ProRodeo Sports News - November 17, 1999

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CHANNING, Texas - Cakes, Cokes - whatever it took Colby Goodwin had a desire to see little faces Smilg. And like rodeo, he worked at it with a passion for perfecrion. "He had time for everybody, but he made time for kids," former traveling partner Sid Howard said. 'Any child who ever met him would seek him out." One of those was Howard's own son Quay. They were buddies, and in rodeo you travel with your buddy. In the spring of 1996, Goodwin was loading up th€ truck to go to Bowie, Texas, and he wanted to take Howard along - Ouay, not Sid. The 4-year-old's parents fully trusted that Colby would keep their son out of harm's way' So the two cowboys, one tall and one small, headed south oBt of Canyon, Texas.

They were bound for adventure. whether they realized it or not. tMhile Colby was "watchingtheget out" during slack, Ouay taikedanoth- er steer roper into Putting trim en Colby's horse. Ouay rode off, Passing ttuough an undetermined number of gates- When Colby turned around his friend's son and his horse had.lisap- peared. Colby frantically searched. E-ut it wasn't until he found the childthat he truly panicked. He later told sid that when he located his son, OuaY was sittingon the horse in the holding pen with the bulls.

Golby andAmy Goodwin share a moment together at the 1998 steer roping finals.ltey were married Aug. 23' 199E.

"Ouay, what are I'ou doing?" said Colby, frightened to every extent of the word. "Well, CoEcy" said Ouay, feeling the need to state the obvious, "I'm sitting here looking at the bulls." The horse, which had never been in a pen of bulls' was sianding there as calm as could be. lt was Colby that vras shalring. For Colby Jay Goodwin of Lovingrton, N'M., becom- ing a father was like going to the Finals after so many runs in the p(actice pen. He had spoiled the children of others so long, now it was his turn to nurture and spoil his ovrn. That moment arrived Oct.27 in Hobbs, N.M.' with the birth of he and v'rife Amy's son Gunner, 7 pounds, 11 ou:rces, and 21.5 inches. Hours before the Oct. 30 accident that would eventually claim his life,

Goodwin lay Gunner on his chest and watched the baby sleep for an hour-and-a-half. As Goodwin lay uncon- scious in the intensive care unit of Mercy Health Center in Oklahoma City during the early morning hours of Oct. 31, Amy tenderly Placed Gunner on Colby's chest and whispered: " Colby, Gunner's here." Guy Allen watched. Allen was Colby's best man' Ns traveling partner and his neighbor. But Colby Planned on adding another link to rhat chain of connections.

Goodwin receives his National Finals Rodeo con-

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testant iacket and nunrber from shellywilu"-"iii;l' bolf::*" to teach to rope" Rodeo America 1999, in the said Allen' a 14-time steer Roper's Cantina in the Lazy roping world champion' Earenaatthisyear'sNFSR.Colbywastheultimatestu- dent of roping. If he was rop- ing the dummy and it didn't go around just perfect he wanted to know why. When he looked at photos or

Goodwin topes a steer at the Outlaw Pro Rodeo in Sonora,Te*as, inAugust. He was looking forward to teaching Gunnet to rope when his son got older.

Goodwin, page 37