story by Terry Rhodes
“We’re burnin’ daylight.” is a phrase that friends, family, and rodeo travel buddies can expect to hear from Homer Sanders. He’s a man on-the-go. He lives in Mesa and Gilbert, Ariz. area where he has various companies. “I have Sanders Custom Signs that I’ve had this since I was about 24 years old. I do a lot of artwork, logos, and designs. I have another company, Get Western, Inc. that does construction site work and consulting. Then I teach at the college in their heavy equipment program. And recently I have started auctioneering. Auctioneering is an addiction. It’s like calf roping.”
Homer has been in the National Senior Pro Rodeo Association for about four years. “Shawn Hastings called me and said, ‘Hey, you want to go to the Senior Pros (rodeos)?’ I told him if we’re going to do this, let’s do it all; let’s rope calves, team rope, and everything we can. I steer wrestled last year but had an injury.” His move into the Senior Pros has been a good one for him and he says there is plenty to like about the association. “The people are great. They come from every walk of life but the common link is the love of rodeo. There are people that are circuit champions and more from all over the U.S. and Canada. Everybody helps everybody and it’s not a high stress situation at all.” Homer is also in the PRCA and GCPRA.
Growing up south of Payson, Ariz. in ranch country, Homer is a fourth generation cowboy and picked up riding and roping at an early age. “I was raised ranching and my dad roped calves and team roped back when it was team tie down. I didn’t rodeo a lot as a kid because we were busy working and ranching. I did team rope a little and rode some saddle broncs. I didn’t start roping calves until I was 32. I love roping calves, I love it to death.”
In place of rodeo, Homer had a successful high school athletic career. “I played baseball, football, went to state in track several times, but wrestling was my thing. I went on to coach wrestling and did that for 12 years. I loved coaching wrestling.”
Homer says that besides his father helping him with calf roping, Terry Lewis and his son, Brent Lewis had a lot to do with his success. “Terry always gave me solid advice and I’ve always looked up to Brent and I cowboyed with Brent. So I got help from a lot of good guys like Shawn Hastings, Trent Tidwell (aka DT), and Mike Freeland.”
When it’s go time, Homer says he’s at, “…110% pure aggression. I blank everything else out and just react. I usually have to slow down at the end of my run to smooth it out. I have a lot of drive and I don’t stop. I go full out on every run.” That best time in the arena for Homer came in Socorro, N.M. “I’ll never forget that run. I was 7.3 on a calf. It seemed like it took all day to me and everything was going in slow motion. They told me I was 7.3 and I couldn’t believe it.” Homer says he was riding the same horse he uses today, ‘Gator’. “I’ve had her since she was a weanling and she’s 14 now.”
Leisure time is rare, but Homer makes good use of it. “In my off time I like to spend time with my grandchildren, family and friends. I like to hunt, fish, and just enjoy life.”
Like most of what Homer does, he says, “It’s not the end result that counts; it’s the journey that’s important.”
