Brothers square off in team roping

Two grew up near Berthoud, where dad oversaw herd

John C. Ensslin

Published January 18, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.

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Photo by Photos By Darin McGregor / The Rocky

Lee Hagler pursues a steer during team roping competition at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo on Thursday night at the Denver Coliseum. It was Hagler's 34th birthday, and by the luck of the draw, he was competing against his younger brother, Shawn.

Squeak Schmidt, of Johnstown, Neb., competes in the saddle bronc event at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo at the Denver Coliseum on Thursday.

Lee Hagler spent his 34th birthday Thursday doing something he and his younger brother Shawn have been doing all their lives - team roping steers.

Only this year, it was a special evening. By luck of the draw, the two brothers were competing against each other at the National Western Stock Show.

"It's pretty cool. Really exciting. Maybe it's lucky," Lee Hagler said, sitting atop his horse, Super Gray, a few minutes before he and his partner, Terry Selland, of Berthoud, took their turn in the ring at the Denver Coliseum.

The two brothers grew up near Berthoud, where their father, Keith, oversaw about 2,000 livery horses on the Sombrero Ranch.

He was their first teacher when it came to roping.

Before he died from a stroke in October 2001, one of his favorite things was to watch his sons compete in local rodeos.

"He used to watch us whenever he could. He loved to watch us," said Shawn Hagler, 31, of Platte ville. "He wasn't a rodeo guy. He was just a cowboy, all around."

Lee was 11 and Shawn was 9 when they started roping. They started entering rodeos when they were in high school.

Today, the two brothers make their livings with cars. Lee Hagler lives in Fort Lupton and owns Vogel Sales, a truck dealership in Greeley and Windsor. Shawn Hagler is a car auctioneer, dividing his time between Denver and Colorado Springs.

Their main interest, however, isn't horsepower - it's horses.

Lee Hagler said what he likes best is the challenge of always trying to get better at the sport, which starts with a steer in the chute and two cowboys on horseback on either side. The steer jumps out of the chute and the ropers chase.

The first roper, the header, tosses his rope around the steer's horns or neck. The second roper, the heeler, has to throw his loop so that it encircles both of the steer's hind feet. After the cowboys catch the steer, the clock is stopped when there is no slack in their ropes and their horses face one another.

When asked if there's a trick to being a good team roper, Shawn Hagler replied, "Lots of practice. Practice. Practice. Practice."

Shawn Hagler said his older brother is the better roper. But Lee said they're about equals in the sport. On Thursday night, the older brother had the better time. Shawn Hagler and his partner, Jim Garson of Bosler, Wyo., finished with a "no time" after they were unable to rope their steer.

Lee Hagler and his partner, however, finished in 7.8 seconds. It wasn't the fastest run of the night, but it wasn't a bad way to celebrate a birthday.

ensslinj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5291

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