Bitterwater’s Clayton Bacon wins world championship in dummy
roping contest
Each time Clayton Bacon took the stage at the world championship
dummy roping competition in Las Vegas, the announcer would
affectionately refer to him as
”
Mr. Smooth and Confident.
”
That’s because the 5-year-old wasn’t rattled when he swung his
lasso above his head to rope a fake steer. And he didn’t look
nervous in front of the crowd of 250 spectators at the Sands Expo
and Convention Center, where the world dummy roping championship
was held this month.
Bitterwater’s Clayton Bacon wins world championship in dummy roping contest
Each time Clayton Bacon took the stage at the world championship dummy roping competition in Las Vegas, the announcer would affectionately refer to him as “Mr. Smooth and Confident.”
That’s because the 5-year-old wasn’t rattled when he swung his lasso above his head to rope a fake steer. And he didn’t look nervous in front of the crowd of 250 spectators at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, where the world dummy roping championship was held this month.
“He’s a natural,” said Clayton’s mom, Robbie. “He went and did his thing and there was no hesitation.”
His smooth style and confident demeanor not only earned him a nickname, but also the title “World Dummy Roping Champion” in the 5-and-under category.
Clayton, a kindergartener at Bitterwater Tully School in southern San Benito County, beat out 80 other pint-sized ropers from around the world to secure the annual title. Along with the title he received a custom-made saddle and a $1,500 scholarship when he’s 18.
Clayton also had the chance to meet two of his heroes, Speed Williams and Rich Skelton, who were in town competing in the National Finals Rodeo, where they took first place in the team roping competition. The two famous ropers, who judged the dummy roping competition, noticed that the new saddle was a little too big for Clayton and jokingly asked if they could use it.
“No way,” Clayton answered.
Clayton will have to wait until his legs are long enough to reach the stirrups so that he will be able to use the saddle in team roping, the follow-up to dummy roping. By the time his legs are long enough he may have quite a collection of saddles from which to choose. He earned his first saddle when he won the national finals in Reno earlier this year, qualifying him for the world championships.
At the world championship Clayton roped a fake steer 15 consecutive times with all slicks – that is when the rope catches both horns – and one neck catch. With each successful nab Clayton moved back in six-inch increments to a final distance of 11 feet, and the steers horns grew to a width of 2½ feet.
The next challenge for Clayton will come next year when he is bumped up to the 6-to-8-year-old competition.
Until then he will relish in his recent win.
The night after Clayton won the championship his parents found him tucked under the covers in a pair of jeans, a brand new bullet belt buckle and a rope coiled on his chest.
Clayton, who has preferred a rope to a stuffed animal since he was young, will probably add another to his already enormous collection this year.
“He’ll probably get a rope for Christmas, that’s his favorite gift,” Robbie said. “But he likes baseball too, so he’ll probably get a new mitt.”
