IIt hardly seems possible that the BFI has been going on for 33 years. I do remember when I started this event and I was told by more than one person that the idea of having the best team ropers rope in front of a paid audience was one of the stupidest ideas they had ever heard of. It was hard to convince team ropers to come watch other team ropers rope. Ropers did not want to watch the ropers that had been beating them all of these years.
As time went on the hobbyist roper and the up-and-coming pro wanted to see what made these ropers a notch or two above the rest of the team roping field. Videos and DVD’s started selling in record numbers and it seemed that the youth of the team roping world was paying attention to what the top guns were doing to win.
The BFI has not only become a training field, but it has become a meeting and social place once a year to catch up with old friends and their families as well as see some great team roping. Every year some new rookie contestants will enter and live the dream they have had for years. They have watched countless hours of recorded BFI’s and have been at the event to watch, but now they are a part of it.
The Bob Feist Invitational wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for our loyal sponsors and staff over the years. The Reno Rodeo committee has devoted many volunteer hours to make sure the grounds and arena are ready along with the crew from the Reno Livestock Events Center. My Resistol is off to all of these folks who have been part of making this event what it is today. Thank you.
This year’s BFI will feature some new designs in the souvenir department with newly designed ladies’ and men’s garments and caps. Be sure and check them out at the event. You will also want to pick up a program so you can read about the history of the event plus have a contestant score sheet handy.
If you are not into team roping, but your significant other is – then there is plenty more to see in the Reno and Lake Tahoe area. Call the Silver Legacy today and make your reservations for this year’s Bob Feist Invitational. Be sure and let them know you are coming for the BFI and ask for the special rate being offered. The Silver Legacy number is 800-687-8733 and the room code to ask for is BFI10.
If you have never been before, make your plans today to attend this year’s 33rd annual event on June 21st.
– – – – –
Many ropings are down in entries this year due to the economy but I am happy to say that the BFI entries were very strong and only being down slightly from a year ago. What I mean is that there aren’t as many on the waiting list as in years past. We filled up with the 100 teams that we usually take.
– – – – –
Fox Sports Network is planning on filming the the BFI this year as part of their “Road to Pendleton” Series. We are honored to have them on board and to again be tied in with the Wild and Richest Rodeo In The West, the Reno Rodeo, plus the World’s Greatest Roper produced by the Lazy E Arena of Guthrie, Okla.
Steve Kenyon will be on hand again with Prorodeolive.com to air the World’s Greatest Roper plus the Bob Feist Invitational live on June 20th and 21st.
– – – – –
The World’s Greatest Roper will be held on Sun., June 20th. The BFI will be on Mon., June 21st, followed by the Reno Ro-deo Invitational on Tues., and the Ladies Roping on Wed., June 23rd. A rodeo performance is also available each of these nights and you can obtain tickets to all of these events at tickets.com. Or if you just want BFI tickets you may call the BFI office at (209) 369-3626. Also for more BFI information go to www.bobfeistinvitational.com.
World’s Greatest Roper box seats: Each box will contain 12 tickets and can only be sold as a unit of 12 individual seats for the two performances: World’s Greatest Roper, Sunday, June 20, 10am (doors open at 9am) and the Bob Feist Invitational Team Roping, Monday, June 21, at 8 a.m. Cost of each box is $700 for all 12 seats for the two performances. Tickets for individual box seats are not available – they must be purchased as a block.
Other than buying this block of box seats, general admission seats are available. WGR general admission prices are: $20 per performance in advance, $25 on day of. Children 6 and under are free; 7 through 12 are $10 in general admission only.
There is a Special Deal PRICING on the general admission package: Sunday WGR, Reno Rodeo Monday and BFI in general admission is $50/person. For information, call 800-595-7433.
– – – – –
On Sunday, May 23rd, a Benefit/Memorial Roping was held to honor Jake Lomas and raise money to help out his family. The event was held in Lincoln, Calif., and a phenomenal turnout of 500 teams entered the two pots. We will have complete results and photos in the July issue of Ropers Sports News. Speaking of photos, professional photographer Richard Ruef was on hand to take photos and he has generously offered to donate 100 percent of his proceeds to the trust fund set up for Jake’s young sons. Go to Rich Ruef’s Rodeo Action Photos http://community.webshots.com/user/rodeo_action and look under the heading of “Jake’s Boys Roping.”
– – – – –
Thanks to all of you who responded to the stories that appeared in last month’s issue about Johnny Smith. Johnny didn’t know how many friends he had both in the USA and in Brazil. He was one of a kind and way ahead of his time. See the tribute to him in this issue starting on page 35.
|
|
