by Lindsay Whelchel
Drew Carnes might live in Texas now, a place where rodeo is almost as common as football when it comes to sports, but he grew up in Hornell, New York, a place where
rodeo isn’t as prevalent.
Yet that didn’t stop the 29-year-old team roper from latching onto the sport as tightly as he could. His family is involved in horses and even supplies horses to summer camps along the east coast, so Drew started out in other western horse events as a kid. But his uncle was a pickup man, and Drew began rodeo as quickly as he could. “Now I enjoy doing that more than anything else,” Drew said of roping. He credits his parents for their support. They even built an indoor arena where Drew and his brother could practice for rodeo as he grew up.
Though he’s done calf roping and even occasionally steer wrestling, Drew is most focused on team roping as a heeler. That’s what brought him south for the winters through his 20s after college and his becoming an electrician. He spent a couple of winters in Arizona then settled in Texas.
Still, competing in the International Professional Rodeo Association allows Drew to be able to still spend summers up north rodeoing and being near his family. He’s qualified for the International Finals Rodeo three times, coming in in the second spot this January after a stellar 2016 season roping alongside Gable Hilderbrand and Drew’s cousin Ethan Cory.
The group traveled together all summer, a venture that clearly worked well.
“Everyone was able to do their own share and what one person’s weak point was, was someone else’s strong point, and that’s how it all molded together. It worked where no one was really stressed out about anything. It was just a fun time,” Drew says.
The 2016 season also marked the longest time Drew has spent out on the rodeo road without working in the electrical field and with roping as his primary income source. It didn’t come without its challenges.
“I’ve always had that work first mentality from living in New York, so when I took off this summer to go rodeo for two months or three months it was the strangest feeling for me, because
I wasn’t working, this was my work now. So at first I loved it then I started to think ‘oh my God if I don’t win,’ it put a lot more pressure on myself not having a steady paycheck,” he admits.
Nevertheless, the pressure paid off, and not only did Drew climb to the top of the standings, he was able to have fun and solidify his friendships with fellow rodeo contestants stronger than ever.
“Honestly that was probably my highlight for the whole year was just being able to be on the road for that length of time and to be able to travel, and I’ve always known the guys, but I didn’t get to know the guys like I did this year,” he says.
Back in Texas Drew is focusing on his electrician business, Carnes Electric, and is staying close to the practice pen to prepare to hit the road for the 2017 season with his shot at another IFR qualification. He’d like to thank his sponsor Lone Star Ropes for their support.