by Magie Downare-Nevius
When it comes to 12 year CPRA team roping header, Nick Pullara, roping and horses isn’t just a passion, but a job. The 10-time finals qualifier makes his living training, showing, selling and promoting performance horses from his home in Fountain, Colo. “I’ve done it pretty much my whole life, but got serious as a senior in high school,” he said. Specializing in roping horses, Pullara Performance Horses offers on-site training facilities for equine evaluation, individual and group team roping lessons, riding lessons and training lessons.
Team roping is the primary event for the 2012 Finals champion, and while he says that he will occasionally tie-down rope, Nick is a self-made rodeo athlete. “Nobody in my family rodeos, but honestly, it was just something that I always wanted to do since I was a little kid. I worked my butt off and figured out a way to do it,” he said. Hitting his first jackpot in eighth grade, Nick’s ability to handle a rope exploded as the youngster won his first check at his second roping event. “In a strange coincidence, my father-in-law, who of course was not at the time, was who put on that roping,” Nick said. In a forward movement, the six-time PRCA Mountain States Circuit qualifier has earned a résumé that lists awards such as: two-time APHA World Champion, three-time APHA World Show Top 5, five-time APHA Congress Champion, eight-time APHA National Western Stock Show Champion, two-time College Regional Champion, two-time College National Finals qualifier and four-time USTRC Open Pro Tour qualifier, among winning multiple PRCA rodeos.
Partnering with his wife (Chelsea) in the mixed team roping, the couple are past CPRA finals qualifiers, but the mother of two boys (Landon, 4, and Jasper, 11 months) isn’t able to compete as often as she would like. “They are definitely ornery little boys. Jasper isn’t quite big enough, but Landon is right in the middle of it all and is getting pretty handy with his rope,” Nick said of the future Pullara competitors.
Turning the steers for heeling partner (Justin Price), the pair has taken an early position in the standings. “We have roped together off and on since high school, through college and won the average at the CPRA finals together,” Nick said. With the help of his sponsors: Lone Star Ropes, Professional’s Choice Medicine Boots and Kimes Ranch Jeans, Nick has set a season goal of winning the year-end title.
