WC rodeo exes enjoying success

By Rick Mauch

Courtesy Weatherford College

In the short time he's been coaching rodeo at Weatherford College, Mike Brown's program has seen much success, and not only when the athletes are competing at the collegiate level. Many have gone on to success at larger schools.

Three found themselves among the top 15 of their respective events at the end of the 2011 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) season.

Clif Cooper, who competed for WC in 2007-08, ranked 12th in tie-down roping with $105,031 in winnings. Timber Moore, who was a Coyote in 2005-06, was 13th in the same event with $104,094 in earnings.

And Brandon Beers placed 14th in team roping. His winnings for the year were $92,839.

Beers, a former Rookie of the Year from Oregon, was among the first to compete for Brown. Moore hails from Ponder and Cooper is from Decatur.

"I see this and I feel like a proud daddy," Brown said. "We just have good kids coming in through here."

Cooper and Beers have pro rodeo success in their family history, Brown said, adding that Roy Cooper and Mike Beers won several roping championships between them.

"We used to call him Super Looper," Brown said of Roy Cooper, adding with a chuckle. "We rodeoed together as kids - of course he was much better."

Brown said he tries to stay in touch with the trio of alums as much as possible, but with their professional schedule and his coaching schedule, it's a challenge. But thanks to the Internet, he's always aware of their most recent success.

"We talk sometimes, but it's hard," Brown said. "But I like knowing they are doing well."

Brown said their success is also a good tool for recruiting.

"You bet it is; success breeds success," he said. "In fact, I'm going to be turning away some kids, something which I've never done, but that's a good problem to have. You never want to do that, but you reach a point with a program that you can only take so many when a lot want to be a part."

As for who might be the next former WC rodeo athlete to find pro success, Brown has an idea.

"Reese Reimer at Tarleton, I think he'll be our next star," Brown said.

Reimer advanced to nationals for WC last season before transferring to Stephenville.

Also, Brown thinks he might have his first female athlete to break through on the pro circuit, Cierra Kunesh.

"She's a good enough horseman to break through," he said.

Kunesh is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation in breakaway roping by the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. The Lady Coyotes as a team are ranked 12th nationally and second in the Southwest Region.

The spring rodeo season begins for WC March 1-3 when they host their own rodeo.

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