bfi Archives - Bob Feist Invitational

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.

47th BFI Set for Easter Weekend in Guthrie

Posted on by Julie Mankin

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).

Wrangler BFI Week Breaks Records, Pays Out Nearly $4 Million

Posted on by Julie Mankin

Wrangler BFI Week, anchored by the 46th annual Bob Feist Invitational Team Roping on April 1, paid out a record $3.88 million to ropers and drew more than 2,000 teams. The event, running March 29 through April 4, was comprised of 13 separate ropings over seven days in Guthrie, Oklahoma’s Lazy E Arena. Aired live on the Wrangler Network, 112,000 viewers at home watched more than 3.3 million minutes of team roping.

On April 2, Treyton Peterson of Plainview, Texas, and Lance Sippy of Canyon, Texas, roped four steers in 30.79 seconds to split a whopping $200,000 cash in the largest-ever 12.5 roping during BFI Week. The pair bested the field of more than 350 teams from seventh callback, including reserve champs Zac Watson and Milton Aguilera by about a tenth of a second over all four steers. The second-place team still earned $160,000 cash, plus Watson also placed sixth with Ben Winters for another $30,000 a man. He took $110,000 back to Burleson, Texas.

“These cattle were great, I thought,” said Sippy, who got back into team roping after a few years away. “I kind of needed to stay out to see that corner and Treyton made it easy. It’s easy for us to rope together.”

The pair practice and work together for Sippy’s business. The heeler gave a special shout-out to horse trainer Jason Thomas, who helped both men improve their roping and horsemanship recently.

On April 3, longtime team ropers and good friends Samuel Livingston of El Paso, Texas and Danny Zuniga of German, Texas, combined to finally win the 11.5 Businessman’s roping and cash checks worth $75,000 apiece.

The pair, who finished two-tenths of a second behind the champs just a year ago for third, had each entered the lucrative 11.5 for about a dozen years in Reno, Nevada. Livingston has previously heeled in the 11.5, but was heading for Zuniga this time – and knew to urge his horse across the pen to keep the steer out in front of Zuniga.

“Danny’s pretty trusty back there,” said Livingston. “There’s some pressure. You don’t want to drop the ball for a guy who catches all the time.”

 
Zuniga, who hat-flogged his horse and did a spin during the victory lap, works cattle and trains rope horses when he’s not roping. Livingston’s career has been in real-estate construction.

“Win or lose, it’s so great to have this opportunity,” said Zuniga. “It’s been fun to watch the event evolve over the years. We are so grateful to finally take home this big win; it’s been a bucket-list thing for us.”

Also on April 3, former top professional steer wrestler-turned construction foreman Tooter Silver of Quitman, Arkansas, hit pay dirt in the 10.5-Over-40 event with electrician Cole Mott of Kansas, Oklahoma, to split $108,000. The pair edged reserve champs Tammy Ellerman and Jim Matlack of Colorado by a whopping five seconds over four rounds to get the win.

On the final day of BFI Week in the 9.5-Over-40, longtime friends Steven Hinson and Tom Bridges of Arkansas said they drew good cattle and, from second callback, made a clean run to edge 165 other teams for the win – and a split of $100,000 cash.

“You don’t get to rope for that kind of money very often,” said Hinson of Jonesboro. “We had to take it one steer at a time and it just worked out for us today. It’s always fun to turn around and see your heeler smiling. This win feels great!”

Also on April 4, Nick McClelland of Roswell, New Mexico and Cody Hill of Tahoka, Texas, out-roped the field in the brand-new 8.5 event to split $45,000 for their time of 43.07 seconds on four steers.  Roping from sixth callback, the crop adjuster and oilfield worker met in a prior Texas roping where they drew each other. McClelland told Hill if he ever wanted to rope somewhere, to call him. Hill called and said, “Let’s go to the BFI.” And their first-ever trip to the Lazy E Arena was worth $24,500 apiece.

In the final roping of the week, neighbors Dustin Shelton and Shawn McCalister of Henrietta, Texas, split $16,000 for winning the average of the first-ever 7 roping. Shelton, who manages wheat-pasture cattle, and McCalister, a former bull rider from Louisiana who made the PBR Finals, only needed to be 17-some seconds to win the roping. They came tight in 7 and change on a great steer to stomp the field by more than 11 seconds on four.

“I always wanted to go to BFI Week when it was in Reno, but the schedule never worked out,” said McCalister. “When it came here, I figured we had to give it a shot.”

McCalister, who always headed until a couple of years ago, heeled on a cow-bred mare that cost him $2,500. With this check, she’s earned $38,000 for him thus far.

“You always dream of coming and doing this, so when you have success here, it kind of makes you tongue-tied,” admitted Shelton, a husband and father of four.

Kirchner & Thompson Take $160,000 Career Win at BFI

Posted on by Kendra Santos

The BFI win is in a league of its own for 2023 champs Curry Kirchner and Tyson Thompson.

BFI Photo by Andersen CbarC Photo

By Kendra Santos

Curry Kirchner and Tyson Thompson had the biggest day of their young roping careers at the 46th annual Bob Feist Invitational Team Roping Classic, and thanks to the unprecedented 100% 2023 payback have a record $160,000 to show for it. Kirchner, 24, and Thompson, 25, roped six steers in 45.38 seconds to take center stage at the fabulous Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma at BFI’s end on April 1. After braving the BFI marathon, both were borderline speechless. 

“The BFI is the biggest roping there is,” said Kirchner, 24, who works alongside his dad, Robert, at Myrl Mortenson’s cattle operation about an hour and 15 minutes northwest of Guthrie in Ames, Oklahoma. “To just be able to compete in this roping is great. To even think about winning it is crazy. 

“Winning the BFI is everything. This is the first big roping I’ve ever placed at, let alone won. What’s funny is that I didn’t feel any pressure in the short round. I felt super calm, like just go out there and do my job and see what happens.”

Kirchner and Thompson—who were awarded Coats Saddles, Gist Buckles, Resistol Hats and Hat Pacs, YETI Coolers, Best Ever Pads, Justin Boots, B&W Hitches, Equinety and BFI Wine on top of that cool $160,000—were the fourth callback behind the high team of Clint Summers and Cory Petska, Coleman Proctor and Logan Medlin, and Brandon Beers and Daniel Braman. 

Biggest Win by Far

“This is absolutely my biggest win by far,” said Thompson, 25, who lives in tiny Munday, Texas about an hour north of Abilene. “The biggest one before this was winning the #11 Shootout heeling for Wesley Thorp at the 2012 USTRC Finals. Wesley headed for me at the high school rodeos, too.”

Kirchner and Thompson were rock solid all day long.
BFI Photo by Andersen CbarC Photo

Kirchner and Thompson were 6.66 on their last run to take their six-steer total over the 21-foot BFI scoreline to 45.38 seconds. Beers and Braman were 7.80 on their last one, and finished the reserve champs at 46.43 on six. Proctor missed. Then Summers and Petska ran down a runner in 8.70, which with 46.63 on six landed them third in the average at roping’s end. 

“I wanted to make sure I saw plenty, and to just go rope the steer for what he was,” said Kirchner, who had his lucky-charm girlfriend, Callie Hill, in the house. “I wasn’t real worried about what we won. I just wanted to do my job. We were sitting down at the back end when the last three teams roped. I didn’t even realize we’d won it when Tyson’s two brothers (Chace and Kreece) came running up and mobbed us, and told us we’d won it. I didn’t believe it.” 

“About the only thing we said to each other today was ‘Good job’ after every run,” said Thompson, whose cheering section was headed up by his mom, Kelly, and girlfriend, Y’leigh Yarborough. “We didn’t talk before the short round. We just kind of did our deal. We kept our heads down, and roped what they gave us.”

The Rodeo Road

Kirchner’s rodeoed the last couple years, and had a top-30 finish in 2021 and a top-40 finish in 2022, which included fourth at RodeoHouston with Austin Rogers. 

Team Kirchner and Thompson proved unstoppable from every angle.
BFI Photo by Andersen CbarC Photo

“Tyson and I have roped off and on at some jackpots since high school,” Kirchner said. “He texted me about roping here, and we’ve roped at a few rodeos, too. I don’t know how hard I’ll rodeo this year just yet. It’s been a little slow, but a win like this one definitely helps keep it rocking and rolling. I’d dang sure like to get in the top 30 to get into the winter rodeos next year. My good horse got hurt, but I hope to have him back by June.

“You have to ride that fine line here at the BFI, because you have to stay aggressive without stepping on your own toes. I’ve learned from past experience that safetying up is not the answer. I never worry about Tyson when we rope, and I wasn’t worried about him all day long here today. I know if I do my job there aren’t going to be any issues back there with Tyson.”

Thompson is entered up at the California spring rodeos with fellow Texan Jace Bland, but sure has fun roping with Kirchner. 

“Curry and I have entered together a handful of times, and have had really good luck,” Thompson said. “We won second twice together at the Junior Patriot a few years ago. It seems like we just win every time we enter together. I love roping with him.”

Breaking Through

Thompson’s having a breakthrough season all the way around in 2023. He got to heel for his brother Kreece at San Antonio, and won a little money in his bracket with his other brother, Chace, in his RodeoHouston debut. And this was the year the Thompson Ranch won it all at the RodeoHouston Ranch Rodeo. 

The short-round run that closed the deal for Kirchner and Thompson.
BFI Photo by Andersen CbarC Photo

“This has literally been a fairytale year,” Tyson said. “My family’s Thompson Ranch team—my brother Chace, Uncle Tyler, Chad Williams, Colton Burnett and me—finally won the ranch rodeo at Houston. Houston is the biggest ranch rodeo, and the greatest ranch rodeo by a ton. And now I get to win the BFI? Wow.”

BFI Horsepower 

With his horse temporarily sidelined, Kirchner’s been gratefully bumming a ride on a 13-year-old sorrel from his friend Jeff Tebo since December. 

“I call him Memphis, and he’s a big running-bred horse,” Kirchner said. “Jeff’s been kind enough to let me ride him this winter, and he was outstanding here today. He caught up so fast, and was so easy to handle steers on. These long setups fit him really good.” 

Thompson rode his 7-year-old sorrel horse Shoppa.

“Shoppa’s so calm and easy to rope on,” Thompson said. “He acts like he’s an old horse. He’s never in my way. He did a great job today.”

BFI Blessings

This was not the first time the BFI has blessed the Thompson family in a big way. Tyson’s dad, Todd, won $90,000 at last year’s BFI #12.5 Oilfield Classic heeling for Chick Wilfong, who won $90,000 of his own. 

“I don’t even know how to narrow down how big a deal winning the BFI is to me,” Tyson said. “When we got to the short round, that was a big deal. I thought if we could just catch one at a big roping like the BFI and finish in the top four, that would be a major accomplishment. To actually win it against guys like Cory Petska, Kory Koontz and Wesley Thorp—I can’t believe I’ve won a roping they’ve won.

“Cory Petska is a hero of mine. I give all the credit for my heeling to my dad and Wesley. I’ve gotten to spend some time with Kory the last couple years, and that guy can teach you stuff even when you golf with him. He’s just a cool person, and is always there to help you, even when you aren’t asking for it.”

Horses of the BFI

Clint Summers’ 11-year-old bay Joe and Logan Medlin’s 7-year-old bay Cantina were named Head and Heel Horse of the BFI, respectively. Powered by Dixon Flowers Rope Horses, the Horse of the BFI winners’ sculptures were created by Steve Miller of Lost Prairie Art & Bronze. The winners also received Dixon Flowers horse blankets, Best Ever Pads and $500.

Clint Summers was proud of his horse Joe for taking Head Horse of the BFI honors.
BFI Photo by Andersen CbarC Photo

“Joe always scores and runs super hard, and he worked outstanding today,” said Wrangler National Finals Rodeo switch-ender Summers. “He’s very easy to handle cattle on, and I’m planning to ride him outside this summer. Ever since I started heading, I looked up to Trevor (Brazile). I knew when I started heading that I needed the best head horses. To win this award is a pretty special deal to me.” 

Medlin has a pair of bay aces with stars on their foreheads and snips on their noses. There’s his 2020-21 Heel Horse of the Year, Drago, and then there’s his 2022 Heel Horse of the BFI, Cantina. Medlin bought Cantina, who’s 7 now, from the Tongue River Ranch the end of his 4-year-old year. Cantina looks just enough like Drago that even some of the Top 15 didn’t notice when he subbed him in during last December’s NFR from Round 4 on, when Drago needed to take a break. 

“Cantina’s still a little green, but he’s really stepped up,” Medlin said. “It’s hard to get off of a horse you know so well to get on a green one, but I actually like to jackpot on Cantina better than Drago. Cantina’s answered the call. 

And the Heel Horse of the 2023 BFI award goes to Logan Medlin’s Cantina.
BFI Photo by Andersen CbarC Photo

“Cantina winning this award gives me some peace of mind that I’m not crazy. It choked me up a little bit when they called his name. I didn’t expect to win it. I was very proud of Cantina today. It’s kind of cool to know that other people thought he did as good as I did.”

Life-Changing Money at the Lazy E  

“Everything about the BFI sets it apart from all other ropings,” Kirchner said. “It’s a horse race here at the Lazy E, and this is a wonderful place that’s been good to me over the years. The BFI is the top of the top roping. There’s just something special about it. I grew up watching BFI tapes, and still watch them today. 

“We won life-changing money here today, and everything about the BFI is just top class. I’m trying to build a place and get more head horses. This hasn’t really all sunk in just yet, but I have plenty of places to go with this money.”

“I still have tags on a pickup I just bought,” Thompson added. “I’m ready to put a bunch of rodeo miles on it, and now I can get it paid for, too. Between that and my horse addiction, this money will come in very handy. 

“There’s so much hype and prestige at the BFI, and the way they make you feel at this roping is unlike any other. They use spotlights, and the announcers know all the stats. The radio is blaring. This roping feels like a rodeo, and you’re in it every run. They get you in the zone at the BFI, and it’s a pretty fun place to be.”

Full Results from The Feist

First-Half Wrap-Up with Full Results from Wrangler BFI Week

Posted on by Julie Mankin

Teens land big windfall; ladies, legends bank tens of thousands

GUTHRIE, Oklahoma, April 1, 2023 – Southeastern Oklahoma  State University’s Levi James and Murray State College’s Garrett Hughes combined to out-rope nearly 400 teams in the biggest Hooey Jr. BFI on record in Guthrie, Oklahoma’s Lazy E Arena, splitting a cool $50,000 cash plus huge array of prizes. James of Atoka, Okla., and Hughes of Sulphur, Okla., caught four steers in 29.44 seconds for the windfall on March 30.

Then, in the Hooey Jr. BFI Open for higher-ranked ropers, it was Weatherford College standouts Jett Stewart and Cashton Weidenbener who took home $42,000 plus Cactus saddles, Resistol hats, Gist buckles, Hooey backpacks and Smarty dummies, among other prizes. The pair had left their Texas home at 2:30 a.m. to make it to Guthrie for the day’s ropings, then took off to Snyder, Texas for the next evening’s college rodeo.

Weidenbener of Payson, Arizona, is the defending National High School Finals Rodeo heeling champion. It was only the second jackpot for the young horse ridden by Ione, Oregon’s Jett Stewart, who is the son of former NFR heeler Jason Stewart. The latter had called his father before that final steer for $42,000 and gotten this advice:  “It’s not that hard. Just score, ride and rope.” 

Earlier in the week, Arkansas heeler Whitney DeSalvo won her fifth Charlie 1 Horse team roping championship in six years, this time with Arizona’s Kenzie Kelton. The pair split $20,800 on March 29 for roping four steers in 37.50 seconds. 

DeSalvo, the highest-rated female heeler in the world, also placed seventh and eighth in the roping to earn $13,900 on the day. It was only her second time to rope with Kelton, a freshman at Central Arizona College in Coolidge. Kenzie’s dad, Chance, is a former NFR header and her brother, Ketch, won the Jr Ironman Title at the Timed-Event Championships of the World in the same arena less than a month earlier. 

Dana Markham and Kelly Snow combined to win the 9.5 Incentive on three steers, worth $7,500.

The Charlie 1 Horse Breakaway title went to Sarah Angelone of Lipan, Texas (the defending Women’s Professional Rodeo Association all-around champion originally hails from Virginia). For catching all three calves in 9.73 seconds, she earned $14,000 cash and several prizes – plus another $2,760 in the rounds. 

“I was focusing on just roping one calf at a time and doing my job each round,” said Angelone, who also had a good callback with her other entry, but broke out. 

She explained it was important to maintain a strong mental game throughout the long day of roping.

“Having a short-term memory mindset helped me clear my mind after that breakout and be able to focus on my next calf,” she said.  

Arizona native Brett Woolsey won about $5,000 in the team roping and breakaway to clinch the all-around title and prizeline including two Smarty dummies.

On March 31 in Guthrie, Jaret Freeman and Scott Lauaki bested 142 teams to split $60,000 cash and the BFI prizeline for winning the 15.5 roping. The field they beat included NFR greats Trevor Brazile (heeling), Brandon Beers and Matt Sherwood.

Later that day, wildfires in the Guthrie area postponed the latter half of the BFI Legends roping, but Cory Petska and Seth Smithson hung tight for the $19,000 win. They roped five steers in 37.70 seconds. In its second year, the jackpot for former BFI contestants over 40 draws legends such as Tee Woolman and Rich Skelton. Petska was heading, but he’s a world champion heeler and former BFI champion heeler.

Wrangler BFI Week continues with the BFI itself on April 1, followed by the 12.5 on April 2, the 11.5 Businessman’s and 10.5-Over-40 on April 3 and the 9.5-Over-40, 8.5 and 7.5 on April 3. 

Wrangler BFI Week Results

Charlie 1 Horse All-Girl Team Roping

Round One:  1. Kayelen Helton and Becky Cannizzaro, 6.49 seconds, $1,000; 2. Kenzie Kelton and Whitney DeSalvo, 7.49 seconds, $800; 3. Quincy Sullivan and Brett Woolsey, 7.97 seconds, $400. Round Two:  1. Danielle Lowman and Arena Ben, 6.27 seconds, $1,000; 2. Hope Thompson and Kennlee Tate, 6.97 seconds, $800; 3. Quincy Sullivan and Casey Jo Hodge, 7.23 seconds, $400. Short Round:  1. Stevens and Rylee Stokes, 8.72 seconds, $1,000; 2. Kelsey Pepion and Annette Stahl, 9.32 seconds, $800. Average:  1. Kenzie Kelton and Whitney DeSalvo, 37.50 seconds, $20,000; 2. Dana Markham and Kelly Snow, 38.19 seconds, $14,000; 3. Connie Harris and Megan Gunter, 39.49 seconds, $11,000; 4. Carsyn Tharp and Kennlee Tate, 42.59 seconds, $8,000; 5. Jessica Montgomery and Jackie Crawford, 43.13 seconds, $6,000; 6. Martha Angelone and Danielle Roper, 43.86 seconds, $5,000; 7. Kenna Francis and Whitney DeSalvo, 44.71 seconds, $4,000; 8. Decca Gagan and Whitney DeSalvo, 45.05 seconds, $3,000.  9.5 Incentive Average on Three:  1. Dana Markham and Kelly Snow, 27.76 seconds, $7,500; 2. Emma Carrell and Courtney Crites, 29.45 seconds, $4,500; 3. Connie Harriss and Megan Gunter, 31.21 seconds, $3,000; 4. Avery Goegelle and Kelly Snow, 32.62 seconds, $2,500; 5. Sydney Ball and Kennlee Tate, 33.52 seconds, $2,000; 6. Carsyn Tharp and Kennlee Tate, 33.71 seconds, $2,000

Charlie 1 Horse Breakaway

First Round:  1. Quincy Sullivan, 3.03 seconds, $1,000; 2. Sarah Angelone, 3.04, $750; 3. Baylee Barker, 3.06, $500; Second Round:  1. Sarah Angelone, 3.05, $1,000; 2. Janae Todacheenie, 3.35, $750; 3. Cheyenne Guillory, 3.36, $500; Short Round Fast Time (Not Placing in Average):  1. Sarah Angelone (other entry), 12.61, $1,000. Average:  1. Sarah Angelone, 9.73 on three, $14,000; 2. Taylor Hanchey, 10.98, $10,000; 3. Hali Williams, 11.32, $6,500; 4. Janae Todacheenie, 11.75, $5,500; 5. Brandi McDowell, 12.14, $4,500; 6. Brett Woolsey, 12.4, $3,500; 7. Jackie Crawford, 12.42, $3,000; 8.  Bailey Jay, 12.68, $2,500; 9. Kennedy Buckner, 13.01, $2,000; 10. Danielle Wray, 13.21, $1,500; 11. Lexey Williams, 15.37, $1,250. 18-And-Under Incentive:  1. Brett Woolsey, 12.4, $1,000; 2. Summer Williams, 8.73 on two, $750; 3. Kamey Kennermer, 10.22, $500.

Hooey Jr. BFI 10.5

First Rotation:  1. Wesson Parker and Rowdy Payne, 6.33 seconds, $2,500; 2. Levi James and Garrett Hughes, 6.67, $2,000; 3. Mason Cross and Wyatt J Howell, 7.31, $1,500; 4. Jacob Rush and John David Daniel, 7.46, $700. Second Rotation:  1. Preston Ivey and Brayden Morris, 5.45, $2,500; 2. Landon Dasilva and Wyatt J Howell, 5.70, $2,000; 3. Trigger Hargrove and Wiley Breeze, 6.23, $1,500; 4. Aaron Raulston and Brayden A Israel, 6.24, $700. Third Rotation:  1. Colton Williamson and Layne Rogers, 5.88, $2,500; 2. Briar White and Tate Barton, 6.36, $2,000; 3. Taton Salazar and Colton Devore, 6.56, $1,100; 4. Holland Roukema and Teagan Roukema, 6.56, $1,100; Fourth Rotation:  1. Kade Gierisch and Tanner  Tomlinson, 6.23, $2,500; 2. Bridger Ketcham and Cole Wilson, 6.53, $2,000; 3. Maverick Lozano and Cross Ringelstein, 6.68, $1,500; 4. Bobby Vaughn and Traven Todd, 7.03, $350; 4. Bridger Ketcham and Trey Toft, 7.03, $350. Short Round that didn’t place in the average:  1. Casper Ringelstein and Zane Starns, 13.00, $2,000; 2. Mattox Moyer and Keaton Kellum, 13.90, $1,500; 3. Tanner Evans and Lucas Willeford, 14.22, $1,000.  Average:  1. Levi James and Garrett Hughes, 29.44 seconds on five, $50,000; 2. Kaitlyn Torres and Cross Ringelstein, 30.44, $30,000; 3. Jaxon Stoker and Noah Vasquez, 31.59, $18,000; 4. Jadon Bailey and Junior Jose Corpus, 32.20, $12,500; 5. Raesh Casebolt and Brodie Boyce, 32.77, $10,000; 6. Foreman Casebolt and Sid Harvey, 33.92, $9,000; 7. Joseph Villareal and Maverick Lozano, 34.17, $8,000; 8. Jaycus Hill and Garrett Hughes, 34.31, $6,000; 9. Bridger Ketcham and Trey Toft, 34.38, $5,000; 10. Colter Reed and Snook Traden Lauer, 34.80, $4,500; 11. Brody Mathiews and Ryan Davis, 35.01, $4,000; 12. Blaine Coates and Wylie Morgan, 35.91, $3,500; 13. Conner Wright and Trentyn Hurst, 36.61, $3,000; 14. Rendon Powledge and Ryan Davis, 37.20, $3,000; 15. Bill Cody Odell and Junior Jose Corpus, 38.79, $3,000; 16. Blaine Coates and Cole Denny, 39.87, $2,500; 17. Weston Lakin and Jaxon Reynolds, 40.63, $2,500; 18. Easton Lakin and Blaine Caldwell, 41.56, $2,500; $1,250; 19. Jhett Vanderhamm and Colter Reed Snook, 41.67, $2,500; 20. Rachel Kittle and Beau West, 41.95, $2,500.

Hooey Jr. BFI Open

First Round:  1. Brayden Schmidt and Logan Cullen, 6.50 seconds, $3,000; 2. Cutter Cain and Dodge Hare, 6.65, $2,000; 3. James Arviso and Nicky Northcott, 7.31, $1,000. Second Round:  1. Cole Smith and Landen Glenn, 6.0, $3,000; 2. Cole Smith and Michael Eugenio Calmelat, 6.51, $2,000; 3. Casper Ringelstein and Scout McElroy, 7.03, $1,000. Short Round:  1. Cole Smith and Michael Eugenio Calmelat, 7.09, $3,000; 2. James Arviso and John Hisel, 7.91, $2,000; 3. Jett Stewart and Cashton Weidenbener, 7.96, $1,000.  Average:  1. Jett Stewart and Cashton Weidenbener, 41.09 seconds on five head, $42,000; 2. Mason Appleton and JR Gonzalez, 41.27, $25,000; 3. Damian Jr Padilla and Michael Eugenio Calmelat, 43.24, $15,000; 4. Denton Parish and Denton Dunning, 45.27, $11,000; 5. Mason McDaniel and Sammy Saunders, 45.85, $8,500; 6. James Arviso and John Hisel, 45.86, $6,000; 7. Cole Smith and Michael Eugenio Calmelat, 47.33, $5,000; 8. Ketch Kelton and Logan Cullen, 48.42, $4,500; 9. Cason Richey and Will Smith, 49.60, $4,000; 10. Eli Green and Porter Bryant, 49.61, $4,000; 11. Brayden Schmidt and Logan Cullen, 50.89, $3,500; 12. Brennen Wilson and Brayden Morris, 56.75, $3,500.

15.5


First Round:  1. Brandon Farris and Shawn Crockett, 6.82 seconds, $4,000; 2. Jimmy Harrison and Derrick Jantzen, 7.24 seconds, $3,000; 3. Jaxon Hill and Hayden Sanders, 7.53 seconds, $2,000. Short Round (Not Placing In Average):  1. Kevin Williams and Brad Newberry, 8.47 seconds, $3,000; 2. Race Meliman and Daniel Braman, 9.92 seconds, $2,000; 3. Peyton Walters and Luke Miller, 10.47 seconds, $1,000.  Average:  1. Jarett Freeman and Scott Lauaki, 31.83 seconds on four head, $60,000; 2. Brandon Farris and Shawn Crockett, 32.56 seconds, $40,000; 3. Brandon Beers and Bobby Alexander, 33.75 seconds, $30,000; 4. Bobby Mote and Trevor Brazile, 34.33 seconds, $23,000; 5. Brad Freeland and Matt Sherwood, 34.61 seconds, $18,000; 6. Brandon Farris and Braden Harmon, 34.63 seconds, $16,000; 7. Miles Baker and Shawn Crockett, 35.75 seconds, $12,000; 8. Walker Smith and Brady Kyle, 35.89 seconds, $8,000; 9. Matt Sherwood and Chase Helton, 36.0 seconds, $6,000.

BFI Legends 

First Round:  1. Vic Morrison and Steve Orth, 6.70 seconds, $2,000. Second Round:  1. Cory Petska and Seth Smithson, 6.09 seconds, $2,000. Short Round:  1. Chris Francis and Josh Patton, 7.34 seconds, $2,000. Average:  1. Cory Petska and Seth Smithson, 37.70 seconds on five steers, $19,000; 2. Troy Fischer and Boogie Ray, 42.65 seconds, $11,000; 3. Logan Olson and Seth Smithson, 42.99 seconds, $7,500.

Petska and Smithson Are 2023 BFI Legends Champs

Posted on by Kendra Santos

BFI Week was built on a foundation of tradition. It’s packed with prestige, and the producers keep coming up with new ways to raise the already sky-high BFI bar. The concept of the BFI Legends roping is about as cool as it comes, and a chance for over-40 living legends who may have pulled up from the full-time rodeo trail to come together for a roping reunion with each other, while at the same time showing the rest of the Western world that they’ve still got it. Cory Petska and Seth Smithson won the 2023 BFI Legends roping, held today (March 31) at the world-famous Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma. And it doesn’t get much cooler than a world champion heeler heading for a guy who never rodeoed professionally. 

“This is the biggest win of my heading career,” said 2017 World Champion Heeler Petska, who’s 43 now. “It’s my first major win as a header, and the Legends roping is an amazing concept. I didn’t win anything at this roping last year, and couldn’t wait to come back this year. 

Seth Smithson and Cory Petska roped five steers in 37.7 seconds to win the 2023 BFI Legends roping. Andersen CbarC Photo

“We got to watch Speed (Williams) and Rich (Skelton), and Tee (Woolman) and Rich rope together today. Nick Rowland lived with my family when we were kids. I headed for Nick and heeled for my dad (Paul Petska) when we were 16-17 years old. Getting to head for Nick here today was like old times.”

Petska and Smithson—who roped five steers in 37.7 seconds to take home $21,000, including $19,000 for the average win and another $2,000 for the Round 2 win—are a first-time team, and had only seen each other around before now. 

“I’ve seen Seth at the jackpots for years, but I didn’t know him,” Petska said. “Seth’s a guy I said ‘hi’ to in passing, and I knew he roped really good. Martin Lucero was supposed to be my second partner today, but when he couldn’t make it, I was excited to get to rope with Seth.”

They’d only met in passing, but even before Logan Olson played last-minute matchmaker for this year’s BFI Legends roping, Petska had made a mighty impact on Smithson’s heeling without even knowing it.

“I’d never met Cory in my life until Corpus (Christi, Texas) in 2019,” remembers Smithson, who’s 40 and lives with his wife, Leah, and three kids, Scarlett, 10, Beau, 8 and Saylor, 6, in Liberty Hill, Texas. “I was in a big rut with my roping, and asked Cory about it. He told me one super-simple thing that made a big difference for me.

“I was explaining to Cory that I was way behind in the run, and was getting my shorts jerked down a lot. He asked if I watched the head rope go on, and I said, ‘Yes.’ Cory told me to stop doing that, and to just watch the feet. It changed everything. And funny thing is, ‘Just watch the feet’ was the last thing I told myself before our short-round steer today.”

They built up a commanding lead on their first four runs to ride in high team. 

“We were high call by five seconds, had 13 to win it and were 8 on our last steer,” said Petska, who lives with his four-time World Champion Barrel Racer wife, Sherry Cervi, in Marana, Arizona. “I just made sure I saw six inches to a foot further than I had the rest of the steers, and took a couple extra swings.”

Smithson has roped at The American twice—with Colby Schneeman in 2014, and Wesley Thorp in 2017. 

With a go-round win on top of the average check, Corky Ullman, left, and Daren Peterson, right, awarded BFI Legends winners Petska and Smithson a grand total of $21,000.
Andersen CbarC Photo

“This is my biggest day,” said Seth, whose day job is running the 3 Spurs Ranch in Liberty Hill. “It’s the most money I’ve ever won in one sitting. I was just a jackpotter. I amateur rodeoed some, but never pro rodeoed. It was really cool just to get to rope with guys like Cory and Logan in this roping. They’re professionals. Roping with them was fun. This is a big win for me.”

Smithson won it with Petska, and also placed third with Olson behind reserve champs Troy Fischer and Boogie Ray. And Seth surely gets bonus points for having his banner day on the back of a 3-year-old. He bought the sorrel he calls Gunner at the Triangle Horse Sale in Shawnee, Oklahoma when he was 2. 

Petska rode an 11-year-old, bald-faced sorrel he and Sherry raised and call Brutus. 

“Sherry started him as a barrel horse, then I started heading on him,” Cory said. “He’s my pride and joy. I love Brutus as much as I love Chumley, and I won a gold buckle on Chumley. He’s a cool horse.”

He better be to take on the cowboy conditions that come with the massive Lazy E Arena, of which these guys are both big fans.

“I love this roping, especially in this arena,” Petska said. “I love the Lazy E. It’s big, and it’s legendary. I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid. I love roping here—heading and heeling. It’s a very special arena, and you better cowboy up when you come here.”

“I love it here at the Lazy E, too, and it just seems like I always do good here,” Smithson added. “This was an awesome roping, and Cory did an unbelievable job. He headed like a world champion header today.”

About that. Yes, Cory will heel for Clint Summers in tomorrow’s (April 1) 100% payback BFI. But to tip you off on how much Petska’s been heading, his horse herd currently consists of seven head horses and three heel horses. 

“I head a lot more than I heel these days,” he said. “I’ve heeled my whole life. It’s a job. Heading is fun, because I’m getting to work on something new.”

Summers is an NFR switch-ender. Might Petska entertain such a challenge?

Petska and Smithson both love the wide open spaces of the Lazy E Arena.
Andersen CbarC Photo

“I would love to,” he said. “There’s no bigger dream to me than to try and make the NFR heading. But every time I think about it, it plays in my mind that it’s stupid to try something I’m not sure about when I know I can win heeling. It’s just a dream, but it is in my head that it would be cool to be the first guy to win a gold buckle heading and heeling.”

It’s fun to daydream about, but rodeo’s role in Cory and Sherry’s lives continues to evolve. 

“I rope (at the rodeos) every winter, then head to Wisconsin,” he said. “Sherry and I run 1,900 head of yearlings, and the cattle deal is my priority now. We used to look at rodeo as a job. Now we pick and choose the rodeos we want to go to. I still love to rope, and still feel like I’m competitive. 

“I rodeo because I love it now, not because I have to do it. Sherry, too. She’s training a bunch of colts, and still wants to make her 20th trip to the NFR. But if her horse steps up and becomes the next big thing, she can get that done in 30 rodeos. I don’t know if I’ll ever have the heart to go to 75 rodeos again, and that’s what you have to do to make it heeling. But I still practice every day, and I do still love it.”

When a nearby grass fire and high winds caused a delay during the BFI Legends roping, it almost felt like a blessing in disguise to Petska. 

“The BFI Legends roping was a full-on roping reunion,” said 15-time NFR heeler Cory. “When they had to shut the roping down for a little while for the smoke to clear, we all had so much fun visiting and telling stories. I only wish more guys would come, even if only to socialize, because it was just like old times. A great roping, and so good to see so many old cowboy friends.”

2023 BFI Legends Results

Aggregate Results (on five head) – payout per team

  1. Cory Petska and Seth Smithson, 37.70 seconds, $19,000
  2. Troy Fischer and Boogie Ray, 42.65 seconds, $11,000
  3. Logan Olson and Seth Smithson, 42.99 seconds, $7,500

Round One Fast Time

  1. Vic Morrison and Steve Orth, 6.70 seconds, $2,000

Round Two Fast Time

  1. Cory Petska and Seth Smithson, 6.09 seconds, $2,000

Short Go Fast Time

  1. Chris Francis and Josh Patton, 7.34 seconds, $2,000

Bid on a Bones

Posted on by Julie Mankin

Our generous Wrangler BFI Week supporters have allowed us to raise $214,400 over the past six years to help local charities!

This year, our annual BFI calcutta on March 31 will feature a custom Heel-O-Matic Bones dummy – the proceeds of which will benefit the Oklahoma chapter of Flags Of Honor. And you can bid even if you’re not in Guthrie! For the first time, calcutta teams and items can be bought online. Just register to bid at www.goldbucklehorsesale.com (scroll down to BFI Online Sale).

“We love their mission of ‘meeting sacrifice with hope’ by helping the families of not only the servicemen and women protecting our freedom, but also firefighters, police, paramedics and others who respond to emergencies,” said BFI co-owner Daren Peterson.

The charity has been awarding life-changing scholarships since 2007 to the families of America’s fallen or disabled military and first responders. It ranks in the top tier of our country’s charities because 91 percent of every dollar raised goes into the scholarships themselves.

The folded American flag represents the heavy price of freedom – but is also a symbol of hope and democracy. By bidding on the Bones on March 31, you’re letting the families of our national heroes know they haven’t been forgotten. Find out more by visiting FoldsOfHonor.org.

“I’ve had a little experience partnering with the PBR, but we’ve never really done anything with team roping,” said Folds Of Honor’s Brandon Baker of Oklahoma City, who expects one of the recipient families to attend the calcutta. “It’ll be fun.”

Doors open at 5 p.m. and the calcutta begins at 6 p.m. Central time at the Chicken Shack in Arcadia, Oklahoma – or bid online for this one-of-a-kind dummy.

46th BFI Roster Set

Posted on by Julie Mankin

The star-studded cast entered in the 46th annual Bob Feist Invitational on April 1 in Guthrie, Oklahoma, includes the only four humans who’ve won the BFI three times. High-money leader Clay Tryan, Hall-of-Famers Speed Williams and Rich Skelton (roping with other partners), and 2021 champ Kory Koontz will each be part of 125 teams gunning for a first-place cash prize that reached $150,000 last year.

Tryan, also a three-time world champion, will try to add to the $259,361 BFI dollars he’s banked with his gold-buckle partner Jade Corkill – who has never won the BFI. And Koontz brings a new partner in Peyton Walters, who won the 2020 Yeti Jr. Open at the USTRC Finals. Meanwhile, BFI heavyweight Skelton will be stopping the clock for Clayton Van Aken, who has won go-rounds and placed in past BFI averages. Other BFI heavy-hitters Cory Petska, Buddy Hawkins and Luke Brown will try it on this time with Clint Summers, Andrew Ward and Hunter Koch, respectively.

The veterans will appreciate this as the first year an Open roping pays back 100 percent of their entry fees. The rookies are just glad to be on the roster – including the youngest-ever heeler to achieve a 9.5 handicap. In fact, this year’s first-timers are some of the most talented teenagers in the history of team roping.

Read More: BFI to Pay Back One Hundred Percent

Is this an April Fool’s Joke? Not hardly. For the first time in history, the Bob Feist Invitational on April 1 will pay back 100 percent of the pot to ropers.

Defending national high school champion James Arviso, 19, is partnered with 16-year-old Nicky Northcott, whose dad Steve won the BFI in 1991 with Charles Pogue and again in ’93 with Matt Tyler. Arviso – Derrick Begay’s nephew – is not only the defending Jr. BFI champ but placed second at the 2022 BFI with Josh Patton to split $100,000. Zack Woods, 24, and Michael Calmelat – the 14-year-old No. 9.5 – are former Jr. NFR champions bringing Daniel Reed and Pedro Egurrola, respectively, while 17-year-old Denton Dunning was picked up by world champion Aaron Tsinigine for the BFI.

Meanwhile, defending BFI champs Jake Clay and Billie Jack Saebens will be tough to beat with their new partners, each world champs. Clay will head for Kollin VonAhn, while Saebens will heel for Matt Sherwood. Most notably, draw No. 56 will be Williams, who returns to “The Feist” for the second time with his 16-year-old son, Gabe, after 13 years away.

Legendary Hall-of-Famer and former BFI champ Trevor Brazile, who retired from full-time competition, will head for Joseph Harrison this year. Fan-favorite Begay drug his old Arizona friend Colter Todd off the Arizona ranch to try their luck, while former BFI champ and world champ Walt Woodard will team with Quinn Kesler. Plus, world champion header Colby Lovell is partnering with former NFR heeler Dakota Kirchenschlager, who retired from rodeo.

The public will be hard-pressed to choose a prospective winner at the annual Cowboy Auction and Dinner, scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Chicken Shack in Arcadia, Oklahoma, on Friday night, March 31. The BFI anchors Wrangler BFI Week, which last year paid out $2.92 million in cash and prizes, and runs March 29 through April 4.

Read More: 2023 The Feist Draw

Tickets for the BFI can be purchased on site at the Lazy E Arena, by phone at 405-282-RIDE or online at ticketmaster.com. A special roper rate is available at the Hampton Inn and Suites of Guthrie, by calling (405) 293-9595. 

The Last BFI in Chowchilla with Tee Woolman

Posted on by BFI

His notorious horseshoe mustache was more of a pencil ’stache in 1979, when Tee Woolman was a student at Southeastern Oklahoma State. 

One night he ventured up to the City to watch a perf of the NFR. That’s where the lanky Cherokee/Irish cowboy told Roy Cooper he was thinking of quitting school and turning pro. Roy introduced him to Leo Camarillo.

Leo had already been inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame when 22-year-old Tee – a soon-to-be PRCA rookie – asked him for a chance.

“He told me he’d give it a whirl,” recalls Tee. “He didn’t know what he was getting, for sure.”

Armed with a really good yellow horse called “Doc” that he’d bought from Gary Jacobs, Tee entered the fourth-ever BFI and the last at the hallowed Stampede Grounds in Chowchilla, California, over the 35-foot score, with Leo. Otherwise, the format was the same as today.

The kid and the Hall-of-Famer were high callback. Was Tee nervous for that sixth steer?

“I was pretty full of myself back then, so I wasn’t too nervous about anything,” he says of the run that paid the team $10,000 cash and a trophy two-horse trailer. “They only gave one trailer,” he adds. “I got it.”

Tee Woolman & Leo Camarillo 1980 BFI Champions

That day in Chowchilla, Leo had caught his hand in the dally on their fifth steer and thought he’d cut his thumb off. He refused to take his glove off until after they’d run the last steer.

“When he finally took the glove off, he had a big old groove in his thumb,” recalls Tee. “He was tough, though, you know? He didn’t let things bother him a lot.” 

Leo had faith in Tee. As it turned out, their BFI momentum pushed them atop the 1980 world standings, too, and they won the 10-head average in Oklahoma City. Since Tee, then 23, had won an enter-twice end-of-season rodeo with Mike Beers, he won the 1980 gold buckle in his rookie year – beating his own partner. Then in 1982, Tee edged Leo again for the world title by just $129.

“I told him he could go for the gold buckle if he wanted,” Tee recalls. “He chose to rope with me. He wanted to win money.”

Leo once said he’d never met anybody besides Tee that was as confident as he was. And that night in Oklahoma City, Leo said he knew immediately that in addition to that confidence, Tee had the arena intelligence it takes to win.

Win is an understatement. That BFI victory propelled Tee right into the first of 21 straight NFRS as he amassed five average titles, three gold buckles and $2.5 million – just at rodeos. Oh yeah, he’s also in the Southeastern Oklahoma State Rodeo Hall of Fame. But back in 1980, he says they simply expected to win every time they ran a steer. 

“It was a lot different,” Tee recalls. “Now, everybody ropes good. Then, a handful of guys roped good, so you just didn’t make mistakes. You didn’t break the barrier and caught your steers and made good runs. The fastest horse spun the fastest steers.”

Tee Woolman & Leo Camarillo 1980 BFI Champions

By: Julie Mankin