An Okotoks-area steer wrestler knows it’s going to be awfully hard to keep up with his neighbours.
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em so he ended up getting some neighbourly advice and is enjoying a successful sophomore season in the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association.
Jonny Webb climbed to 25th in the Canadian standings after splitting first-place money in Cranbrook and third at Jasper rodeos Aug. 16-18.
“I practiced hard all winter and I had a real good spring and got quite a few cheques,” Webb said. “Lee Graves, he’s a neighbour and a good friend, has been home, not rodeoing, and he’s been helping me out three or four times a week.”
Graves is a two-time world champion steer wrestler and the 2010 Calgary Stampede champion. He has earned more than $2 million in his career, which also includes five Canadian championships.
“Ever since I started, Coach (Graves) has taken me under his wing since I stopped playing hockey in Brandon (with the Brandon Wheat Kings) and he helped me become a professional cowboy,” Webb said.
The practice has paid off. Webb sits 25th in the Canadian standings, thanks in part to his neighbour.
Graves said he is more than happy to help because Webb has the right attitude. A two-time world champion doesn’t want to run steers at his ranch for guys looking to just kill some time.
“I like to help the guys and I enjoy it,” Graves said. “I like to see guys like Jonny make progress. Anybody who comes here knows you have to bear down when you are in the arena. If you don’t show me you are trying, you won’t get invited back.
“This is what I do for a living.”
Steer wrestling is what Graves does for a living, but he needs a better agent when it comes to coaching. All he charges is a handshake and a solid effort from the cowboy. There’s no extra money going in Graves’ jeans.
He started helping Webb about three years ago.
“Jonny’s a local boy and I think we met a few years ago at the Edeys in Longview,” Graves said. “He asked me for some help and I always have steers around.
“I like Jonny because he is the kind of guy who when he’s not working he’s out here practicing. He’s getting things together and it’s good to see because he is putting in the effort.”
He said Webb’s hockey career helped him not only through athleticism, but also made him coachable and able to take criticism.
“Jonny’s just getting a good taste of it,” Graves said. “I think his career is just about ready to take off.”
Webb said he is hoping his career can start to take off next week. He still needs to climb the standings to crack the top 12 to make the Canadian Finals Rodeo.
“I have got to do some winning,” Webb said.
He would love to have his hometown Okotoks rodeo be one of the places he picks up a cheque. He has plenty of experience with the Murray Arena, where he has given out many checks.
He played his minor hockey there and finished off his Junior A career playing with the Okotoks Oilers, who played at the Murray Arena their first season in 2005-06.
“They are both challenging sports,” Webb said of rodeo and hockey. “I have had trouble adjusting to bulldogging because hockey is more of a team aspect. Rodeo you have to rely on yourself, but I have put a lot of time and effort into rodeo and it is starting to pay off.”
If Webb starts to win plenty of money that might have otherwise gone to his neighbour, that’s okay with Graves.
“I hope he does,” the 41-year-old Graves said. “If Jonny steps up to take money from me, that would make me feel good. That means he’s paying attention.
“Maybe when I put the torch out, he can carry on.”
Graves had stem cell surgery on an ankle in May in the Cayman Islands. He said it has healed nicely. However, he was sidelined this summer with appendicitis, which forced him to miss the 2012 Calgary Stampede.
He will not be competing at the Okotoks Pro Rodeo, but he plans to get back on his world-class horse Jesse and come out of the gate sometime in the fall to prepare for the 2013 season.
Webb is up on Sunday’s performance at the Okotoks Pro Rodeo, which runs Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday’s performance is at 1 p.m. For ticket information call the Ticket Hot Line at 403-938-1518.
