story by Siri Stevens
“We were 9th high call back,” said Beto Cisneros, from Avondale, Colorado. “I grew up in Avondale, on a ranch. It’s called the Bar Nothin Ranch. I grew up cowboying and roping and all that. I was a kid that would practice every day to get better. I started riding in fourth grade doing cowboy stuff. In fifth grade, the manager of the ranch asked me if I wanted to start roping. He taught me everything – how to ride a horse and rope. I was riding the ranches good horses and was riding one of theirs for the Finals – so was my partner.” There was no pressure for him at the Finals. “Every time I rode in the box, I told myself score good, rope good, handle good and face good.”
Colorado didn’t have a high school finals, and Beto was second in the state in the Fall. “We didn’t get to rodeo in the spring. We knew we made it and we started going to jackpots every weekend – we won enough money to go to another one.” This was his first time going to the Lazy E. “It was awesome, I’ve never seen an indoor arena that big,” he said. “When we got there, we took care of the horses and didn’t think about it. The first day I was nervous – you have to get your heart thumping, but I was there to do my job and that was it.”
Beto is headed off to college – to LCCC in Cheyenne. “Me and Reece have been best friends all through high school and we wanted to rope together and practice and we met Seth Glause. He’s cool! I can’t wait until I get there.” Beto will major in Ag Management to hopefully manage a ranch. “My dad, Shaw, is a mechanic and farmer around the ranch. Mom, Maria – is a stay at home mom.” He has an older sister, Ulaine, 25, who is a nurse in Mexico.
Beto and Reece won the State title last year, but didn’t have much luck at the Finals. “We didn’t do good last year,” said Reece. “Beto broke the barrier on the first one, and he missed the second one. That’s part of team roping.” Beto and Reece met at a branding at the ranch Beto lives on. They went to the same high school and they started hanging out their sophomore year. “We’ve been competing together for two years,” said the 18-year-old from Pueblo, Colorado. Reece will go to school for ranch management. “He’s always been my best friend since we met – we push each other and compete with each other – even the little things – we have little dummy roping matches and even basketball in the backyard – whatever.”
Reece started roping in third grade with National Little Britches and Colorado Junior Rodeo Association. He competed in team roping and tie down roping. He still tie down ropes, and plans to do that in college. He learned his manners, yes ma’am and yes sir, from his parents, Jay and Tracy as well his step parents, Lindsay and Mike. He has one older brother, Bryer, who also competed in team roping and still does. “Bryer and I just recently won an open handicap and #12 slide – we won about $6,000 together all weekend.” Jay puts on American Rope Horse Futurities and trains and shows rope horses and helps others at the shows. Lindsay works for the Colorado State Fair and does the books for Jay. They are moving to Cave Creek, Arizona, next month, and Reece and Beto are excited to head to warmer weather in the winter and jackpot. Tracy and Mike sell real estate in Las Vegas.
He remembers the short go at the National High School Finals. “We drew a steer that stopped for the first two runs, so we were letting him out there and knocked him down.” They set the bar as the ninth high call with a 8.5 and ended up 2nd in the nation. “I get nervous before, but once I ride in the box I’m focused so not really.”
The duo leaves for Cheyenne on August 22 and will live together, rope together, and pursue the same major. “I can’t wait to meet new people and be in the northern part of the state. I’ve never spent any time in Wyoming.”
