Branquinho Brothers Cheer Each Other {Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo Closes Sunday}

Cheyenne Wyoming Tribune-Eagle ^ | 08-01-04 | Shelles, Dave

[Theodore R.]

Branquinho brothers cheer each other

By Dave Shelles spt4@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle

CHEYENNE - It's not a situation where the Branquinho brothers are always within an arm's reach of the other.

If Luke Branquinho is wrestling steers in Cheyenne, it's possible his older brother, Casey, is roping calves in Ogden, Utah.

Or vice versa.

But if either brother experiences success, expect the other to swell with pride, along with numerous other family members and friends back home in Los Alamos, Calif.

"Any time anything goes well in our family, we have 100 people at home cheering us on," Casey Branquinho said. "It's not just him or me out here on the road. We've got all the support of our family and friends back home keeping us going."

No matter where the nomadic life of a rodeo cowboy takes them, each brother knows the other is cheering for him.

Lately, Casey, 26, has been cheering on his 23-year-old brother, who finished 11th at the National Finals Rodeo in 2003. Luke is currently first in the world standings in steer wrestling with $82,640 in earnings, nearly $20,000 more than second place.

Casey's summer has been a bit slower as he sits in 46th in the world standings in tie-down roping with $15,255 in earnings.

A big run at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo could have helped Casey immensely, but he took a no-time Thursday on a feisty calf that nearly ripped the shirt off his back in the second go-round.

Casey started wrestling steers before Luke did and saw some of the lessons he taught his younger brother played out on the arena floor of the sport's biggest event.

"In Las Vegas in the finals, you can see that pride," Casey said. "I helped Luke get there, and I can't take any credit for it, but we're in the practice pen together at home.

"I started bulldogging a little before he did because I was older, so I kind of helped him out in the early stages."

Oh, it works the other way as well.

In 2003 Casey made it to the finals at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, and Luke was there on the sidelines supporting his older brother. Casey didn't place in the short go but was fourth in the aggregate, much to Luke's delight.

"Last year I stuck around for the short round and helped him out in the calf roping," Luke said. "But I was glad to watch him do well here, and hopefully I'll get to do it again."

The two did it at the Redding (Calif.) Rodeo in 2003, where Luke won steer wrestling and Casey won tie-down roping. Since then, Luke has stayed on a roll while Casey is still hoping to catch some of that sunshine for himself.

This week, not only did Luke score a 9.9 in the first go-round at the CFD rodeo, he won the short go-rounds at both the Snake River Stampede in Nampa, Idaho, and the Ogden (Utah) Pioneer Days.

"We try to feed off each other's energy," Casey said. "I had a real bad winter and spring, and Luke set the world on fire and was winning the world.

"I just try to feed off his positive energy, and in the summer it's finally turning around for me. We'll have to see if we can't keep that ball rolling together."

Luke has continued his charmed life, not only sitting atop the world standings but adding a new member to the team. He's engaged to barrel racer Lindsay Favour of Prescott, Ariz. That, he says, has helped him maintain focus both in and out of the arena.

"She keeps my mind off bulldogging, and I don't worry about anything," Luke said. "When I do compete, I just go out, take care of my business and then go back to her."

Even his brother has noticed the change in Luke. Casey said he is more focused on wrestling steers than ever before, which is part of the reason the younger Branquinho is all but assured of a spot in his fourth straight NFR.

"I give her a lot of credit too," Casey said. "Luke wasn't an easy one to tame down.

"That stability's there for him. You can see it in his eyes. He's more focused, and he's not the wild and crazy kid he used to be. He's more mature now, and you can see it in his bulldogging."

In the end, though, it's all about two brothers who love to rodeo. It started in the practice pen at their home in Southern California and has continued in arenas throughout the country.

The two sometimes don't see each other for weeks at a crack, but each knows the other is there, if only in spirit.

"He mainly ropes calves and team ropes, and I steer wrestle," Luke said. "It's kind of hard to get up and rodeo at the same time. We just kind of see each other at rodeos, help each other out and head off to the next one."

Added laid-back Casey, "Being away from home never bothered Luke as much as it bothers me. I've always been more the homesick type after a few weeks.

"I'd do my best rodeoing if I could stay gone for maybe three or four weeks and get home for a week or two, then stay back gone for three or four weeks. I just like to feed off the energy of being at home."

But when you're competing with your brother, any place can feel like home.