PublicationProRodeo Sports News - February 22, 2019

JOHN LEINAWEAVER

and in different fashion.

wife also will be making the trek.

“There was a guy from the other side of the mountain we knew a long time,” Leinaweaver said. “He was going to a steer wrestling clinic in western PA, and he asked if I’d like to try it. Yeah, sure. I met him at some God-awful hour of the morning. They tried to kill me, and then they figured out they couldn’t rightly kill me. The instructor and I joke about it to this day – I help him now with his clinic – they couldn’t kill me, so they made me better.” He’s turned both events into a lifelong love of the sport. And he’s not too bad at them. Leinaweaver booked his second trip

Leinaweaver will haul his horse, Judge, 15, to the Sunshine State. He’s excited to compete again among the country’s best. “I’ve heard about it for years and about being able to win it,” Leinaweaver said. “It doesn’t happen very often for guys back here (in the First Frontier Circuit), and I think it’s a possibility. We don’t have as much opportunity back here as guys from out West. But I think there are guys as talented here as out West. … It gives us an opportunity to get recognized with our ability that we do have. We can show that we stand just as good a chance as anybody else.”

ABOUT JOHN AGE: 33 RESIDENCE: Aspers, Pa. CIRCUIT: First Frontier EVENTS: Steer wrestling, bull riding NOTABLE WIN IN 2019:

RAM First Frontier Circuit Finals Rodeo

NOT JUST COMPETING Success in Kissimmee could lead to more rodeos this season for Leinaweaver. But he has his priorities lined up. “Now that he’s a little bit older, he hauls a little bit more than he rodeos – he still rodeos a lot, don’t get me wrong – but he’s trying to get his own business going,” Wright said. “He’s done very well at both, and he balances them both out very well.” Leinaweaver is also a pickup man, as is Wright. “I like picking up,” Leinaweaver said. “I get as much adrenaline out of picking up as I do riding bulls.” Wright summed up Leinaweaver’s all- around capability and appreciation of rodeo. “It doesn’t matter which end he’s at,” Wright said. “I’ve been at rodeos where he’s just there to compete, but he jumps in (to help), he doesn’t care. He’ll drive the tractor in the arena, he’ll help load stock. He’s a cowboy when it comes to that. He loves it that much.”

to the RAMNCFR by winning the steer wrestling average at the RAM FFCFR in Harrisburg, Pa., in mid-January. He also won the all-around in Harrisburg, taking home $8,502 in steer wrestling and bull riding. “It’s pretty prestigious, I think,” said Leinaweaver, 33. “To be able to win the all-around and do it from both ends of the arena is neat. There aren’t that many guys who can do that anymore. That’s pretty gratifying.” Leinaweaver is looking forward to returning to Kissimmee. “It was a lot of fun,” he said about his first trip. “I got to go to Florida and of course enjoy the weather and get out of this cold. I could’ve done a little better, but I didn’t draw very well.” Leinaweaver will be accompanied by his daughter, Jaycee, who will be 9 when they get to Florida. Leinaweaver is planning on taking her to Disney World. Wright and his

First Frontier Circuit cowboy John Leinaweaver, right, holds up a buckle won at the RAM FFCFR while his daughter, Jaycee, holds up another Jan. 12. Joining them in the photo is Rob Wright, Leinaweaver’s hazer and longtime friend. Casey Martin photo

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