Even as a reigning champion in team roping, header Erich Rogers believes he can always continue to get better.

So after the semifinals of his event, in which he roped a steer with partner Clint Summers, Rogers was already talking about what he can do better in the next and final round. And it helped, as the duo captured second place in 21.8 seconds and won $5,000 in prize money during the Saturday’s championship rounds at the 78th Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo at the Norris-Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.

Aaron Tsinigine, of Tuba City, Ariz., and Blaine Vick, of Dublin, Texas, captured the team roping title with a time of 14.7 seconds, enough to win $15,000. Tyler Waters, of Stephenville, Texas, and Cody Hogan of Benton, La., took third.

Not only is he a world champion, Rogers represents the Navajo Nation.

His hometown is Round Rock, Ariz., which had a population of less than 800 in 2010. He picked up roping from his dad, Ervin, an electrician who helped his son early in his career find good horses through horse trading, according to teamropingjournal.com.

“To represent the Navajo Nation is one of the greatest feelings ever,” Erich Rogers said. “The fan base back home is so big – not just on my reservation but through Indian country, through America. All the reservations that participate in rodeo, they’re big supporters, big fans.”

Rogers joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 2006 and has since earned more than $1.2 million in prize money. And last year, he and partner Cory Petska became the PRCA World Champion Header and Heeler on the last steer in the final round of the national finals.

On his reservation and beyond, he has cultivated celebrity status. Kids want to grow up to rope just like him. And even in the professional rodeo world, his own peers are impressed by his talents.

Just ask his current roping partner. Rogers, 31, asked Summers, 26, last year to rope with him, and the younger cowboy was flattered.

“I was kind of shocked but I was happy, too,” Summers said. “It gives me a lot of confidence knowing that I got him heading for me because I know he’s going to turn pretty much every steer.”

“It’s almost like a dream to get to rope with a world champ,” he added.

Rogers said he’s happy to help a young cowboy develop. Summers has never made it to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, though he’s been close to qualifying a couple of times since joining the PRCA in 2012.

Rogers, on the other hand, has made it that far every year since 2011.

“He’s a young kid, an up-and-comer and he wants to be somebody,” he said about Summers.

“If I can be that guy to get him to his first Wrangler finals, that’d be awesome.”