Navajo headers on hot streak in team roping

We're now halfway through the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, and if there's one trend that's beginning to stand out, it's that Team Navajo Nation has dominated team roping.

That would be Derrick Begay, Aaron Tsinigine and Erich Rogers. The three Navajo are all team roping headers, and along with their heelers are having a huge impact on the chase for the world championship gold buckle.

The nightly go-round winner all five nights has been either Begay — with his heeler Clay O'Brien Cooper — or Tsinigine — with his teammate Ryan Motes. Meanwhile, Rogers and partner Cory Petska have been steadily cashing checks and lead the WNFR average, which pays out $67,269 in first-place money at week's end.

On Monday night at the Thomas & Mack Center, Begay and O'Brien Cooper roped their steer in 4 seconds flat to split first place with Coleman Proctor and Jake Long. It was the third winning effort of the week for Begay and O'Brien Cooper.

Begay was pretty intrigued with the Navajo success.

"It's pretty neat, just to look back at it and how we started," Begay said. "That's what's cool to look back on."

All three hail from northern Arizona — Begay from Seba Dalkai, Tsinigine from Tuba City and Rogers from Round Rock. Begay goes way back with Tsinigine.

"We grew up roping together, and he's dating my sister," Begay said. "We all competed against each other a whole lot, and we love to cheer each other on. But on the other hand, we love to beat each other too."

Begay and O'Brien Cooper, a seven-time world champion who at 54 is 22 years older than Begay, have had the best of it so far and are sitting first in the world standings. They've cleared $180,810 and $181,930, respectively, for the 2015 season, including nearly $76,000 apiece in just the last five days.

Begay humbly deferred the success to his partner.

"It's the guy I'm roping with," said Begay, who was then reminded of a photo circulating on Facebook of O'Brien Cooper — then 25 years old — carrying a 3-year-old Begay. "He's been carrying me every night at the rodeo, too."

O'Brien Cooper rolled his eyes a bit at that analysis, making the point that since it's the header's job to get things rolling in team roping, Begay has been the key.

"The header sets up the run. Without getting the steer turned, you can't make a good run," O'Brien Cooper said. "He's the quarterback of the team."

It's their first season together, and while O'Brien Cooper's lengthy WNFR resume — he's qualified 29 times — is no doubt a huge advantage, Begay — in his seventh WNFR — is bringing an important element to the table.

"He has the unique ability to be real fast. That's one of his strong points," O'Brien Cooper said. "When you've got a short set-up like this arena, and you've gotta be really fast, that's when he really shines. I'm the recipient of that ability. As a team, we can capitalize on that."

Still, there's five rounds left and a lot of money that can still be won. And Begay and Cooper are just ninth in the average, so keeping that winning tunnel vision will be vital, which is where O'Brien Cooper's expertise comes in.

"We want to win. At the same time, this is a long week," he said. "Experience shows you what works for you. What works for me is to try to stay on an even keel. I want us to stay focused all 10 nights."