ROPING THE CASH Edens Top Roper During Cowboy Christmas By Joe Kusek, photos by Robert Rosales J ordi Edens stood by the curb, patiently waiting for her ride. She had places to be. The Texas teenager scanned the busy Denver International Airport traffic as other vehicles came and went.
“My goal during the Fourth was to catch everything,” Edens said. “It didn’t matter the time. Just catch every calf.” Edens began her “Cowgirl Christmas” with a victory at Oakley, Utah, placed in two rounds and third in the average at Prescott, Arizona, and finished with a victory at Belle Fourche, South, Dakota. Edens also earned some money at Killdeer, North Dakota. “I was kind of hoping to be the high money winner,” said Edens. “That was a goal I kept to myself. It’s kind of cool. “I didn’t think it would happen this year.” Her multi-state adventure included long overnight drives, vehicle trouble and catching rides with other competitors. “I’m pretty laid back. I go with the flow,” Edens said of successful roping among the chaos. “Everything happens for a reason.” Edens opened her Fourth of July sprint with a throw of 2.0 seconds during slack at Oakley. “I didn’t expect to win,” she said. “I figured there were a lot of performances after, so many good ropers left to go. That 2.0 happened to stand. It kept me going.” She pocketed $6,387 – her biggest check – for her quick work. Edens and her mother Lori drove all night to Prescott. There, Edens
Edens’ ride was easy to spot. It’s not very often a large pickup hauling a horse trailer maneuvers its way through the crowded arrivals area. “I don’t know how he did it. I was just glad to see him,” said Edens of her father Tommy, who was doing the driving. The unexpected airport pickup was just one of the many segments of Edens’ successful Fourth of July run. Edens, who turns 20 on August 13, was the high-money winner among the WPRA breakaway ropers during professional rodeo’s lucrative money opportunity over the Fourth of July known as Cowboy Christmas. Edens, of Gatesville, Texas pocketed $15,156 to vault into the top 15 of the WPRA world standings. Taylor Hanchey, of Carmine, Texas was second with $12,629 while reigning world champion Sawyer Gilbert, of Buffalo, South Dakota was third with $11,431.
14 WPRA NEWS AUGUST 2022
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