Published: May 16, 2008 07:03 pm            

Injured teen on the mend

Benefit event set for Saturday

Fans and loved ones were cheering for 14-year-old Rebecca Roberts when she rode at the Henderson County Fairpark Complex last month.

Those fans and loved ones will return tonight, this time to offer her a helping hand.

A benefit for Roberts is set for Saturday night at the Fairpark Complex. The benefit will include live and silent auctions and a team roping event. Registration for team roping begins at 6 p.m.

Roberts, an eighth-grader in the Cross Roads Independent School District, was injured April 26 at the 23rd Annual Elder Dodge Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Henderson County Stampede. She was participating in the in-county barrel racing and riding out of the arena after her round when her horse collided with another horse.

The teen suffered serious injuries, including a head injury, and was taken to an area hospital. She was then flown to Dallas. She is now in a rehabilitation program at Our Children’s House at Baylor in Dallas. She is expected to fully recover.

“They are real good friends of mine and my family. So it’s just something we want to do,” said Raymond Gallegos, the organizer of the benefit.

He organized the team roping and auction to raise money to help the family pay medical and hotel bills.

“I just felt overwhelmed. I’m thankful for the support of our community and thankful for the prayers of our friends and family,” Rebecca’s father, Bryan Roberts, said. “She is recovering very well. She is getting her speech back. It’s a slow process, but she is doing well.”

Added Gallegos: “She is walking and talking and texting. She does everything normally. The doctors said that since she’s making great progress, she may go home in three to four weeks.”

Gallegos said team roping contestants at today’s benefit can begin signing up at 6 p.m. The competition will begin an hour later. He hopes to have 250 entries.

“I’ve had people call me all the way from Dallas to Longview,” he said.

Roberts said his son, Blake, will be competing in the team roping, as well.

A team can enter as many times as it wants, according to Gallegos.

He said it is “progressive after one.” Teams will be eliminated if they don’t rope the steer in the first and second rounds.

After the first round a live auction will be held. A silent auction will continue throughout the program.

“I’m hoping to raise six to seven thousand dollars,” Gallegos said. “It depends on how many people stay for the auction.”

Gallegos said the response from merchants, both locally and from other towns, has been great.

“I’ve had people as far as Arp call and send stuff to auction,” he said. “We’ll have a truckload of items.”

The last round, called the “short go,” will determine the winner of the event.

In this round, audience members can bet on the competing teams. Whoever bets on the “high place team” will be awarded the prize money.

Gallegos said the winners will give a portion of the prize money back to benefit Roberts.

        

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