The month of May marks Chris Maros’s first year competing in the APRA. The cowboy from Newfoundland, Pa. began team roping two years ago after working the chutes for timed events in 2012 at the Malibu Dude Ranch in Milford, Pa. “It really motivated me to work hard to compete at that level,” Chris explains. “I’ve only found a few sports in my life where I wake up every morning anxious to do them. I raced motocross and was a professional stand-up jet skier for many years, and practice wasn’t really work because I loved it so much. I don’t have to twist my arm around to do roping. I just love it that much!”
Chris, 42, doesn’t come from a rodeo background, but his friends – including Kevin Daniel, Jimmy Madden, and Ricky Gonzalez – have helped him to get the knack of the sport. “I really look up to Kevin Daniel,” says Chris. “Because of his faith in God, he’s a very grounded person, even with his success in roping. When I started rodeo it was all so new to me, but he treated me the same way as a #6 roper or better.” Chris ropes daily with Chad Finley and rodeos with his roping partner Drew Young. While Chris heads at APRA rodeos, he ropes both ends for USTRC, NTRL and jackpot ropings.
Another aspect of Chris’s involvement in the APRA is serving as the association’s Chaplin, which he has been doing since 2013. Chris says, “I’m helping with advancing Cowboy Church with Chris Prang, and he and I are helping Susie Graham with promoting Jesus Loves Cowboys further into the APRA. She (Graham) is well established in Cowtown. I admire her dedication to our Lord.” He further explains, “One of my favorite Bible verses is John 3:30, which is ‘He must become greater; I must become less.’ My real goal is to share the work of God with everybody. People can contact me through Facebook or the APRA website if they need prayer requests. I want the guys and girls to know that’s what I’m there for.”
Chris and his wife Mindy are raising their two children, Lilly (seven) and Cody (three) on their farm outside of Newfoundland. Chris built their house and barn himself, along with a 300’ by 150’ outdoor roping pen. He also runs a small scale beef operation from his farm for himself and his neighbors. Chris enjoys bow hunting as well. He has two roping horses: Jack, his 16-year-old tried-and-true roping horse, and Rooster, the young gelding that Chris is finishing.
When he is not roping, Chris is operating his marina business 24-7 Innovations with his wife Mindy, who works in the office. During his professional jet skiing days, Chris raced in the Budweiser Jet Sports Tour. Each year as a pro, he qualified for the Skat-Trak World Finals held in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. The top 200 riders in the world are invited to compete. In 1996 he finished seventh and in 1997 he nearly finished third until his jet ski broke down with only two laps remaining. Chris won seventh in 1998 but decided to retire due to an injured knee. That lead to the start of his marine service business which involves collision repair and engine work.
“This year my biggest goals are to get enough money won to go to the APRA finals and to get to some bigger USTRC ropings,” Chris concludes. “I don’t burden myself too much with long terms goals and trying to meet them. It’s all in God’s hands and I’m going to work at it 100% with what He gave me.”
