Gonzales team roper wins rodeo state finals

Gonzales’ own Buck Garza, a young man with a passion for rodeo, won the team roping category during last week’s Texas Junior High Rodeo held at JB Wells Park.

Garza said team roping is something he has worked on since early childhood, with his talent being cultivated and his skills refined by his family.

“I grew up in a team roping family,” he said. “My dad Kenny and my mom Amanda both team rope and train horses. I have had a rope in my hands ever since I could walk. I believe it is in my blood and enjoy the competition.”

Garza said his roping partner, Samuel Mendoza from Carrizo Springs, always played a major role in the duo’s rodeo competitions.

“We’ve been friends for the past 13 years. We have been roping together ever since we started riding. Samuel and I always competed in dummy ropings until we were old enough to ride and compete on horseback,” Garza said.

Despite this year’s national completion being canceled due to the COVID 19 pandemic, Garza says he’s still thankful for his win in the state finals. He added that he is definitely looking forward to competing in next year’s event on the high school level as a freshman.

“Oh yeah! I plan on competing in THSRA in my high school years, and my goal is to make it to nationals and win a national title. Winning state has been a goal for mine every year competing in TJHRA to make it to nationals and COVID has really hurt the economy and rodeo as a whole. We all need to stay safe and healthy, COVID- 19 has hurt many people but we’re strong and rodeo will come back bigger and stronger,” he said.

Garza has competed in TJHRA Region 6 for the last three years, and has won Region 6 Team Roping, making it to the state finals every year. He and his pal Mendoza have placed in rounds in the past years but had not, until now, won a state championship.

“This was my year and we won,” he said. “God is my glory. This has been an awesome experience and to have won competing with kids from all over Texas, competing with the best of the best kids and walking away with a title is unexplainable. It definitely was an exciting experience and all in my home town of Gonzales. This is every kid’s goal who competes in junior high and high school rodeo…that is is to win a state title.”

Garza that he would like to thank would like to thank his parents and sponsors for making all this possible, including the Running M Bar and Grill, Baker Boys BBQ, Allen’s Body Tech, CC Buckles and Designs, Rope Smart, Top Hand Ropes, Texas Lead Ropes, Pecan Grove Vet Clinic and Cowboy Oilfield Services.