Brothers hoping to retain their world rodeo crowns.

MORLEY

A pair of brothers from the Nakota Sioux First Nation are hoping to retain their world rodeo crowns later this year.

Troy and Jay Crawler, who live in Morley, won the team roping category at the International Indian Finals Rodeo world championship staged in Chandler, Arizona, last fall.

The brothers will defend their crown at this October's IIFR world championships, which will be held in Farmington, New Mexico.

There's an 11-year age spread between the brothers; Troy is 41 while Jay is 30.

Both of the Crawlers had previously won world titles but not together.

Troy won three championships at the 2006 IIFR. Besides winning the individual tie down (calf) roping and the all-around high point cowboy categories, he also teamed up with Hobbema's Marcel Saulteaux to take top honours in the team roping division.

As for Jay, he previously won the calf roping and all-around titles at the 1999 Indian National Finals Rodeo (INFR) in Albuquerque, NM.

Both Crawlers are also hoping to compete at this year's INFR event in Las Vegas in November. Jay said winning a world title with his brother was indeed a huge thrill.

"It meant a lot to me," he said. "It was the first international championship we won together. It was unbelievable. The competition there was pretty tough. To come out on top was a pretty good feeling."

The siblings have been competing together in events for some time.

"We started roping together in '97," said Troy.

The elder Crawler likes their chances of winning another IIFR title.

"I have a horse now that we got three years ago," Troy said of Amigo. "He's coming along now."

And Amigo makes the brothers contenders in their competitions now.

"He's got speed and he can pull the steer," Troy said. Jay will be competing aboard a horse named Wally, the horse he rode for the first time last year, including at the 2008 IIFR world championships.

"He was pretty green but it all worked out," said Jay. "He's still green and sometimes does unexpected things. But he knows when the competition is on."

Like his brother, Jay is confident they can fare well at this year's world championships.

"We're going to try (to win it again)," he said. "We have to go and defend our title. But anybody can win it. It's whoever is prepared the most that's going to win."

The Crawlers are part of a rodeo family.

Their father Lawrence still competes in events. And both of their sisters were involved in the sport.

Their eldest sister Tracy retired from the sport about a decade ago. But their other sister Colleen still takes part in events.

The brothers will compete in several rodeos in their home province this year, including rodeos in Standoff, Sarcee and Hobbema.

"Just representing our reserve means a lot to us when we're at events around Alberta," Jay Crawler said.

BY SAM LASKARIS

Sweetgrass Writer