This issue contains many results of many Finals that have already been held throughout the western states. Congratulations to all of the ropers who placed in them and be sure and check out the results from Italy as roping has become the number one western sport in that country. Long haul for a three header but at least a roping your spouse won’t mind going to.
The Finals in many of the major associations are coming up next month and the cut off for qualifying is coming down to the wire. As of this writing there are just a few rodeos that count towards the WNFR and a few ropings that count towards the big finals in OKC and Las Vegas. Good luck to all of you chasing your dream.
If you are planning to go to Las Vegas for anything be sure to make your reservations with the South Point Hotel and Casino where all the action is. Call 702-796-7111. This is the home of many western events throughout the year and welcome all in a friendly western way.
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In Mesquite, TX, February 21-23, 2014. Anyone can work towards the semi-finals by entering some qualifiers in their event around the country. The USTRC has some ropings that will let one advance.
The American Rodeo finals will consist of a long round with the top four advancing into a shoot out round. There is also talk of maybe a match between some of the rodeo legends during the same rodeo out of the main pot. This would be quite a special feature.
The winners of their event during the March 2 rodeo will win $100,000. This is a super rodeo for contestants and I hope it works. It all sounds great on paper and in voice but a lot has to happen to make it happen. Number one is a whole lot of tickets need to be sold ranging from $20-$150, plus some great sponsorships. I ask, is this going to be a rodeo that can stand on its own or is it going to have to have a concert to carry it? I think anytime you can pay that kind of money out in our sport it is great but worry. All great events have to start somewhere and this is just one of those events that has to be tried. It has the right people behind it because it is being sponsored by RFD-TV and the man at the reins of this large undertaking is none other than Randy Bernard who has proven more than once to be a successful in the industry.
The American would also have an additional bonus pool of $1 million dollars in prize money for any of the contestants who would win their event and had come up through the qualifying process. So if I, Bob Feist, went and qualified through a qualifying roping and then went on to be in the top five at the semi-finals in Mesquite, TX I would get seeded to compete against the other top 10 that had been seeded due to their year-end standings in the PBR or the PRCA. Now if I went on to win my event at the American Rodeo I would not only win $100,000 for the event but would win an additional $1,000,000 if no one else won an event as a qualifier. If someone else who made their way up through the semi-finals won their event, then we would split the $1,000,000. If you came into the rodeo as a seeded contestant and didn’t have to qualify, and won your event, you would only win $100,000 and not take part in the million dollar bonus. This is an incentive for people around the globe to try and qualify for this event. For further information please visit: www.rfdtv.com/theamerican.
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Sorry to hear that some of our readers and fellow ropers have either been flooded or burned out during this past months fires and floods. Please check out the many websites that are letting you know how you can help from food to shelter for many of the homeless animals that have been affected. Check at your local feed stores to see as every area has different programs going on. As always the rodeo family comes together when it comes to helping others in a time of need.