Some handy high-numbered snowbirds spent part of February breaking in steers for the 47th Bob Feist Invitational on March 30.
With a cash purse of more than $650,000 and 125 teams accepted this year in Guthrie, Oklahoma, the BFI will again demand strong, even cattle. While it’s usually not the first rodeo for cattle used at other big Open ropings, BFI steers are crossed over the Mexican border and broke in specifically for the BFI.
“As long as steers haven’t had many runs, they’re fairly similar,” said Scott Gage of 3 Point Productions, who with Jeff Smith will bring hundreds of cattle to Wrangler BFI Week for the fourth year in a row. “We pride ourselves on honest steers, and we want great cattle at the BFI.”
Partly because of below-zero temperatures at Gage’s place in Kansas this winter, the steers were trucked to his Phoenix-area home to be broke in during some sunshine. Their protocol is to trail the M branded steers to the stripping chute several times, then lead them around with a rope on their neck once, then on their horns once. Finally, the steers are live-roped three to six times, depending on how they perform.
“We run them however they need, to get them going good,” said Gage. “These sets we broke in this year have been really good. It’ll be a great set for the BFI.”
The duo will sort through and choose the 135 strongest out of 250. They’ll do that, also, with the hundreds of veteran steers they also bring to Guthrie for the lower-numbered ropings that week. That attention to detail helps make gals pull into Guthrie to try for another thirty-thousand-dollar payday like Lari Dee Guy had in 2021, or teenagers show up to gun for $50,000 cash like what the Hooey Jr. 10.5 champs won last year.
“All throughout the week, we have guys sitting at the back end watching, and if a steer doesn’t fit, he’s out of there,” said Smith. “Steers cost a lot of money and it’s a lot of work sorting, but If you want them to be good, that’s the way you have to do it.”
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.