by Sharon M. Wheelock
Hyannis cowboy Matt Hebbert has been a record-breaker during most of his young rodeo career, and this year, being no exception in making history, he has tied in his win of three state high school All Around Cowboy honors in a row.
Matt, who graduated from Hyannis High School this year, went to State
in all four of the events he competes in: Saddle Bronc, Team Roping, Calf
Roping and Steer Wrestling. He will be going to Nationals in Calf Roping
and Saddle Bronc. He and partner Dru Melvin are Alternates for State in
Team Roping.
He says he didnít feel particularly pressured about winning All Around
again this year, despite two previous winsówhich perhaps explains
something about his winning style. ìI didnít think about it
much,î he says.
A cowboy who normally stays pretty poker-faced about his wins and losses, such was not the case when his calf roping horse, Casey, was announced the winner of ëHorse of the Year.í Mattís jump up in the air only missed the click of boot heels to further enhance his delight. ìYou have to sign up, or enter your horse, then they keep points and whoever scores the most points on that horse, the horse gets it,î he explains.
Having gone to Nationals before will make this year easier. ìThe
added experience will help,î he says. Plus he knows the arena since
Nationals are held in Springfield, Illinois again this year, then they will
move to New Mexico. That the rodeo was held in Springfield the last two
years is good fortune.
Training continues about the same. ìI havenít really changed
annything much; I just keep everything the same as I had all year.î
And he practices a lot. ìI practice about four days a week, from two to four hours each dayómainly in roping. I donít spend a lot of time on saddle bronc. Before State, I mainly practiced roping and bull dogging,î he says.
Confidence isnít lacking, but if he has more (confidence) in one
event over the other, it mostly depends on the day. ìItís
pretty equal right now,î he says. ìYou can get a bad draw in
both rough stock or timed events. You can get by on both if you get a bad
one, but if you get a good one it helps.î
Slumps come and are to be gotten through with practice and intelligent persistence.
ìI go through them sometimes. You have to keep roping, and donít
fight your head. You need more practice and to really look at what youíre
doingÖsee if youíre doing something wrong, and then find something
to help.î
Matt had a good year, though he was disappointed with a few things in the Finals. ìSome things didnít turn out like Iíd have liked in Team Roping and Bull Dogging, but it was still a good year.î
He started rodeoing when he was in grade school (junior rodeos). His freshman year, he started with all four events that he still competes in. He didnít make it to Nationals his freshman year, but he was named Rookie of the Year.
His sophomore year, he won State All Around and went to Nationals in Saddle Bronc, Team Roping and Bull Dogging. Winning All Around again his Junior Year, he went to Nationals in Team Roping, Bull Riding, Calf Roping and Saddle Bronc. And now he completes his senior year winning All Around again, and goes to Nationals in Calf Roping and Saddle Bronc.
One goal he had set for himself was to make it to Nationals, and he did that for three years.
The highlight of his high school rodeo career, he says, was, ìÖmaking
All Around three years in a row.î One would think so.
Other awards won at State were Calf Roping Finals Championship, which with
All Around, garnered him two belt buckles. Earlier this year, he was named
team captain of the Wrangler All Star team, a position received by votes
of his rodeo peers.
College is next on his agendaóafter Nationals. He will attend college at Pratt, Kansas. ìThey have a real good rodeo program,î he says. He received a scholarship from the college and plans to compete in the four events he has competed in during high school.
Another Hyannis Cowboy Excels
Matt also won the State Finals All Around Cowboy, along with the Year End
All Around. Another Hyannis cowboy, Carver
Abbott, was Reserve State All Around Cowboy. Carver also made it to the
short-go in the finals in Cutting, and he is an Alternate to Nationals in
Cutting.
Carver began the season placing high in cutting and doing well in team roping.
That combination earned him an All Around honor early in the year, against
some stiff competition. He competes in calf roping, then he added bull dogging
to his repertoire, won another All Around, which finally brought him to
the position of State Runner Up All Around Cowboy. He wasnít available
at the time the GCN went to press but he would likely agree that he had
a good year and is looking forward to a great year in 2001-02.
Matt is the son of David and Mickie Hebbert, the grandson of Mose and
Merla Hebbert, and the great-grandson of Opal Sikes of Alliance.
Carver is the son of Chris and Kim Abbott, the grandson of Pat Abbott of
Alliance and of Bill Brennemann.
Congratulations to both young men, and best of luck to Matt at Nationals.
The community is proud of you, and of the other qualifiers for Nationals:
Tucker Sheets, Tyler Minor and Jill Edelman.
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