The Arena

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL TEAM ROPING TOUR | SUMMER 2017

Summer Schedule

TRAIL

ON THE NATIONAL QUALIFIER FORMAT

REIGNING $875K

MORE THAN PAID OUT AT THE 2017 NTR NATIONAL FINALS

ON THE COVER: The 2017 National 8 Champion Heeler, Dan Olson, Flandreau, S.D. NTR Photo by Lacey Stevens.

The Arena is published by Yost Events Inc. For National Team Roping membership information call 520.251.1495. Material may not be reproduced without permission from the Publisher.

KARI DECASTRO

IN THIS ISSUE 2 LESSONS LEARNED

Saddle Winners from the NTR National Finals 7 Championships: 1st - Eliana Tena & Dale Vayro / 2nd - Cam Johnson & Maelee Heart / 3rd - Manuel Palma & Denny Nielsen / 4th - Hanna Strate & Simon Tafoya / 5th - Bradley Nelson & Tom Bailey.

NTR Founder, Ty Yost, discusses what has (and hasn't) worked and what at ropers can expect from the future of the association. iation.

4 NEW!

FINALE FORMATS MATS

A quick guide to the ALL LL NEW 2018 NTR Finale Qualifier fier formats.

8 NATIONAL FINALS III

CHAMPIONS PIONS CROWNED NED

Meet winners of the highest ghest paying divisional ropings from m the 2017 NTR National FInals III,, held March 6-11, in Wickenburg, Ariz. riz.

MAY 2017 • VOL. 3 • ISSUE 7 MA

NTR FINALS FIN WRAP UP & SUMMER SCHEDULE

26 COWBOY

CHRISTMAS

Celebrate the 4th of July at one of three major NTR events across the nation.

32 TOP DOLLAR

Original Gangster, consigned by Fuller Performance Horses, tops the 2017 The Horse Sale at Rancho Rio.

National Team Roping Office: 520-251-1495 MST w www.nationalteamroping.com NTR Founder NTR Office Manager Event Coordinator Editor & Art Director Contributing Writer

Ty Yost Teddi Hammock Jody Driver Kari deCastro Jennifer Pollmiller

National Moments 2017 National 9 Champion Header Jace Johnson

NATIONALTEAMROPING.COM Arizona • California • Colorado • Idaho • Montana • Nevada • North Dakota • South Dakota • Texas • Wyoming

Ty Yost Presents...

T

Lessons LEARNED

his issue of The Arena marks the start of our fourth season as the National Team Roping Tour. Last year, for the first time, we topped 6,000 members and expanded into new markets, including Texas. I've spent some time recently reviewing the things we have done this year that have worked and the things we tried that have not. Here's what I discovered.

First, the things that worked: The NTR National Finals III had three divisions that paid out $100,000 for first place in the average—the National 12, National 9 and the National 8. The total teams for the week was 2,800 and the cash payoff exceeded $875,000!

This past season we had three ropings where for an $80 entry fee the average winners won $10,000 and the high point roper won a $50,000 RAM Truck. We had a saddle roping on a Tuesday that topped 800 teams. We have seen the team counts in the #6 and #7 divisions grow. We had our first $1 Million dollar roping between Thanksgiving and the Wrangler NFR in Arizona.

After looking at this evolution, we have changed the qualification ropings going forward. At the 2018 NTR National Finals IV, we will have the following Finale divisions: National 11, National 10, National 9 and National 8. All divisions will be 80% payback with two entry options. You can direct enter these divisions for $500 per roper or you can win an entry at a qualifying roping reducing the entry fees to $400 per roper, Simply, a qualifying entry = cheaper entry fees!

The new format gives the roper flexibility at the qualifiers—take the money home or enter the Finals. It's entirely up to the roper. If the roper changes their mind later, no problem, they can still direct enter the Finals. (K.I.S.S.) I have also heard comments about how our Finale divisional payoffs are front loaded, which they have been. This year, to alleviate that problem, we are not going to guarantee first in the average, but rather we will let the total team count dictate the payoff percentages.

This should allow for more equitable payoffs across the average.

I appreciate all the input and look forward to the new changes.

"Keep living and learning,” that's a good motto.

The things that didn't work: The National 12 program wasn't well received, with the most common response being that the format was too complicated. I need to remember the acronym that I learned in college K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid), my bad.

Also, after seeing growth in the National 9 and National 8 qualifiers the past two years we experienced a 20% decrease in qualifier participation this year. The decrease was primarily in the markets away from Arizona. The Arizona ropers know they will be at the Finals, so they saw the value in the qualification ropings. Those ropers outside the Arizona market were not sure six to 10 months in advance if their schedules would allow for them to attend a Finals in March, so they wouldn't enter the qualifiers. For example, there would be 50 teams in the National 8 Qualifier roping—where qualified teams get a chance to rope for $100,000—and the very next roping of the day (a #8 Saddle Roping) 500 teams would be entered.

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Good Luck Ropers!

Ty Yost

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2017 NTR NATIONAL FINALS

Reigning

Wickenburg, Arizona

BY JENNIFER POLMILLER

The 2017 NTR National Finals III rocked Rancho Rio Arena in Wickenburg, Ariz., March 6-11, 2017. The sixday event paid out $876,610 in cash, plus $100,000 in prizes over 17 individual ropings and nine divisions.

More than 2,800 teams and nearly 900 contestants made their way to the Team Roping Capital of the World for the Finals and to compete in three of the highest-paying divisional ropings in the industry.

Awarding a combined $556,600, the National 12, National 9 and National 8 Finales each paid $100,000 plus trophy Cactus Saddlery saddles and fancy Gist Silversmith buckles to the winning teams. This was the third consecutive year for the National 9 Finale and it continues as the highest paying division of the Finals.

In the following pages we introduce you to winners from these and other high-dollar divisions.

Congratulations to everyone who took home cash and awards—thank you for roping with the National Team Roping Tour. We look forward to another exceptional year of events nationwide and hope to see you at a 2018 National Finals QualiďŹ er soon!

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Reigning

DIVISION: NATIONAL 12 / EARNINGS: $100,000

National 12

GROFF & ROGERS Clint Groff

Clint Groff, of San Tan Valley, Ariz., sees his earnings from the National 12 Finale as an opportunity to jump start his dream of having his own performance horse business.

“I am really looking forward to buying a few horses to ride this summer. I have been trying to get the money to start my business for a while now and the NTR has given me that chance.”

Proving his worth as a horse trainer, Groff took a 3-year-old mare his grandfather had given him and turned her into a big-time head horse.

“Maggie” has earned Groff upwards of $150,000 in the last four years and was the horse he was riding for his win in the National 12.

“When I first got her, I bet she bucked every single day I rode her for the first year,” Groff recalled. “You never knew when, or where, she was going to blow up, but you could count on the fact that she was going to. She's 8 now, and in the last three or four years she's only bucked a handful of times. She was definitely tough getting around for a while, but she has been good to me since.”

In the last couple of years Groff has invested a lot of time into reading positive thinking books and attributes much of his positive attitude and ultimately his success in the roping pen to that endeavor.

“I've really been able to reprogram my mind towards positive thoughts and confidence and that has helped me both in and out of the arena.”

Logan Rogers Logan Rogers, of Snowflake, Ariz., had been gradually gaining momentum in the roping arena heading into the 2017 NTR National Finals and that positive energy helped carry him to a $100,000 win with his stepbrother, Clint Groff.

“I truly believe we won because Clint has a phenomenal, upbeat and positive attitude about everything, and he has helped me realize that if you want to win you have to really believe you are going to. We went into the Finals believing we could win first place just by doing what we had been practicing to do.”

While roping with family can sometimes add a little extra pressure, Rogers believes roping with Groff actually relaxes him more.

“We're familiar with each other's style and have roped together frequently at jackpots and in the practice pen,” Rogers explained. “I moved my horse to his house this year when I needed a place to keep him and that gave us even more opportunity to practice together.”

Though Rogers learned to rope young, he spent a lot of his childhood playing football and baseball. Now, he and his wife, Kenzlee, have a family of their own. With three young daughters; Rocklyn, 4, Ridley, 2, and Reece, 4 months, Rogers keeps plenty busy outside of the arena as well.

“We go camping and hunting quite a bit as a family, but honestly we do a lot of shopping and girl stuff too. There isn't a whole lot of man stuff going on when you have three daughters.”

“I’VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO REPROGRAM MY MIND TOWARDS POSITIVE THOUGHTS AND CONFIDENCE AND THAT HAS HELPED ME BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE ARENA.” -Clint Groff

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Reigning

DIVISION: NATIONAL 9 / EARNINGS: $100,000

National 9

JOHNSON & JIRON Jace Johnson Tyler Jiron At only 15 years old Jace Johnson of Newtown, N.D., had never won more than $1,000 at a single team roping event. Things changed for him substantially after winning the National 9 Finale and his half of the $100,000 that was guaranteed to first.

“My dad actually takes all my winnings and puts them into a trust fund for me,” Johnson explained, when asked about his plans with his profits. “I will get all of that money when I turn 25, so I can pay off college or buy a house.”

Johnson rides an 8-year-old sorrel gelding he calls “Milkshake,” a horse he bought about a year ago from multiple-time NFR Qualifier and 2005 PRCA Rookie of the Year, Brandon Beers.

“Milkshake is the best horse I've ever had,” Johnson said. “I can't remember ever getting along with a horse better than this one.”

Johnson is known by his family and close friends for his calm demeanor and ability to perform well under pressure—traits that undoubtedly paid off as he backed in the box at Rancho Rio at one of team roping's highest paying divisional ropings of the year. To add to the pressure, Johnson had never met his heeler, Tyler Jiron, until they ended up draw partners in the National 9.

“Tyler roped really well, I just had to go out and turn them and he took care of the rest,” Johnson said. “I just tried to do my best and put the rest in God's hands and it worked out."

Tyler Jiron of Bosque Farms, N.M., works by day as a ranch hand for the Comanche Ranch in New Mexico, but any time he has the chance he is team roping.

“I was a little nervous at first, but after the first steer I knew we were going to be okay. Jace handled the steers really nice, and gave me really good shots all day.”

This year marked Jiron's first trip to Wickenburg, and while he had entered quite a few times during the week things didn't work out until the National 9. Now that he's had a taste of the big payouts up for grabs he's confident he'll be back for more.

“I really like going to the NTR events, but there are only a couple that are close. Every year we go to the Labor Day and Memorial Day ropings at Mormon Lake, but now that I had the chance to go to the Finals, I am going to make sure I qualify to go back next year and every year after that.”

Jiron rides a 9-year-old gelding that he purchased three years ago from the horse sale in Clovis, N.M. Though he had been started in the heeling, Jiron finished “Iced Tea” and got him where he wanted the horse to be to fit his style.

“To get ready for The Finals, we just tried to rope as often as possible,” Jiron said. “I tried to really focus on roping fast and roping smart in practice. It really paid off this time.”

“I JUST TRIED TO DO MY BEST AND PUT THE REST IN GOD'S HANDS AND IT WORKED OUT.” -Jace Johnson 12

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Reigning

DIVISION: NATIONAL 8 / EARNINGS: $100,000

National 8

NELSON & OLSON Chuck Nelson

“Not many guys can say they have won as much money at one time, the way we did at the NTR Finals,” said National 8 Finale winner, Chuck Nelson. “That's a lot of money and it really feels good, we are very blessed to get a chance to enter a roping like that.”

Nelson of Flandreau, S.D., lives just down the road from his roping partner, Dan Olson, both in their native South Dakota as well as their winter homes in Arizona, providing the duo with plenty of opportunity to practice together.

“We are just two old guys having fun,” Nelson laughed.

In preparation for the Finals, Nelson said he stopped heeling in order to focus solely on his heading.

“My goal was just to have fun,” said Nelson who was astride his 10-year-old gelding, Tickle—a horse he has had since he was a colt and one that he says makes his job easy.

“I get a lot of help from the whole Olson family,” Nelson explained.

“Both of Dan's sons, Jordan and Logan, help me out quite a bit and are just really good kids. It works out great that we live close no matter where we're at. I always rope more with them than I do at my own house.”

Nelson and his partner came back second-high call in the short round of the National 8 and the pressure was on.

“We had been making things click all day,” he recalled. “But I didn't get my hopes up before that final round. We just went out and had fun like any other run. I am still just speechless that something like that could happen to us, and we could win that amount of money. I was the happiest guy in Arizona that day.”

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“WE JUST WENT OUT AND HAD FUN LIKE ANY OTHER RUN. I AM STILL JUST SPEECHLESS THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD HAPPEN TO US, AND WE COULD WIN THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY. I WAS THE HAPPIEST GUY IN ARIZONA THAT DAY.” - Chuck Nelson

Dan Olson

Dan Olson of Flandreau, S.D., visits his son, Jordan in Surprise, Ariz., for a couple months each winter. Jordan, was at home practicing when he heard the news that his dad had won the National 8 Finale.

“I literally tied my horse up and hurried over to Wickenburg as fast as I could,” said Jordan, who puts on a number of clinics at Rancho Rio throughout the winter. “I got there just as they were presenting them with their saddles and buckles. It was an awesome experience to get to be there with them.”

Olson also received phone calls from Erich Rogers, Cory Petska and others who were geared up to rope that day at the George Strait Team Roping Classic in San Antonio, Texas.

“A lot of those guys were friends of our sons,” Olson explained. “But through the years we really got to know them when they would stay with us during the summer. A lot of them are like family to us now.”

From their ranch in South Dakota the Olsons raise and train horses through Olson Quarter Horses and Dan was riding a 12-year-old mare that came out of their program. Their daughter, Whitney, takes a lot of their horses to the barrel futurities and if they don't make it there, the boys start them in the roping pen. They have had a long list of horses go on to excel at every level in both barrel racing and team roping.

“I can't thank Ty Yost enough for putting on an event of that magnitude that allows ropers of all levels to have a chance to rope for that kind of money,” Olson granted. “The NTR ropings are truly second to none on every level. Yost has tremendous cattle and an amazing workforce at all of his events, from the announcer, to the secretaries and flaggers. This was, and probably always will be, the most memorable roping of my career.”

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Reigning

DIVISION: NATIONAL 10 / EARNINGS: $16,400

National 10

MCLEOD & BAIZE McLeod For the last four years Rocky McLeod, his wife, Rhonda, and their daughter, Shayle, have made the 27-hour trek from Kamloops, B.C., Canada, to Maricopa, Ariz., to enjoy the Sonoran Desert weather and the booming equestrian lifestyle. More importantly, they come to compete every chance they get.

The trio stays from November through March and like many snowbirds brings a slew of horses, this year hauling a total of 10.

Their herd included five barrel horses for the girls and five rope horses for McLeod and two buddies who joined their migration south— heelers Kelly Buhler and Kyle Bell.

“The horse I have been riding is actually my wife's old barrel horse,” McLeod laughed. “We call him ‘Boots.’ He ran barrels for the first 10 years of his career and now he's my go-to head horse.”

After qualifying for the National 10 with a heeler that was too young to advance to the Finale, McLeod intended to enter the draw.

“I was standing at the office and the guy in front of me was talking to the ladies about

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wanting to maximize his number,” McLeod explained. “Then, I heard him ask if they could guarantee him a four header. I told him, ‘Hey, I can guarantee you a four plus header!’

That was that and we were entered up.”

That chance encounter and resulting partnership with Wade Baize paid off quite well when the team walked away with $16,400 and trophy Gist Buckles.

Baize

Growing up in the western industry has its perks and Wade Baize, of Anthony, N.M., is no stranger to the culture.

The Baize family owns Corriente Saddle Company—a business well known for their custom saddles and trophy awards—and being raised around the sport gave Wade a solid foundation.

“I get to talk to, and meet, a lot of great people and very talented ropers,” said Baize, who handles a lot of the marketing for the business. “We'll sell a saddle to someone and the next thing you know you see them at a roping and that connection just helps you

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meet more people. I always seem to know folks and have a partner wherever I go. I really like that part of my job.”

Given his massive network in the industry it was ironic that Baize found himself looking for a partner the morning of the National 10 Finale. Admittedly, it worked out better than he could have planned and he's already added McLeod to his long list of future roping partners.

Baize came across his main mount, commonly known as Mr. Pibb, in a similar and unlikely chain of events.

“My brother was going to try a horse in Texas, and got rear-ended by a semi,” Baize explained. "It totaled his trailer but he still wanted to get to Stephenville to try this horse. I went and picked him up and the guy who was selling the horse put me on another horse to line steers, and that ended up being Mr. Pibb.”

Baize's brother didn't like the horse they originally went to try but they talked the seller into pricing the sorrel gelding despite the fact that he wasn't for sale. The Baize boys took him home that night and three years later, Wade declares Mr. Pibb is by far the best horse he's ever owned.

Reigning

LegendsChampionships

DINEEN & NELSON

D I V I S I O N : L E G E N D S O N LY / E A R N I N G S : $ 6 , 2 6 0

Dineen When Bob Dineen moved to Weld County, Colorado in 1983 he had never competed in team roping before. He noticed right away that nearly everyone in the area roped and he picked up the habit shortly thereafter.

Dineen owns and operates Rocky Mountain Natural Meats, a company he started in 1986. He was managing a ranch in Longmont, Colo., where the owner had 250 head of buffalo in addition to cattle. As soon as he was introduced to the buffalo market, Dineen saw a future in the business.

“I knew cattle better than I knew buffalo going in to that job, but I quickly realized there was a demand for bison meat and I went on to start my business from there.”

There are currently about 400,000 bison in North America and many of the bison purchased by Rocky Mountain Natural Meats come from Canada.

“We buy from producers then process and distribute to a wide variety of grocery stores across the nation,” Dineen explained. “We also export to the European Union.”

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From Dineen's original vision of expanding an industry, Rocky Mountain Natural Meats has grown large enough to process about 500 head of buffalo a week and staff 170 employees.

At home, Dineen raises a small Corriente herd and goes to team ropings as often as possible.

“My daughter, Michaela, works for us at the plant, and does a good job of keeping an eye on everything so we can get away,” said Dineen who was able to spend some time in Arizona this winter with his wife, Laurie. “We also have a son, Owen, and when he left for college, Laurie switched from heading to heeling, so she ropes at a lot 0f the NTR events with me as well.”

Nelson Half of the year Blake Nelson ropes in Arizona, attending as many team roping events as possible. The other six months of the year he produces events at his own, "Blake Nelson's Arena" in Longmont, Colo.

Nelson has been hosting and producing team roping events for over 35 years. It all

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started when he built a practice arena at his family's farm—a place that has been in his family for five generations.

“I decided to invite a few guys over to rope to help pay the bills on the cattle,” Nelson said.

“It was a wet rainy year, next thing you know my arena was the only one with ground good enough to rope in. Ropers started showing up by leaps and bounds and I had to get more cattle. After that, I was hosting jackpots and I was producing team ropings year-round.”

Nelson enjoys every aspect of producing events, but says the business is especially gratifying when kids start out at his events and he gets to watch as they develop their skills and go on to be excellent ropers. He also enjoys when people who don't win money come and tell him they enjoyed the roping.

Nelson will be producing several NTR events at his arena this summer. The first date is June 10 and 11 and his philosophy as a producer is one the NTR can get behind.

“When people are happy they came to the roping, even though they didn't win, I know I have done a good job,” Nelson said. “I enjoy putting on a roping that everyone has fun at, no matter how big the turn out or the added money. I just like to see people have fun roping.”

Howdy pard’ner! You are now in –

TEAM ROPING CAPITAL OF ARIZONA

VISITWICKENBURG.COM

altitude 2,100 feet

population 10,000

Around the Nation...

Original Gangster LOT 32 - $26,000

LOT 48 - $26,000

Commander Bling 2017

TOP DOLLAR Original Gangster and Commander Bling top the 2017 The Horse Sale at Rancho Rio.

H

“Gangster is the horse of a lifetime,” said consignor Macy Fuller eld annually in conjunction with the NTR National Finals, of Whitman, Ariz., who came across the gelding two years ago as a The Horse Sale at Rancho Rio, has quickly become one then 5-year-old. She knew immediately he was going to be perfect of the industry's top rope and performance horse sales. and by the time she took him to the sale at Rancho Rio he was a true With 56 consignments the 2017 edition took place on Thursday, all-around horse, finished in the breakaway, calf roping, goat tying, March 9, following the $100,000 NTR National 9 Finale. Renowned heading and heeling. auctioneer, Steve Friskup of Muleshoe, Texas, was on hand for “The first time I took him to a rodeo, I had never tied goats off of the third annual event. It was a packed house on auction night as him, and I won the rodeo. I had a lot of memorable wins heading on hundreds of buyers and spectators filled the 80’ x 100’ tent that is erected each year. On Wednesday afternoon viewers lined the fences him too. He was the cool horse I could put my 86-year-old grandma on to go on trail rides.” at Rancho Rio to watch the horses work in a phenomenal preview While there were lots of tears involved, Macy ultimately decided event. The overall sale average was $14,288 with two high-selling to sell her No. 1 mount in an effort to get her name out there as a horses topping the sale at $26,000. performance horse trainer.

Lot 48, Commander Bling, a 2010 buckskin gelding, consigned by “I want to be the person people call when they are looking for a Jed Jacobs of Sugar City, Idaho, was the ultimate show stopper in the horse,” she said. “There are so many people out there looking for sale ring. A trained reiner and money earner on both ends he was horses and I want to be able to match them up with the horse of their purchased by Lynn Nuss of Pismo Beach, Calif. lifetime.”

Also selling for a whopping $26,000 was lot 32, Original Gangster.

Yost Events Inc., looks forward to bringing you the fourth annual A 2010 palomino gelding consigned by Fuller Performance Horses, The Horse Sale at Rancho Rio next March during the 2018 NTR “Gangster” was purchased by Roy Jarrard, of Casper, Wyo. With flashy National Finals. eye appeal Gangster has an equally impressive cowhorse pedigree going back to Smart Little Lena and Doc Bar on the top side and Poco Bueno on the bottom.

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