Tulsa World: Rodeo finals in town

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Rodeo finals in town
A mother-daughter team is in the competition for the fun.

Mother-and-daughter team ropers Dolli Lautaret (left) and Jolee Lautaret of Kingman, Ariz., are competing in the Women's Professional Rodeo Association World Finals this week at Expo Square. STEPHEN HOLMAN/Tulsa World

By KEVIN CANFIELD World Staff Writer
Published: 11/14/2009 2:23 AM
Last Modified: 11/14/2009 4:32 AM

Dolli Lautaret is a doll.

And not one of those lifeless models wearing pretty print dresses that little girls collect.

This doll is a real-life cowgirl — a fast-talking, smooth-riding, life-loving ball of fire who just so happens to be in town team-roping with her daughter at the Women's Professional Rodeo Association World Finals at Expo Square.

"When I was younger, she was always coaching me; she still does," said Jolee Lautaret, "but I kind of ignore her more."

She jests, of course. It's impossible to ignore Dolli Lautaret — the 58-year-old won't let you. And for that matter, it's hard not to pay attention to this mother-daughter team, if you know anything about women's professional rodeo.

Entering this week's competition, Dolli and Jolee were third and first, respectively, in the race for World Champion All-Around Cowgirl.

Chances are neither will win. With the pair competing only in team roping, the other top competitors — who are all competing in multiple events — are likely to surpass them.

Dolli and Jolee aren't sweating it. They're just happy to be back roping together.

"I had a little brain tumor taken out 30 days ago (last) Sunday," Dolli said Thursday.

She then pushed aside her salt-and-pepper bangs to reveal the scar.

"You can see the circle where they cut the thing out of me and then put titanium screws back in," Dolli said. "But the good part is I had cancer five years ago so it was a byproduct of the radiation I had to have to cure the cancer."

Got that? That's Dolli's way of saying the quarter-size tumor that doctors in Las Vegas yanked from her head was benign. And by the way, she had mouth cancer five years ago. Doctors fixed that, too, with 33 radiation treatments.

"I don't have a roof of my mouth anymore," Dolli said. "They cut the roof of my mouth out."

Jolee, 34, said the cancer scared her more than the tumor.

"That was very scary," she said. This time, "I had a lot of faith and I felt that it was going to be all right this time."

It seems to be, though Dolli says she is weak.

"Ask me in 60 days and I'll tell you I feel like a rider again," she said. "Right now I don't feel like a rider."

That's saying something, for Dolli and Jolee have been riding all their lives. So has Dolli's husband, Darrell Lautaret, who went to college on a rodeo scholarship before settling down in Kingman, Ariz. The family owns a 20-acre ranch there with 16 horses.

"He's our biggest supporter and fan, and he puts up with a great deal," said Dolli.

Team roping is a timed event in which one rider, called the header, hooks the horns of a steer and the other rider, called the heeler, hooks the heels of the steer's back feet. On Team Lautaret, Jolee is the header and Dolli is the heeler.

"The joke was always, when you get it on, get out of my way," Dolli said.

Women’s Professional Rodeo Association World Finals

Final round: 6 p.m. Saturday, Ford Truck Arena, Expo Square.

Tickets: Adults $10; children 12 and younger, $5. Call 376-6000, or go online to tulsaworld.com/exposquare.

Kevin Canfield 581-8313
kevin.canfield@tulsaworld.com By KEVIN CANFIELD World Staff Writer

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	Report Comment st470, (11/14/2009 11:26:41 AM) I pray the OHP doesn't beat up a innocent, defenseless farm animal today.
	Report Comment Few Clothes, America (11/14/2009 11:57:37 AM) Let's go. Let's show. Let's rodeo. Let's abuse animals for the amusement of the paying customers.

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