Hollister team roper Mike Pivetti and heeling partner Mike
Christensen of Bakersfield finished in eighth place in the average
but out of the money at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in
Pocatello, Idaho last week, roping two head in 35.4 seconds.
HOLLISTER
Hollister team roper Mike Pivetti and heeling partner Mike Christensen of Bakersfield finished in eighth place in the average but out of the money at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Pocatello, Idaho last week, roping two head in 35.4 seconds.
It was a disappointing performance for the duo, who roped three head in 21.5 seconds to take first place at the Dodge California Circuit Finals Rodeo in November, a time that qualified them for nationals.
“Fairly disappointing,” Pivetti said.
The two ropers timed 19.9 seconds on their first go-round, placing them 11th, and 15.5 seconds on their second go-round, placing them in seventh. However, Pivetti and Christensen compiled 25 seconds worth of penalties during their first two go-rounds, including two broken-barrier penalties, and narrowly qualified to the semifinal round after roping two head.
“We roped sharp,” Pivetti said. “It’s just that penalties killed us.”
Their 35.4-second average positioned them in eighth place overall, and only the top eight teams out of 24 advanced to the semifinals.
“It’s a pretty cool format, but you don’t get that every weekend,” Pivetti said of the circuit finals format, which cut the field from 24 teams to eight for the semifinal round, with the remaining eight teams starting over with a fresh slate.
The semifinal round then cut the teams from eight to four, with the remaining four teams beginning fresh for one championship round.
“It gave us an opportunity to come back with a clean slate,” Pivetti said of the format. “It gave us a chance. We just didn’t do very good in the semifinals.”
Pivetti and Christensen recorded a no-time in the semifinal round — one of four teams to do so, placing them all in a tie for fifth place.
In the finals, Brett Price of Faith, S.D., and Paul Griemsman of Piedmont, S.D., roped the fastest time of 5.7 seconds to take first place in the event. The two South Dakota ropers also walked away with the most in winnings as well, earning $9,404.
Competing in the circuit finals wasn’t a complete loss for Pivetti, however. It was the first time the 1999 graduate of San Benito High had performed in such an event.
“It was a great experience, an awesome experience, and that’s why it was so disappointing. But as far as experience goes, it was great,” Pivetti said. “It was a great platform to get started on — that level of competition, that venue.”
Pivetti, who had roped with several different partners before settling with Christensen — ironically, the two roped in college at Fresno State, but with limited success — plans on competing in more rodeos this season with his Bakersfield heeler.
The two are expected to be back in action on April 24 and 25, with rodeos in Springville and Auburn.
Said Pivetti, “We’re gonna try and go at it as much as we can.”
