World Championship Title on the Line for Del Rio Cowboy

December 6, 2007
By John Ludlum
Publisher

Del Rio native Houston Hutto, currently ranked second for the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association tie-down roping world championship, is headed to Las Vegas, Nevada, at what so far, is his best opportunity to win a coveted world championship.

Having already pocketed $110,414 this year, the ranching native is $22,126 behind reigning All-Around World Champion and tie-down calf roping leader, Trevor Brazil, Decatur, Texas. The Wrangler National Final Rodeo (WNFR) begins the 10-day run, December 6, and concludes December 15, 2007. Only the top fifteen contestants in each event by dollars won at the end of the regular season, September to September, are qualified to compete at the WNFR.

Events include bareback bronc riding,tie-down calf roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding. The total contestant roster numbers 120. There are 10 go-rounds over the 10-day competition, which means each of the top 15 compete in their event once a day. Each day’s competition constitutes a go-round. The prize money available for the entire rodeo is $5.5 million.

Hutto, 26, 6’1”, 200 pounds, zero body fat, who could easily be a poster boy, make that man, for any professional sport has competed at the WNFR twice: 2002 and 2005. Hutto, handsome with a genuine smile, friendly attitude, a son any parent could be proud of, possesses a laid-back demeanor. His résumé includes two-time College National Finals tie-down roping champion, 2000 and 2001 while attending Western Texas College in Snyder, Texas. Major rodeos won as a professional include Hermiston, Ore., Sikeston, Mo., Kissimmee, Fla., Rodeo Houston, twice, Puyallup, Wash., The Grand National Rodeo, San Francisco, Calif. and Cheyenne, Wyo., the granddaddy of them all. With over one-half million dollars won in professional competition, the ultimate prize, a world championship is in his grasp.

Del Rio is rich in professional rodeo world champions with the late Jim Bob Altizer bringing home two world championships, one in 1959 in tie-down calf roping and one in 1967 in steer roping. George Paul, killed in a plane crash in 1970, won a bull riding world championship in 1968. Thirty-nine years have passed since a title has been brought to Del Rio and this year may end the drought.

Houston’s family includes his parents, Bo and Candy Hutto, sister, Heather Nulish, and grandmother, Caroline Wilkins, better known as “Memo.” When interviewed, the single cowboy leaves no doubt that he attributes his success to his family. Starting at 5 years, he would rope anything, the dog, his sister or anything else that he could fit a loop around. Home-schooled by his mother during high school, each day started with at least an hour of practice whether it was roping calves or just the arduous practice of tying calves over and over again to improve his speed.

He bought his mother a pair of gloves with hand warmers so she could turn out calves during the cold winter months. Bo Hutto is no stranger to roping, having competed during his college days. For years he has served as his son’s coach and mentor. Memo bought Houston his first competitive roping horse, “Blue,” from expert Del Rio horse trainer Vernon West. That horse would carry Houston to high school, college and professional fame.

Bo Hutto, in analyzing his son’s roping capabilities, advised, “He has always been on top of his mental game. He’s a natural athlete, but is very laid back. He is dedicated and single-minded when it comes to roping. He just doesn’t let the pressure bother him but he makes it work for him. I can be watching him at a rodeo, and he can be roping for thousands of dollars. I am a nervous wreck. He, on the other hand, is calm and it looks to Houston like it’s just another roping.” Bo and Candy agree. “He has never bragged on himself. He was raised to be very polite and mannerly and always has been. We are so proud of the way he treats everyone and that’s what people tell us about our son.”

Candy beams with pride when she points out, “He always sticks close to family. He is so well-liked and he is so good about calling and letting us know where he is and how he is doing. When your son is driving and flying 100,000 miles a year it’s reassuring to know he is okay. You naturally worry when your children are traveling all over the United States and Canada.” It is evident that the Hutto family is an extremely close-knit family and hugs and good natured teasing and ribbing are part of their daily life.

 

The WNFR payoff of $52,884.62 per event per go-round is as follows with six places being paid per go-round.

1st $16,394.23
2nd $ 12,956.73
3rd $ 9,783.65
4th $ 6,875.00
5th $ 4,230.77
6th $ 2,644.23

The go-round prize money is important but, so is the average when the 10 go-rounds are completed. The average payout is given to the roper who has the best time on the most calves for the entire rodeo. The average payout is as follows with eight places being paid.

1st $42,043.27
2nd $34,110.58
3rd $26,971.15
4th $19,831.73
5th $14,278.85
6th $10,312.50
7th $ 7,139.42
8th $ 3,966.35

It is often agreed by rodeo professionals that the most complicated event in rodeo that challenges a cowboy’s skill and coordination is the tie-down calf roping. Starting behind a rope barrier, the roper must first negotiate leaving the roping box without breaking the rope barrier stretched across in front of the roper before the calf breaks the barrier. If the roper breaks the barrier before the calf he receives a 10-second penalty which is added on to the end of the time he receives for roping that calf.

Leaving the roping box and having the horse arrive at the barrier just as the calf releases the barrier requires split second timing, coordination and communication between horse and rider. Chasing the calf, swinging a rope, throwing the rope, making the catch, stopping the horse and at the same time dismounting, running down the rope, throwing the calf to the ground, tying three feet and remounting are all part of the process. With multiple parts of the process going on at the same time calf roping is the ultimate challenge between rider and horse and requires hours and hours of practice between the two.

This year, Hutto is riding seven-time tie-down calf roping world champion Fred Whitfield’s horse, “Jewels.” Whitfield did not qualify for the WNFR this year due to injuries. Interviewed the day after Thanksgiving, Hutto said he asked Fred if he could ride “Jewels,” usually called “the mare” at Cheyenne because his roping horses were in Salinas, Calif. at another rodeo. He was surprised when Fred said “yes” and Hutto won Cheyenne. With the WNFR approaching, Hutto again asked Fred if he could ride “Jewels” at the WNFR. Again Fred agreed. When asked what makes “the mare” such a good roping horse Hutto said, “She’s not the biggest horse out there, but she is so fast and does everything good.”

Rusty Sewalt, five-time WNFR tie-down calf roping qualifier and traveling partner, who had joined the interview advised, “She is a compact horse that gets across the score line, is fast to a calf, stops quick and keeps the right amount of tension on the rope. Doesn’t drag a calf, but keeps the rope snug. She has just enough weight to keep a calf from kicking too much.” Sewalt continued, “The mare” which was trained by Rod Hardesty cost Whitfield $50,000. Soon after the purchase, Whitfield won $130,000 at two roping contests. Hutto said, “I like ‘the mare’ because she just doesn’t let anything bother her whether it’s lights, crowd noise or anything else.”

With two WNFR’s behind him, Hutto knows what to expect. He explained, “My first WNFR in 2002 was a dream come true and I was just happy to be there. I think I won around $49,000. 2005 was a disaster. The grey horse Memo bought from Vernon West named ‘Blue’ and I roped on for years died just before the WNFR started. My other horse, ‘Jughead,’ was slow across the line and I just didn’t rope good at all.” When asked why he believes 2007 will be a different WNFR than 2005, he replied, “Before I hoped to win something. This year I know I’m going to win. I’ve got a lot of confidence and a good shot and chance to be the next world champion, and I am riding such a great horse. I also have Fred’s backup horse, ‘Gator,’ in the wings if I need him. Fred has won a couple of gold buckles on him so he knows what to do.”

Asked if having Fred Whitfield taking care of the horses at the Finals was a plus, he said, “Heck yes.” Sewalt joined in, stating, “At the Finals it’s not just going to rope, put the horse up, and go rope the next day. You still have to feed twice a day and exercise your primary horse and your back up horse as well. I got so tired of feeding and exercising horses as well as roping that I was glad when the rodeo was over with.” Hutto added, “Sometimes between go-rounds you also rope some practice calves at a friend’s arena just to stay of top of your game or to improve on something if your game’s not going good.”

The WNFR, the “world series” of professional rodeo, is not like any other rodeo. Even winning more than $110,000 this year so far does not necessarily make the year profitable. Hutto and Sewalt agree that with diesel prices soaring and the cost of everything going up, making the Finals only gives you a chance to make the year profitable. The veteran Sewalt advised, “Before all the prices of diesel and everything went up, if you had 25 percent of what you had won at the end of the year it was a good year. Now, if you get home with 15 percent, you’re lucky.” Hutto said, “Winning at the WNFR can make the year really profitable and worth all the all night drives and traveling 100,000 miles a year.” Last year, Cody Ohl, the reigning tie-down calf roping world champion, won $165,460 at the WNFR which gave him year-long winnings of $298,112.

Houston Hutto has tremendous talent and skill honed by hours and hours of practice. With an athlete’s build, winning smile, and justifiable confidence, he has all the ingredients to be the next world champion tie-down calf roper. Big arenas like Houston, Texas and Cheyenne, Wyo. seem to favor his style. The Thomas and Mack arena in Las Vegas is a small arena, great for bucking stock events, but can be troublesome for timed events. Asked what he thought his weakness may be he said, “I guess the short catch, just one swing and catch the calf.”

When Rusty Sewalt was asked what Houston’s chances were for winning a title he quickly responded, “He’s riding the best roping horse at the Finals. If he just ropes like he always does, he can handle cattle better on the ground [throwing them down and tying any three feet] than the man in the number one position, Trevor Brazile or, anyone else. Fred will keep the horses tuned up and Houston is as good or better than anyone out there. He can win it all.”

Houston agreed being a world champion and being in the same category as Del Rioans Jim Bob Altizer and George Paul would be a great honor, but no matter how many championships he may ever win, he wanted to give credit where credit is due. “I just want to thank my parents, Bo and Candy Hutton and my grandma, Caroline Wilkins, and my sister, Heather Nulisch, and her husband, Justin. My mom is my secretary and she deposits my checks, makes airline reservations and she and my dad and grandma do so much for me. My family always gives me such great support and any credit I get for winning belongs as much to them as it does to me. I just couldn’t do what I do without their help and backing. It will be great to have them with me for the Finals this year. You couldn’t hand-pick a better family”

Bo and Candy Hutto agree that they have been blessed with two wonderful children. When asked what made Houston special, they related an incident that occurred at the 2005 WNFR. As they were leaving the Thomas and Mack Arena where the finals are held annually, a large crowd of 17,000, plus, were exiting the building. With the crowd moving toward the exits, Houston felt a tug at his coat and looked down to see a boy, about eight years old, cowboy hat on and rope in hand. The youngster looked up at the tall, lanky Texas roper and asked, “Could I have your autograph?” Without hesitation, Houston squatted down to eye level with the young admirer and began to talk to him. With masses of people moving around the two, Houston gave him a smile and his autograph as well as encouragement on becoming a roper.

That one gesture will no doubt remain with that would-be rodeo cowboy for a life time. With sports figures constantly in the media for steroid use, dog fighting and rude or other inappropriate behavior, Houston Hutton showed that, gold buckle or not, he is already a champion as a man. But, maybe, just maybe, this year one of the most talented and nicest guys in any sport will win what he has worked for all year, all of his life.