Tale of two cities

Cutter Jerry Linaweaver qualifies for Houston while roping son Blaine goes to Vegas
By Lynn Utech

You could never say it was beginner’s luck. Jerry Linaweaver, 59, has been a weekend cutter since 1972, whenever he could find time away from his family-operated excavation business. His son, Blaine, 26, has been swinging a rope since he was five and started selling high school trophy saddles for entry fees on the professional rodeo circuit a few years ago.

But this last year was the first year the Linaweavers began to put all other things aside to take on their competition. Full time, on the road, win or lose.

This was their year to win.

The Linaweavers of Leavenworth, Kansas, both qualified for the finals competition in their respective sport. While Jerry waited in thirteenth position for his chance to earn checks at the NCHA World Finals Non-Pro Championships in Houston, Texas, in February, he and his wife, Betty, went to the PRCA National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada, to cheer on their son where he was entered as 12th in the country for team roping competition. At press time, Blaine and his partner, Jory Levy of Twin Oaks, Oklahoma, had won the second round with a 4.5-second run.

Early in 2001, Linaweaver and Levy broke the PRCA team-roping record at the San Angelo Stock Show. In the same performance, the record set in 1986 of 3.7 seconds had been tied by PRCA team roping leaders Speed Williams and Rich Skelton, but Blaine and Jory blew the doors off with a 3.5-second score.

“The crowd went plum wild,” said Jerry Linaweaver about his youngest fateful performance. “Blaine said he nodded his head, threw his rope and went left. That’s all he remembers.

“I am proud of him,” he continued, “like I am of all my sons.”

For the Linaweavers, riding horses has always been a part of the family fabric. Married for 42 years, Jerry and Betty raised Jerry Jr., 37, Mark Allen, 35, and Blaine to be cowboys. They hauled their boys to high school rodeo where they competed in cutting until they graduated. “I guess I was too hard on them,” remembered Linaweaver with a laugh. “So they took up team roping.” Blaine and Jerry, Jr., who carries a US Team Roping Association card, continue to ride for a living, while Mark has taken over Linaweaver Construction, Inc., freeing Dad to pursue his life’s dream.

“Back in the ’70s we went to a local cutting,” recalled Linaweaver. “A lady there explained it all to me and we’ve been doing it ever since. These days things are going pretty good for an old man just trying to show his horse.”

What turned the tide in his cutting experience, according to Linaweaver, was purchasing his first San Jo Lena colt out of Miss Johnie Sug in 1993. The Linaweavers had seen Burt Dedmon ride San Jo Lena at the American Royal Show and it was love at first sight. Sanjo Tesoro was San Jo Lena’s first colt and at six, the Linaweavers bought him from the Dedmons. Four more full brothers followed.

“We had a feeling about San Jo Johnie,” said Linaweaver. “He was in the gelding sale at Fort Worth and a guy from Washington bought him. We tracked the guy down and bought the horse from him. The next year we bought two-year-old San Jo Bolero and the following year, San Jo Sneaker. Then I went to Sally at Dedmon’s Ranch and made a deal to get all the San Jo Lena stud colts out of the same mare. The last one she had was San Jo Jerry, they named it after me. They had fillies ever since until she quit producing.”

“The brothers are all alike in temperament but different in style. They are all forgiving horses. I liked their stops. If you can get your horse to stop right you can do everything else.”

In 2001, Linaweaver earned checks at nearly 60 shows across the country. Along the way, he and his son shared their thoughts about hauling to the finals and its rigors. Though they nearly crossed paths in Wyoming, most of their camaraderie was shared over the telephone. And for advice . . .

“Concentrate,” said Linaweaver. “That is what I tell my son, though, he probably does that better than me already. The point is, it’s just between you and your horse. Don’t try to impress anyone, go in and get him shown.”