Ropers Sports News

06/01/2026

A record $6 million. The 49th Bob Feist Invitational delivered a week for the history books at the Lazy E in Guthrie.
Twenty-year-old Tyler Tryan of Lipan, Texas and 30-year-old Levi Lord of Sturgis, South Dakota led The Feist wire-to-wire, splitting $160,000 with a 42.21-second aggregate — the third-fastest in BFI history. They came out swinging in Round 1 and never looked back, holding a four-second cushion at high call over defending champs Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira. The kicker? Tryan and Lord had already decided to split as partners before they ever backed in the box. Tryan, son of three-time champ Clay Tryan, became a second-generation Feist winner — one day after taking the Hooey Jr. BFI Open.
But the story that stole hearts came from a 15-year-old. Braydee Bourdet of Hollister, California came from seventh callback to win the Charlie 1 Horse All-Girl Breakaway, beating world champs Taylor Munsell and Martha Angelone with calf-roping times of 3.8, 3.7, and 3.9. "I prefer long scores," she said. She banked $18,100 — and might help her parents with diesel.
Add in Ricky Mellman and Preston Peay's $220,000 Million-Dollar Monday win, Kelly Tuley heeling to first AND third in the same roping, and big paydays all week long. Full results and Top 10s from every roping are up now:
roperssportsnews.com/2026-bob-feist-invitational-results-tryan-lord

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Wrangler BFI Week presented by Yeti, in its seventh year at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma, paid out an event-record $6,015,750 in cash and prizes across 10 ropings from March 26 through Ap…

06/01/2026

The largest team roping event in the world delivered again. The 37th annual Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping took over Fort Worth April 19–26, paying out $3,465,615 across 22 divisions, with more than 5,000 teams from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and South America chasing buckles, saddles, and life-changing checks in three arenas at once.
The moment that defined the week came in the very first roping. Father and son Jade and Colby Corkill backed into the box together in the #16.5 Shootout, handled four steers in 28.00 seconds, and walked out champions — sharing a hug in the arena that said everything about why the USTRC is still, at its heart, a family sport. Jade wasn't finished. Hours later he won the Open Shootout too, the only roper to take two titles in a single day.
Andrew Duncan of Dexter, Kentucky bookended the Finals with two championships of his own. Rylan Rogers and Sam Griswell cashed the week's richest check at $66,300 in the #11.5 Bloomer. Paul Murdock drove home a brand-new truck. And Hall of Famer Tee Woolman returned to the winner's circle in the Legends Over 40.
With 2027 already set for the Lazy E in Guthrie, the USTRC closed another chapter of the most consistent stage in amateur team roping. Full Top 10 results from all 22 divisions are up now:
roperssportsnews.com/2026-cinch-ustrc-national-finals-team-roping-results

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The 37th annual Cinch USTRC National Finals of Team Roping returned to the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, April 19 through 26, paying out $3,465,615 across 22 divisions and once…

05/31/2026

There's a kind of light that only shows up in a California summer. It pulls you outside from sunrise to starlight — and this year, it's pulling on something deeper for me.
My son Rowdy is finishing his last high school rodeo finals, and we're headed to Bishop, a place that holds our family close. If you've ever hauled down the road with your kid chasing a dream, you know those hours are hard. The pressure, the uncertainty, the miles. But those hours are everything. The midnight diners. The conversations that sneak up on you when you're not trying to have them. Watching your kid figure out who he is — not just as a competitor, but as a young man. You build a bond out there that outlasts every buckle. If you're on that road right now, hold it close. Don't wish it away, not even on the hard days.
I lost my father this past year, and I've been thinking a lot about legacy since. The traditions he taught me, the way he lived, the values he held — that's mine to carry now. It's not sentiment. It's duty. And I don't intend to forget.
Our industry is in a tough stretch. The cattle market is shaky and the scary stories are loud. But here's what gives me hope: our youth are coming back to their roots. My hometown fair usually sees 35 to 39 beef entries a year. This year, we had 79 — the most in decades. Young people are reconnecting with cattle, with the land, with the work. There's real opportunity there for American agriculture to find new purpose, and that's a silver lining I can get behind.
And to the small producers reading this — we want your stories. Your photos, your results, your voices. Your hometown competitors deserve to be seen. Send them our way.
Read the full Publisher's Note, plus a first look at our cover man Ben Londo and the rodeo he's building on a California beach:
roperssportsnews.com/the-long-game-dee-yates-publishers-note

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Publisher’s Note | Women in Rodeo Issue Welcome to my second annual Women in Rodeo issue. If you have been paying attention, you already know this is one of my favorite issues to put together — an…

05/31/2026

There's a kind of light that only shows up in a California summer. It pulls you outside from sunrise to starlight — and this year, it's pulling on something deeper for me.
My son, Rowdy Yates, is finishing his last high school rodeo finals, and we're headed to Bishop, a place that holds our family close. If you've ever hauled down the road with your kid chasing a dream, you know those hours are hard. The pressure, the uncertainty, the miles. But those hours are everything. The midnight diners. The conversations that sneak up on you when you're not trying to have them. Watching your kid figure out who he is — not just as a competitor, but as a young man. You build a bond out there that outlasts every buckle. If you're on that road right now, hold it close. Don't wish it away, not even on the hard days.
I lost my father this past year, and I've been thinking a lot about legacy since. The traditions he taught me, the way he lived, the values he held — that's mine to carry now. It's not sentiment. It's duty. And I don't intend to forget.
Our industry is in a tough stretch. The cattle market is shaky and the scary stories are loud. But here's what gives me hope: our youth are coming back to their roots. My hometown fair usually sees 35 to 39 beef entries a year. This year, we had 79 — the most in decades. Young people are reconnecting with cattle, with the land, with the work. There's real opportunity there for American agriculture to find new purpose, and that's a silver lining I can get behind.
And to the small producers reading this — we want your stories. Your photos, your results, your voices. Your hometown competitors deserve to be seen. Send them our way.
Read the full Publisher's Note, plus a first look at our cover man Ben Londo and the rodeo he's building on a California beach:
roperssportsnews.com/the-long-game-dee-yates-publishers-note Yates

05/31/2026

American Made Championship Buckles since 1968. 🏆
When a roper backs in the box chasing the biggest titles in the sport, it's a Gist Silversmiths buckle waiting at the pay window. Just look at this year's hardware — the 49th Annual Bob Feist Invitational Champion Header buckle engraved for Tyler Tryan, and the Alex Wilson Memorial Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Rodeo scholarship buckle. Craftsmanship that honors the win and the legacy behind it. ✨
From world championships to your local jackpot,Gist Silversmiths builds the buckle worth roping for — with generous club & association discounts available.
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🌐 GistSilversmiths.com
See this ad and the full June/July issue of Ropers Sports News here:
https://roperssportsnews.com/ #

05/31/2026

🏆 SALES FITTING • MARKETING • CONSIGNMENT 🏆

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Whether you’re preparing for the Ruidoso Select Sale, Heritage Place, Pink Buckle, Triangle, or BFA events, let the Lazy E Ranch team help your horse stand out.

📞 Contact Monty McNair at (405) 368-8924 to discuss your sales fitting and consignment needs.

Your Horse. Our Experience. Maximum Results.

05/30/2026

Here is our 2026 Reno Rodeo Theme Night Schedule! ❤️🤍💙

05/26/2026