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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 1979)
Eugene cowboy ropes third in nationals By DON MINER Of the Emerald Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas and Wyoming all have a long his tory of supplying successful cowboys and rodeos. This year at the National Rodeo Finals, a 28-year-old Eugenean named Danny Torricellas made his ever-growing success known to the rodeo world. For 10 days, (Dec. 1-11), Ok lahoma City watched as Torricel las competed with the best and placed third in the overall stand ings. He also took third in the calf roping and sixth in the bull dog ging to walk away with $5,500. Entering his 10th year in rodeo, Torricellas credits his father for his start. "I had been going to the rodeo since I was a little kid,” he says. ‘‘My dad had been in the rodeo, and I got started through him. Torricellas says about his coaching, "I'm probably as dose to having had a coach as any body. My dad gives me tips and it always pays off. I’m used to tak ing advice, which makes it easy.” The life of a professional cow boy seems tough. Between hours of practice and miles on i0mr* I I.PHWI **> Photo courtesy at Demy Tarnoettee Eugenean Danny Torricellas loses his hat while bullclogging a steer during a rodeo. Torricellas placed third overall in the National Rodeo Finals in Oklahoma City last month. the road, only the tough and ded icated survive. Torricellas is one of those. “When I’m home. I'll practice four hours a day. That would be a light day. Most often it would be six to seven hours. When I’m on the road, it’s pretty tough be cause there is no set deal. When I’m in California, I have a friends’ where I can practice. But if I’m in Colorado or Texas, let’s say, I A. ▲ > A ▲ > ▲ ▲ i don’t really have any place to practice. Whenever ! have a chance. I have to take it. “Repetition is the most impor tant thing,” Torricellas claims. “For the calf roping, I'll practice k ▲ ▲ > ▲ A > A i the tie which consists of roping a bale of hay. Bull dogging (steer wrestling) is more difficult to practice.” Steers cost about $300 apiece, and they have little or no resale value, and it’s easier to get hurt practicing this event, says Torricellas. Also, there are twice as many people involved when you have to practice with a steer.” The professional rodeo (PRCA) is broken down into a circuit-point system. For exam ple, Oregon and Washington is one circuit. California is another, Texas, Colorado, and so on down the line. All of the points a cowboy wins, whether in his own circuit or not, go towards his total points for the nationals. ‘ The cir cuit system gets more local in terest for local cowboys,” claims Torricellas. There is one point given for every dollar a cowboy makes. The break-down is as follows: $5,000 for an event champion, $10,000 for the all-around champion, and $12,000 for the first in an event. This year at the Nationals will be the first time everyone who competes is paid regardless of finish. Appropriately, his goal is very simply, “I want to win the world championship.” k A A. ▲ CLIP and SAVE Texas Instruments ««<w« I TWO FREE SPECIALTY PACKETS when you purchase a Texas Instrument Model 58 Calculator! $io°° Rebate (FROM MANUFACTURER when you purchase the Texas Instrument TI-59 Mag Card Programmable Calculator! I ►►►>►►>►►>►►>►►>►►>►►>►►>►►>►►>► BOTH OFFERS GOOD JANUARY 1 thru FEBRUARY 28, 1979
