an eight-time world champion on the pro rodeo circuit, the 18-year-old Beaver says he tried too hard last year and that kept him and his horse from performing at their peak.

Beaver says he learned from his missteps and is ready to compete against the top cowboys from 41 states, five Canadian provinces and Australia starting Sunday in what is billed as the world’s largest rodeo. More than 1,500 contestants will be competing for $200,000-plus in prizes and $325,000 in college scholarships during the weeklong National High School Finals in Farmington, N.M.

“I’ve just got to back off a little and let it happen,” Beaver said Thursday in a phone interview from Fort Worth where he made a test run of sorts at the National Cutting Horse Association Summer Spectacular at Will Rogers Coliseum.

“There is such a thing as trying too hard,” Beaver added. “The more you push, the worse it goes sometimes. I was pushing too hard last year, running wide open and that wasn’t good.

“I feel like I’m showing better now. I’ve also taken some time off. One of my horses got hurt, so I had to take some time off. I had time to regroup and hopefully, I’m at a better place.”

Beaver didn’t do badly last year in his first trip to the NHSFR. He tied for 36th in the boys cutting horse event, but there were 94 cowboys competing for the prize and scholarship moneys in that event.

Beaver is scheduled to show his horse Monday and Friday. If he finishes those two rides in the top 20, he’ll advance to the finals, scheduled July 25.

“I’m a little more right upstairs,” said Beaver, who recently graduated from Texas Tech ISD High School after attending Huntsville High School for three years. “I’ve been working my horse out and getting him ready. He’s had a couple of weeks off, but I’m going to show him in Fort Worth this weekend. That will be a test run for the national finals.

“In workouts, he has been really, really good. Hopefully, we’ll make it to the finals and see what happens.”

Beaver has won championship saddles and buckles from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, plus events in Jackson, Miss., Calgary, Canada, and Brenham. He qualified for this year’s NHSFR by finishing fourth out of 10 finalists this year at the Texas High School Rodeo Association State Finals in Abilene.

Fans can follow the National High School Finals Rodeo by checking the National High School Rodeo Association’s Web site for complete results. Go to www.nhsra.org for more information or for updated results posted daily starting Sunday.