Team Ropers and Fine Wine
July 2 2010
Hi I ‘m Susan Allen welcome to Friday’s Open Range. Now I’ve always equated team roping with gambling. No matter how well you rope, it takes a dose of lady luck to win and for one of team ropings premier venues that wrapped up last week in Reno, placing wasn’t a bad deal either considering 100 teams were competing for over $630,000 in cash and prizes. When I come back you’ll see, like good Northwest wine, team ropers and horses with a little age prevailed. The Bob Feist Invitational, known in roping circles simply as the BFI is the “world cup” of team roping, the richest one day roping in the world is held each year in Reno Despite tough young competitors like Trevor Brazile and Patrick Smith , J.D. Yates 30th trip to the BFI netted he and partner Jay Wadhams. $131,510. When interviewed by Ropers Sports News Yates said “It’s an outstanding feeling to be 50 years old and get this done. All the hard work and dedication guys our age put in paid off today.” Like the winning ropers, the Best BFI Head and Heel Horses weren’t spring chicken proving that horses can compete well into their golden years with good care and conditioning. Justin Davis’ 18-year-old palomino Hammer won best head horse. In a recent interview Davis called Hammer the “ best horse I’ve ever sat on.” Saying, “Words can’t describe how much he helped me today. He’s part of the family.” Davis has been competing on Hammer for ten years. The top heel horse was a 14 year old sorrel owned by master J. D. Yates. The BFI results should encourage all my” golden” roper friends that like fine wine team ropers just get better with age!
