One thing about it, he’s a generous dad.
Actually, a big hearted cowboy, the fact nobody can deny.
But, put his rope into the hands of about any cowboy who’d just accomplished what the vast majority only fantasize about, and most would have done exactly the same thing.
“Our daughter Casey drove the truck home from Oklahoma, and our other children Kylie and Trey rode with her. It might have been the first time they rode in a vehicle that long together without fighting,” Buddy Adams said.
Initially, that doesn’t sound like any big deal at all, Most dads would do that, maybe even be thankful they didn’t have to drive themselves. Or, not have to put up with arguing kids, had that been a typical pickup ride of typical kids.
It was far from typical. This was a brand new 2014 Dodge 3500 pickup that Buddy Adams had just won as the high point team roper at the Tuley Productions Truck Roping in Ada, Oklahoma.
Buddy Adams of Junction City won this new 2014 Dodge 3500 pickup as the high point team roper at the recent Tuley Productions Truck Roping in Ada, Oklahoma. One of his partners, daughter Casey had to put her horse away when this photograph was being taken with Adams, his wife Suzan, their other daughter Kylie and son Trey. (Photo by Longhorn Videographics.)
Actually, the Junction City cowboy was more than anxious to let his children have the first major drive in the championship rig, the envy of more than 300 other contestants he’d beat out so the family could take it home.
“This is the biggest win I’ve ever had, but what was the greatest part about it all was that my family was there for it,” Adams emphasized.
“Casey, who is our oldest daughter, even roped with me some at the contest, but my wife Suzan and our other younger daughter and son were there too cheering us on,” appreciated Adams, still in a sense of cowboy astonishment a week after one of his greatest dreams come true.
“They all shared in the moment, and we will never forget it,” the champion cowboy acknowledged.
While Adams is a versatile cowboy, he explained, “I was doing the heeling at this roping. I roped with my daughter Casey for one of the team roping runs, but I had various other partners who were drawn by the people putting the roping on.
“I do some team roping as a header, but this time I only heeled. I also occasionally compete in tie-down calf roping,” continued Adams, clarifying that he had the most points of all contestants at this team roping competition to claim the new pickup.
Actually, there were more than 600 teams entered at the event, and Adams also brought home a new trophy saddle, and cash awards.
As exciting as it is to be a champion with a new truck, it’s been a much longer, tougher trail to achievement than might initially appear on the forefront.
“Neither my wife nor I grew up rodeoing. We both loved horses, but did not compete much. It wasn’t until we got together that we began to travel and compete,” Adams reflected.
“During the week, it’s all work and go, go, go, but the rodeos and ropings are our family time away together,” continued Adams, plant maintenance supervisor at Penny’s Concrete in Junction City.
“I also shoe horses and build and sell concrete feed bunks in my spare time,” he added with a smile.
To be such a winner requires two essential ingredients: the right horse and lots of practice.
“The partnership between horse and rider is critical,” Adams contended.
“My main horse is Ike, a 19-year-old foundation King bred bay gelding. If I could clone any horse, it would be Ike. He has been an all-around horse for my entire family.
“My wife, Suzan, ran barrels on Ike as did Casey, our oldest daughter. Ike also carried Casey to win the 2013 state breakaway roping championship in the Kansas High School Rodeo Association. Ike is now teaching my younger children, Kylie and Trey, the ropes in the rodeo world,” Adams credited.
“I also rope on a sorrel Impressive bred mare named Flo. It is hard to give up your old reliable mount, like Ike, but as he’s getting older, I have a few young ones in training,” Adams related.
“I practice roping live cattle several times a week at Tad and Gayle Larson’s near White City. I spend a lot of time at their place practicing and owe a lot to them. The Larson’s have just been great, and we often travel together to rodeos as well,” credited Adams.
“Of course, we also practice at home roping the dummy and the Heel-O-Matic,” he added.
Another side of the coin often overlooked when one rides into the winner’s spotlight is the actual out of pocket costs it took to get there. “The sport of rodeo is an expensive one. It costs a lot to run up and down the road, keep your horses sound and fed in the right way,” Adams contended.
While being a big time team roping winner is quite admirable, what’s most important to Adams is his family. “I couldn’t do this without the support of my wife and three kids,” he insisted.
His wife, Suzan, works at Kansas State University and serves as state secretary of the Kansas High School Rodeo Association. Daughter champion Casey is now a KSU Rodeo Team member. Daughter Kylie is a sixth grader at Chapman Middle School, and son Trey is in the fourth grade at Blue Ridge Elementary School.
“That is what we do for our family time is attending rodeos. A win like this is huge to my family as we pour everything we have into this sport as do most rodeo families.
“My wife always jokes about being able to eat or go rope, but it paid off this time to go rope. We wouldn’t trade our life for anything in the world,” Adams concluded.