Jace Thorstenson secured four call backs amid 956 teams to take home the January L4R Ford truck.

Spending summers on his family's ranch in New Underwood, S.D., 14-year-old Jace Thorstenson has been driving since he was 6-years-old, but that doesn't mean he's not counting down the days until he can hit the open road in his new Ford truck. Thorstenson told his dad he had a good feeling about the Truck Roping and talked him in to taking him.

A 2015 National Little Britches World Champ, Thorstenson had four call backs in the #9 Truck Roping at the January 20, L4R Tour Stop at Rancho Rio in Wickenburg, Ariz., with the two highest spots at 13th and 4th. Despite the pressure he maintained a cool composure and it paid off when he finished three times in the top 10 and garnered more than enough points to be named the High Point Champion Team Roper.

During the 2016-2017 Rancho Rio season, Thorstenson had more than 86 entries, but he never pulled a check.

“This was my first check in over a year here, but I guess I made up for it.”

In addition to the Ford truck, valued at $50,000, Thorstenson finished fourth in the average with Mike Schmitz, eighth in the average with Rory Billie and tenth with John Bahe to take home his half of $8,000 in cash. We caught up with Jace to talk a little more about why he's Livin’ for Ropin’.

How did you keep calm going into the short round? I didn't get too nervous really. I just told myself that you just have to rope the way you rope.

Who taught you how to rope? My dad taught me, and Tyler Magnus has helped me a lot. (Magnus has been putting on regular roping clinics at the Thorstenson's winter home in Surprise, Ariz., for more than a decade.)

What's one important thing your dad taught you about roping? Probably to ride my horse first and get my position.

Do you just team rope? I head, heel and rope calves. I used to head a lot more but now I'm starting to heel more.

Tell us about your horse. Toad, he's really friendly. His personality is really cool. I've been roping on him about a month. My dad trained him and sold him to a guy and that guy decided he didn't want him anymore and I liked him so much I bought him. He's a 12-year-old gelding.

Where is your favorite place to rope? Rancho Rio is my favorite, and Downtown Arena and Trails West too. Those are the arenas I always go to.

Do you just jackpot? I also compete in the Arizona Junior Rodeo Association and the Arizona Junior High Rodeos. I'll do Junior High rodeo when we go back for the summer.

Do you have any hobbies besides roping? I like to train horses. I've made a couple of knives. I kind of like building those, but mostly just roping.

Is this your first big NTR win? My very first NTR was at Dunn's Arena. It was a #6 roping, I think. I was 6-years-old and won a breastcollar. I won a NTR saddle in 2015, the same year I was the Little Britches World Champion.

What's one piece of advice you have as an accomplished young roper? One thing I've learned from before, and now that I'm winning a little, when I go out and miss I don't ponder over that one. I just go on. I try not to make any excuses, I just tell myself it happens and keep roping.