A cowboy for life

One could say horses are Waco McGill's life. He lives at a Fish Springs ranch, his family has owned Zephyr Cove Stables for 22 years and this year he is competing in the Reno Rodeo.

McGill, 30, has been in five rodeos already this year, and on Thursday evening was preparing for the team-roping event he is competing in at the Reno Rodeo this week. His partner is Clint Campbell.

"I go out and rope the horses, he comes around and ropes the feet and hopefully it all goes fast," said McGill.

McGill took second-place in team-roping at a rodeo in Sonora, Calif., this year. He has ridden in rodeos across the U.S. since he began competing as a teenager.

"I've been to Denver, Ft. Worth, Green Bay, Wisc. - I've been all over," said McGill.

McGill's interest in rodeoing began at an early age because his dad, Dwight McGill, competed in rodeos. Waco still partners with his dad in team-roping jackpots and they work together at the stables, along with his mom, Louise. Waco has taken over some of the management responsibilities at the stables and shoes the horses. The family moved to Fish Springs from Lake Tahoe about 12 years ago.

Waco started riding bulls and team roping when he was 15, and was cutting horses a few years before that. He explained "cutting" is when you allow your horse to round up a cow without using reins, through leg signals alone.

Waco rode bulls for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association for six years. During that time he had both shoulders rebuilt, fractured his skull and had broken ribs, among other injuries. But the decision to quit bull riding centered on his family.

"I stopped when I had kids," said Waco, of his twin 5-year-old girls and his youngest, a son named Reno Cash McGill.

"I have a little boy that's 2. That's all he wants to do is rope," said Waco. "I remember when I was little, I used to do that."

Waco said his son has never liked conventional toys. Reno Cash carries around a rope all the time. He has his own real horse, but he likes to ride his plush horse and jump off.

"He yells, 'bucked off'," said Waco, laughing. "He's a handful."

Waco's rodeo heroes are world champion Larry Mahan, who earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records and bull-riding legend Freckles Brown. But, his favorite is seven-time World Champion All Around Cowboy Ty Murray.

Waco said he won't stop rodeoing until he dies, and offers the following advice to others who are considering joining the rodeo circuit.

"You've got to be dedicated," he said. "If you're half-hearted about it, you're not going to do good. It's like any other sport. You've got to practice, practice, practice. It's tough."

McGill said he couldn't do it without his sponsors, Denise and Dave Beronio of Lake Tahoe Mortgage.

BREAKOUT:

Reno Rodeo continues through Saturday

The 2006 Reno Rodeo opened June 16 and will continue through Saturday at the Livestock Event Center. The rodeo, which began in 1919, is called the "Wildest, Richest Rodeo in the West."

The event features nine nightly performances filled with traditional rodeo events including, bareback, steer wrestling, saddle bronc, team roping, tie-down roping, mutton bustin', Women's Professional Rodeo Association barrel racing and bull riding. Attendees can also visit the carnival next to the rodeo grounds.

The Reno Rodeo is an award-winning Professional Rodeos Cowboys Association and WPRA rodeo. It is the third largest PRCA tour rodeo.

The Reno Rodeo will be the first rodeo on the Wrangler Pro Rodeo Summer Tour. The final performance will be televised on Fox Sports Net.

Tickets can be purchased online at purchase.tickets.com or call (800) 225-2277. For a ticket brochure and order form to be mailed, call 329-3877, ext. 230. Visit renorodeo.com for more information and a schedule.

The Reno Rodeo benefits the Reno Rodeo Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to enriching the lives of Northern Nevada families by aiding children with extraordinary needs, building community partnerships and providing scholarships to the University of Nevada, Reno.