Story originally posted by: John Brasseaux - HorseCity.com Western Content Director

Calf roper Cody Ohl won the prestigious San Angelo Roping Fiesta match roping, defeating current PRCA world champion Fred Whitfield in the 12-head contest by a mere 3.85 seconds overall.

The San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo Association held the 47th Annual Invitational Calf and Steer Roping Fiesta on November 4th and 5th. In addition to the match roping, which featured a $14,000 winner take all purse, there was an invitational calf roping, followed by an invitational steer roping the next day.

Although the Fiesta fields are always filled with past and present NFR competitors, the matched roping is reserved for the two hottest cowboys currently slinging a loop. Ohl, of Stephenville, Texas, is a two-time PRCA world champion Ð 1997 and '98 - and he holds the record for the most calf roping money won during a season, $222,794. Whitfield, a four-time world champ - 1991, '95, '96, '99 - is presently in the PRCA calf roping lead four weeks before the start of the NFR. He's also the defending Fiesta match roping champion.

Match roping used to be a common occurrence in Texas roping circles. Today, it's seen only a few times a year. But when it's held, only the best are invited because of the money paid and the honor bestowed. The San Angelo version is a grueling affair. A dozen head is a large number to rope in one afternoon, even for seasoned world champs like Ohl and Whitfield. Even though the match is broken down into two groups of six head, with Whitfield roping one then Ohl getting his chance, the mental pressure alone is draining.

The winner is determined by who has the lowest time at the end of the match. Ohl's number was 137.15 seconds to Whitfield's 141 seconds. That averaged out to 11.43 seconds to a losing 11.75 per head. Although the two were close on each head, the outcome seems to have been set on the very first calf. Ohl scorched the first run with an 8.86 to Whitfield's 11.28. From then on, Ohl held the lead. Whitfield tried to catch up, roping his last calf with his fastest time, a 9.18, but it was too little too late. Even though Ohl eased up to a safe 12.17 on his final run, his slowest of the day, he still held the margin of victory and collected the $14,000 check in the process. Whitfield didn't go away empty-handed. He finished second in the regular calf roping, winning $4,080.

The winner of that contest was Charley Russell, with a total time on three head of 29.24. His won a total of $6,210. In the steer roping, Tod Casebolt was the champion with a total time of 78.89 on four head. His go-round checks totaled $9,164.