Wrangler BFI Week, which last year paid out a record $3.88 million, is scheduled for March 28 through April 3, 2024, in Guthrie, Oklahoma. It’s anchored by the 47th annual Bob Feist Invitational (BFI) on Saturday, March 30, which alone boasts a $650,000 purse. And this year, producers are adding lucrative barrel racing and steer roping jackpots inside the Lazy E just after BFI Week.
The Hooey Junior 10.5 (capped at 6 heelers) and Hooey Junior Open ropings each get their own day to kick things off March 28-29. Last year, Levi James and Garrett Hughes out-roped nearly 400 teams in the Jr. 10.5 to split a cool $50,000 cash plus huge array of prizes. And on Friday morning, the toughest teenaged ropers in the country – future BFI contestants – will rope under similar conditions to the Open ropers. The Junior Open is followed by the annual four-head 15.5, which last year saw a pair of college boys edge gold-buckle greats like Trevor Brazile and Matt Sherwood to split $60,000 cash and the legendary BFI prizeline.
On Friday night, March 29, Edmond’s Hilton Garden Inn will host the annual BFI Dinner and Calcutta at 6 p.m. Then the 47th BFI kicks off at 9 a.m. Saturday morning with its customary long head start and six go-rounds for roughly 125 of the best teams in the world. In 2023, Curry Kirchner and Tyson Thompson bested the NFR crowd from fourth callback to split $160,000 cash.
The following morning, Easter Sunday, starts with a church service pastored by Trey Johnson complete with a cowboy breakfast and Easter egg hunt. The 12.5 roping starts at 9 a.m. with $10,000 added. It paid out nearly a million dollars last year, including a whopping $200,000 cash to Texans Treyton Peterson and Lance Sippy, who won it from seventh callback.
On April 1, the long-established 11.5 Businessman’s roping offers a 10.5 Incentive that guarantees $7,500 to champs, plus a three-steer consolation round. It will be followed by the 10.5 Over 40 (capped at 6 heelers), with $10,000 added. Last year, Tooter Silver and Cole Mott of Kansas, Oklahoma came tight on that win to split $108,000. The 9.5-Over-40 (capped at 5 heelers) is scheduled for April 2 (it paid the champs $100,000 cash last year), followed by the 8, which offers a 7 Incentive and is pick-or-draw and capped at 4.5 heelers (the Incentive is capped at 4 heelers).
The All-Girl ropings wrap things up on Wednesday, April 3 (last year, Whitney DeSalvo went home with $14,000 cash and Sarah Angelone with $16,000). The pick-and-draw, enter twice team roping is progressive after two steers with a 9.5 Incentive on three head that pays at least $7,500 to win. Finally, the All-Girl Breakaway contains an 18-and-Under Incentive and starts at 1 p.m.
Producers of BFI Week (Ullman Peterson Events) planned at press time to also host a big barrel race on April 4-5, and on April 6 they’ll put on the first stand-alone steer roping in over a decade at the Lazy E – with $10,000 added.
Pre-entries for BFI Week need to be postmarked by March 1, 2024, but all ropings except The Feist can also be entered on-site with a $100 late fee per team. To download entries and find more details, visit BFI (bfiweek.com).
By Julie Mankin
Wyoming native Julie Mankin has roped for three decades, and in her 25-year career as a former newspaper editor, PRCA publicist and freelance writer, her work has been published in Western Horseman, American Cowboy, AQHA Journal, True West, Cowboys & Indians and more.