Friday, April 23, 2010 Am I mentally Ready? Am I Physically Ready? Am I spiritually Ready?

Am I ready? I have been asking myself that questions for almost two weeks now. A lot has happened since, I wrote on this deal. Not because have wanted to, but the past month has been so overwhelming with school, the only reason I am doing this at 4am is because I am stuck on my 12 page paper I am writing for my college class. Any how lets go back over a month, Since I last wrote on this I have been to 2 Georgia-Florida Rodeos, 3 High School rodeos, and 1 PRCA. Not bad, but it hasn`t been all that great I take part of that back One of the high school rodeos I was second in the Average, and the other I won in Green Cove Springs. Now the GFYRA, thats a different story Because my last four rodeos for them I have missed my steers. Don`t ask me why just there its just that way I guess. Now enough with the rodeos, Practice has been real good, April in Florida is historically dry, not the case this year we have had a couple different weeks the in April that practice has been little or none because of the rain. None the less, practice has been very vital for me. Number one I am 15 points behind the number 4 man, and I have to be in the top 4 to go to nationals. Second, I will get better thats just the way it will be. Practice has been all about getting up and over the steer and not leaning, Plus lots of right arm. There is still a lot of work to be down before State Finals next Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

I haven`t just been asking myself am I ready since the Green Cove High School Rodeo when it became clean I was still in the hunt for nationals. How am I going to prepare even more for the most important rodeo of my high school career?

1) Physically- I have started working more, bur adding to that I have started playing basketball at college. Not, so I can get good my only goal is to be able to play a pick up game every once in a while when I am old. A couple reasons why one reaction I might not be able to shot 3 pointers all night, but if I can read where the ball is going and react. Thats preparing me mentally for Finals, I am nearly just sharping my brain and its reaction time. Two, endurance as I said practice has been slow some weeks because of rain. Just needing to stay in shape to practice.

With being such a small bulldogger, I have been work my upper body that last week realizing that, I need lots of right arm and lots of explosion. After talking to a fellow bulldogger about lifting weights in the Gym he recommended that I do sets of 6. Weird, right most trainers say sets of 8 or 10. He explained to me that as a bulldogger wants Explosion not endurance. If we needed endurance like a basketball player than we would do sets of 10. Its a new world and we need explosion. Been working on all my stomach muscles so I can "float" those feet better and truly "place" them where I want. Lots of sit ups!!!

2) Tonight O wait its 5am now so last night as I was working out I kept thinking how can I prepare for Finals Mentally? As the Barrel racing Finals are going out in Oklahoma City, right now I was talking to a friend of mine and she had a rough day, I told her to hold her head high. After telling her how last weekend went at the GFYRA she told me Chris "You'll get them at state. and Hold Your Head High and remember who your riding for" it sounds about like something I have told her before last night. As long as I am riding for the Lord I will succeed no matter what the out come. Its hard saying that when right now you are losing by 15points and there is only three runs left in the season. You just got to rely on Him and He will lead in the direction desired by the most high King. SO Lord, I am Ready To glorify you and your Kingdom at Finals and beyond!!!

On a Side Not my sister finally had here baby Her Name is Ella Elizabeth and is cute as a button!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 A Rough Road

As the Florida High School Rodeo season is coming to an end and with state finals just around the corner things have gotten tight in the standings. Last weekend the regular season stop was in Williston, Florida, as Saturday night was underway the community showed up. As it has always done in the past to support us. I had an ok run on saturday night it wasnt great, but it was good enough for 3rd still 2nd place loser. Sunday came around and I knew that I had drawn good before I even checked. Indeed I did as I drew the best steer in the pen, all I could think to myself was this is going to be a good run. I knew I had to see the steer move a little so I wouldnt break out, but not to much because he has been running left a little. I saw to much, and from there the run went south on me. I got up fustrated like none other, wondering why God, why am I not succeeding like I want? I mean I work my butt off to buy my horses, feed, tack and all. I practice more than any steer wrestler in the pen, yet I am not even in the top 4. I really needed some time to cool off after this run, it was a mistake that I should have never mad being late like that. After, really thinking why me God, I stopped wondering and started praying. I did something I had never done before, I made my facebook status a prayer. I wrote "Lord, I ask that you keep my mind and body focused on you so that I may excel in steer wrestling and all that I do. I thank you for providing me with all that is needed to go up and down the road. Amen." God has taken my life down so many different roads, and lead me places that I have been so unsure about. This past week I have wondered God where is my place in rodeo? A question that He may not answer for a long time, but until then I will follow his lead. As I was working on some of my dreaded Physics homework tonight online, I saw where Trevor Brazile had a video called "IamSecond" as I watched it I realized something that could change the world. A cowboy living for Christ, just as Trevor, Rope, Cash and others have done. These men have set the tone for young men who are striving to be a Rodeo athlete that honors God. I hope that I can one day be that Cowboy. I challange you cowboys to go watch Trevors video and just ask yourself How am I second? www.iamsecond.com

Thursday, March 4, 2010 Rodeo Poem

We can't help what we do out of love,
it's our addiction when you refer to our drug.
The adrenaline, the sweat, and the pain,
all makes rodeo worth being our game.
We strive and crave it all the time,
you may call us crazy but we know we’re just fine.
We live on concession stand food and 3 hours of sleep,
for after the moments in that arena we shall cherish and keep.
Traveling from one end of the country to the next,
always alone keeping contact from calls and text.
We keep our heads held high for we know the sacrifices we make,
even when we know everything else will bend and possibly break.
We live for just one taste of the high we get on feelings alone,
we don't let our nerves out, there never shown.
We try our hardest and hopefully god takes care of the rest,
we put ourselves on the line knowing that we may not be the best.
We sweat through our shirts because the heat of the day,
we don't care what anyone else has to say.
We freeze out butts off from the cool of the night,
and sometimes continue on until the morning light.
Were all one big family in this crazy sport we love,
we pray to get guidance and strength from god above.
From the barrels to the bulls, and everything in between,
it drives us through doubt and into control.
It's rodeo we call our place and home,
with our best buds and God were never truly alone

Tuesday, March 2, 2010 God Has Truly Blessed Me!

Winter in Florida and every where else for that matter has been very harsh. From the early freezes we had in January to the continued cold weather in early march. I even heard that there was snow in Atlanta, GA. today and it is March. We all thought that the citrus industry would have taken a bigger hit than last year with fewer freezes. Thankfully are father in heaven has been with us in this time and taken care of the citrus industry. I even had somebody tell me that Brazil would take over the citrus market if things like this kept happening, ok buddy Brazil cant provide fresh fruit to America like Florida does.

Over all the rodeos have been pretty good this year, still trying to reach my goal of making it to nationals and winning the Georgia- Florida Youth Rodeo steer wrestling title. The rodeos since December have had a mix of rain and cold weather. I have been to more rodeos since December with rain than I have in the two and a half years I have been rodeoing. Which rain and cold weather are not a good mix for a bunch of Florida boys.

It has been three years since my Grandma Died. I have often thought about what she would think about me steer wrestling. My aunt “Tinny” as we call her told me not that long ago that she wouldn’t even watch because she would fear for me. And then later tell me “Christopher don’t ever scare me like that again.” Grandma always supported me in everything we did though no matter what, and I no that every time I back in that box, my grandma is up in heaven looking down cheering me on I Love you Grandma.

The following September after her death, I entered my first rodeo. I had goals, but they were cut short one year to the day after Grandma death. I went under the knife for complete knee reconstruction and four months later I was back roping again. Starting to steer wrestle was a different story it took me nine months to get my knee ready to jump my first steer. Now two years after surgery I am going harder than ever. God has truly blessed my Life!

Monday, March 1, 2010 Whats next?

ust after entering my first PRCA rodeo only a few weeks ago in Kissimmee, Florida, I caught the bug. No, not the flu bug, the bug to keep going to those PRCA rodeos. From January to April it is really moving with rodeos in the Southeast. As you all are aware that is unless you been in a cave for the past three years, things are not the greatest out there right now. Going down the road is not as cheap as it used to be. So I am just going to High school and Georgia-Florida rodeos right now, but am hoping to pick up the PRCA rodeos in a few weeks starting back with Lake City, FL. The Silver Spurs Rodeo of Champions in Kissimmee was a blast, I was lucky and drew a good steer. Trey Austin was 4.9 on him in the slack that morning, so I knew had one that I could win some money on. However, my horse has never really like the spurs arena even when nobody is in there her nerves just get the best of her. So with a bad step out of the box on her part we were late, but I still could of been faster on the ground because I wasnt over my steer like I needed to be. It was back to the practice pen that Monday and work began for the next rodeo which is in Williston, Fl. march 5-6. Ill be missing about 4 or 5 PRCA rodeos before I can get back to it in Lake City at the end of the month and yes its putting a shorter rein on my goal of making it to the circuit finals this year, but it is still in sight.

It has been Seven months now since the Dymmek family home of S Belle Brand horses has allowed me to practice with them. They have truly helped me a lot with my steer wrestling and my horsemanship. Gary Dymmek for the past four months or so has been training a new steer wrestling horse for his grandson Mose, and those of you that know Gary are well aware of his way with horses. Tonight was just a typical night of practice for us all, but I think Gary knew it wouldnt be. Because on his second to last steer tonight on a real young horse Mr. Dymmek at the young age of 62 got off on a steer, and has decide he might just have to start cracking out a little more. Nobody saw that coming in the least bit, and as Kamry Dymmek said tonight "Dad when I saw you make that move my eyes got the size of softballs I just no it dad."

Saturday, January 30, 2010 Buying My PRCA Permit

In late November I was asked by several PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) Cowboys if I would be buying my Permit for the 2010 season. I thought to myself you have got to be kidding me, by the time I turn 18 I will only have been Steer Wrestling for a year. Needless to say after talking with others, it started getting to me, and with much prayer I still wasn’t sure what to do. So on my 18^th birthday I made a trip to Bud Hallman`s House for a day of Practice, Mr. Bud had helped me the most with my steer wrestling until the start of school in the fall. So Mr. Bud new where I had come from and where I was heading, It was his wisdom that I took seriously, but more importantly I still listened to the Father. Most of you probably don’t know Mr. Bud Hallman, so here is a little back ground he is a circuit Judge in Sumter Country and has been Steer Wrestling since College, but in November he won the Southeastern Circuit Finals Average at the Young age of 56. That is not common so he is somebody that I never hesitate to call. So on January 28, 2010, I dropped in the mail my PRCA permit form. I still ask God everyday what on earth do you have me doing? All I know is that its for his Glory!!!