“Something makes me crazy about the BFI!” says Walt Woodard, who’s roped there 41 of 42 years and won the roping in 2008 with Clay Tryan. “They do one of the coolest things that’s ever been done at any roping – if you catch five steers at the BFI, they will give you your money back. They will give you your money back!! Because if you catch five, you’ll make the top 15 and get paid $2,500.
“If you came to my house and said, ‘I’ll bet you $2,500 you can’t catch five in a row,’ you would go broke,” he continues. “I would break you. The thought that I cannot go to the BFI and get my money back really hurts my feelings.”
This year, Woodard is entered with Jake Orman and plans to do things a little differently.
“I’m going to run down the arena just a little bit wider so I’m moving more with the steers,” he said. “My strategy now is to just catch the first three. Just catch them and see how we’re doing. Everyone wants to be 21 on three. I know. But if you’re 25, or 24 or 23 on three, you’ll be right there close. Then all of a sudden you draw a loper and you’re six. Now you’re 30 on four. Wow! Two to go.
“My philosophy for years has been to go at that thing. But I’m going to try not to be fast in the first go-round. I’m going to back out and just catch the first couple of steers.”
Find out how that works for the two-time world champ by watching live in Reno on June 24, or tuning in to the livestream.
By BFI