02/10/06 Deb Copenhaver

Deb Copenhaver Sometimes your heroes really come through for you. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll tell you about one of my heroes right after this. Deb Copenhaver, saddle bronc rider in the 1950's and 1960's was my childhood hero. I guess it was because I liked the sound of his name and he was good. In fact, he won the world champion saddle bronc title in 1955 and 1956 and was runner-up three other years. I never missed his rides at any of the rodeos we went to, but my biggest memory of Deb Copenhaver came close to home. Each year the largest town in our area puts on a big festival that draws thousands of people so some of the local ranchers thought it would be a good time to have a saddle bronc riding featuring the top bronc riders from the United States and Canada. All the ranchers contributed to get an arena set up  Dad and some neighbors drove over 100 miles to dismantle some permanent wooden bucking chutes to make them into portable wooden bucking chutes. Amazingly everything was ready for the show and Dad took me out to the arena that morning. As we walked behind the bucking chutes, Dad asked me if I wanted to meet Deb Copenhaver. I almost hyperventilated. I go to shake his hand and he said he would ride a horse for me that day. I walked out of there all puffed up and way taller than any sawed off eight year old had a right to be. At rodeo time, it was raining so hard five of Deb's horses went down in the slick ground  he didn't ride a horse for me that day  he rode six. Rain on my parade? Not that day! I'm Jeff Keane.