Voice reporter gets a roping lesson

Jade Shaw prepares for the big time
Toni Lucas photo

Toni Lucas, Pincher Creek Voice

Walking into the rodeo yesterday, I got a special treat, removed from the main action. Behind the concession building the I saw a young cowboy practicing roping on a dummy calf.  After catching the horns 4 times in a row, I commented to the boy and the man he was with that he seemed to be pretty good at it. "That is Jade, and I'm his big brother," explained the young man and grinned a wide grin as the boy continued to rope.  "He should be good.  He started roping when he was two."


"How old are you, now Jade?"  I called out to Jade, who did not lose a moments concentration from me talking to him. "Nine," he said, once again catching the horns.

So Jade has 7 years experience under his belt.  I asked if he would mind showing me how it was done.  He willingly handed over his rope, showed me how and where to grip it, and told me how to aim.  I took three tries.  I roped dust for the first two, and might have caught a tail in the third.  Alas, the dummy calf did not have one.  I admitted defeat. "It takes practice," Jade told me, and nodded approvingly as I carefully looped up the lariat rope before handing it back to him.

Turned out the young man was Jade Shaw, son of two time Canadian Calf Roping Champion Darren Shaw. His mom is Shellee Shaw, who was the 1998 WPRA Rookie of the Year. I bet we see a lot more of Jade in the future.

When asked if he was here to cheer anyone on Jade said, "Tacee (Shaw) is in barrel racing today."

Keep an eye on the Voice for more High School Rodeo coverage, coming soon.

Here's a vid of Tacee Shaw's Barrel Racing run on 

Saturday, September 4 at the Pincher Creek high School Rodeo

Chris Davis video