McCaffree ropes a title champ

C-Falls teenager takes junior breakaway championship at the NRA finals

There was a time when nothing was safe from being roped around the McCaffree place.

"Anything that walked past me," said Shane McCaffree.

Dogs, cats, you name it.

Nothing was sacred.

That was 14 years ago.

"Probably just playing around," he said.

Now a sophomore in high school, the 16-year-old cowboy is still throwing his poly rope, but with greater accuracy these days and for bigger catches. He just won his first ever Junior Breakaway Roping title at the Northern Rodeo Association finals in Billings on Feb. 20.

He finished second in the first round, won the second go, the average and posted the fastest time on the final day, a blistering quick 2.2 seconds, to claim year-end honors by nearly $900.

The title earned him a dandy handcrafted saddle and an ornate shiny belt buckle.

His horse Odie also cashed in.

The nine-year-old sorrel gelding was voted NRA Junior Breakaway Horse of the Year for a second-straight time.

Voting on that honor was McCaffree's competitors. Odie received a halter for his prize.

"He's pretty calm," said McCaffree of Odie.

Much like Shane, who likes to hide from his new-found fame under his favorite black cowboy hat, which is starting to show its age.

But the soft-spoken 98-pound athlete, who stands straight at five-foot even, rides pretty tall in the saddle.

He came into the NRA finals with earnings of $2,700. Last year he set a record with $2,933, but finished second.

"I led all year long and got beat by $100," he said.

This year's margin of victory was $1,400. He entered the finals with an $880 advantage and was not going to be denied again.

"My goal this year was to get so far ahead that I wouldn't lose the lead," he said.

This was McCaffree's third, and final season, in junior breakaway roping.

"All right, I guess," said McCaffree of his roping expertise.

"Above average."

But his mom, Wendy, a talented barrel racer, says he's just being modest.

"He's pretty good at breakaway," she said.

"When he has nothing else to do around here, he's always swinging a rope. Always handling a rope. He has the desire to be good so much so (that practice) is not an issue for him."

When not doing homework or chores, McCaffree practices twice a week, two hours a day, during the winter months. During rodeo season, he's at it five days a week, an hour each time.

"I enjoy it," he said.

"(I) just have the desire to do it. It's fun."

McCaffree says a lot of practice, skill and some lady luck are all involved with having a successful season.

"Something I've always wanted to do," said McCaffree.

About the only thing that can steer him away from practice is his favorite hobby - hunting.

His dad, Ernie, was a pretty good team roper, calf roper and bull rider in college. He still competes.

McCaffree has also received some good coaching locally from Tammy Jo and Richard Carpenter of Kalispell.

"They taught him the tricks of the trade part of it," said his mom.

McCaffree and his mom were on the road last season competing in either NRA sanctioned rodeos or high school rodeos every weekend from mid-March until Oct. 12. That took them to 24 NRA events and 18 weekends of high school rodeos.

For two rodeo summers, they estimate they traveled 47,000 miles.

"I wouldn't want it any other way," said Wendy.

"For me, as a parent, it's been a really neat experience. You watch your kids grow and (you have) all that time (together) to talk, to see what's going on in their minds and thoughts. Both our boys are real open with us. We have lots of road miles."

Wendy serves as the driver on many of the trips while Shane …

Well …

"Sleeps," he said.

"No, I hate it (traveling), but I've learned to like it a little bit.

"My favorite part of rodeo is competing."

McCaffree competes in tie-down roping on the high school level along with team roping. Tie-down roping, however, can be a problem from time-to-time.

A calf will weigh between 225-275 pounds. A tall order for someone who weighs in under 100 pounds.

"His size prohibits him from doing as well as he'd like," said his mom.

And he says sometimes "it's embarrassing," as he struggles to flank the calf and secure any three of the calf's legs with a pigging string.

Regarding team roping, which he does with his older brother Zane, he prefers the heeling over the heading.

"It's harder, more of a challenge for him," said his mom.

"I'm probably a better header," he admitted.

McCaffree says his next goal is to earn a college scholarship in his sport to either Montana State University or Western Montana. From there, he'd like to try his hand at the PRCA.

He says he doesn't have a favorite roper.

"I just kind of watch them all," he said.

But one of his best rodeo buddies is Brady Tryan, the younger brother of team ropers Travis and Clay Tryan of Billings.

McCaffree saw the Tryans compete at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December.

And who knows. Maybe McCaffree's next trip to the NFR will be as a contestant. That's what he's working for.

NOTE: Three other NRA participants with ties to the Flathead Valley placed at the finals. Tammy Jo Carpenter finished fifth in ladies breakaway roping. Jordan Harmon, now living in Dillon, was eighth in saddle bronc. And Ben Richmond, Havre, finished second in bareback riding.