This 2019 rodeo season has been no exception, but there have been horse-related curveballs to contend with. This month, we’ll talk about where Joshua’s ace head horse, the 9-year-old dun he calls Junior, has been and when he’s due back. Next month, we’ll move over to the heeling side and focus on Jonathan’s bay Biggie, who at 13 is also MIA since being kicked in the warmup arena at the Reno Rodeo in June.
A year ago this month, Joshua and Jonathan Torres were ranked 15 th in the world and seemingly on the brink of qualifying for their first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. They’d been rodeoing up in the Northwest, when Joshua missed the books for the Pendleton (Oregon) Round-Up. When they left the Lewiston (Idaho) Roundup and headed toward Texas, they stopped and spent the night at the fairgrounds in Tremonton, Utah.
“When we got up the next morning, Junior’s right hind hock was swelled up and he had a baby puncture on it,” said Joshua, the big brother and heading half of the team that was born and raised in Miami, Florida. “He wasn’t that lame on it, so I ran water on it and gave him some Bute and Dex to keep him comfortable. I didn’t think it was that big a deal. We were headed to Albuquerque (New Mexico), and I was planning on riding him there. We loaded up and kept driving.
“Within two or three days, Junior’s hock was a lot more swollen and had really heated up. By then, he was getting pretty sore. So we dropped him off at Josh Harvey’s (Outlaw Equine Hospital and Rehabilitation Center) in Decatur (Texas). Clay Smith let me pick up the dun horse he’s ridden at the NFR that he calls Jazz, and I rode him at four or five rodeos to finish out the year. Cory Kidd also let me ride his horse at (the rodeo in) Stephenville.”
According to Dr. Harvey, they got Junior there just in time.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
At Home With
Whether he’s home in his native Brazil or here in America, Lincoln Figueiredo ropes all day every day. Heeling is his favorite—he’s an 8.5 on the back side—but he’s packed all kinds of roping into a very full 46 years. Figueiredo lives in Presidente Prudente, Sao Paulo, Brazil, with his wife, Marina, and baby girl, also Marina.
Zane Tisdale's Leather & Life
Although header Zane Tisdale has a lot of pride in his leatherwork, it’s a passion that shares space with a full-time job, roping and, most importantly, his growing family. —G.R. Schiavino.
Torres Brothers Missing Main Mounts
The Torres Brothers—Joshua and Jonathan—have consistently been Top-30 team ropers in recent years.
What Pro Heelers Prefer And How To Get Your Horse To Drag It The Right Way
Here’s a glimpse of what pro heelers prefer and how to get your horse to drag it the right way.
How Smoothing Out Your Start And Your Handle Will Speed Up Your Runs
How smoothing out your start and your handle will speed up your runs.
Remembering the “Answer Man”
This spring, the rodeo and roping world lost a man who spent his life in its folds, shaping its functions: Hugh “Rooster” Chambliss.
Randy Lewis: Horse Vet
For heeler Randy Lewis, DVM, becoming a horse doctor wasn’t a choice he made. Instead, it was just a fact of life since as long as he can remember.
Disciplining Yourself Is Key To Regaining Your Horse's Composure In The Box
Disciplining yourself is key to regaining your horse’s composure in the box.
Luke Brown On Earning His Spot Among The Best
Luke Brown on earning his spot among the best.
The Battle Of The Bubble Boys
The bubble. It’s not the place anyone wants to be right now, but it’s inevitable that there are teams put in that position every season.
