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New Association Aims
to
Revolutionize Rope-Horse Industry
A new team roping organization formed recently in Texas is the first
ever to sanction events using a format based on both performance and
time.
The National Team Roping Horse Association will hold lucrative events
nationwide using a unique maneuver-based and time-to-points conversion
system. The company also tracks lifetime earnings and genetics of rope
horses – a component that’s long been the foundation of other equine
sports such as racing and cutting.
“In a nutshell, our objectives are to make rope horses worth more money
and provide a way for rope-horse enthusiasts to earn more money,” said
co-founder and vice president Darlene Miller. “Team roping is one of
the largest demographics in the equine industry, but rope horses have
been left behind in the lucrative Western performance-horse market.”
Rope horses of all breeds and experience levels are eligible for
competition, and the NTRHA’s 2009 schedule includes major events such
as a 5-year-old Futurity, Sweepstakes for 6- and 7-year-olds, and an
8-and-over Challenge, in addition to its World Championships. The
events, along with a first-of-its-kind breeder’s incentive for rope
horses, are designed to bring additional exposure to breeders, trainers
and owners. As a result, organizers expect to see team roping horse
ownership increase along with the value and desirability of rope horses
from all backgrounds.
For ropers, the NTRHA offers five levels at which to compete, including
Open, Limited Open, Non Pro, Amateur and Novice Amateur, with
classification changes based solely on dollars won. In addition, they
offer a Senior division and Youth classification further broken down
into age divisions and Open, Non Pro and Amateur levels.
Traditionally, breed-registry shows have featured team roping runs
where horses are judged and awarded points only, while rodeos and
jackpots have paid team ropers based on times alone. The NTRHA aims to
promote a rope horse that has all the right moves while still rewarding
its rider for a fast run.
“This will bridge the gap between the horse show and jackpot roping
worlds,” said NFR heeler and rope-horse trainer Shot Branham. “Instead
of training for either shows or jackpots, we can produce horses that
are good enough to win on regardless of where they go.”
Part of what makes the NTRHA unique, Miller said, is that while
cutters, reiners and working-cow-horse competitors don’t necessarily
cross over into each other’s disciplines, a great number of them also
rope.
“We can touch everybody,” she says. “And our affiliate program will
take our format to the grassroots level so that, in this age of high
fuel prices, people can get out there with their families and enjoy the
day without breaking the bank.”
American Quarter Horse Association champion Shawn Darnell said the
concept has been a long time coming. “It will increase the value of
horses and give us more places to show, allowing us to actually make
money for our customers,” he said.
By the same token, the new entity gives timed-event cowboys a way to
supplement their incomes away from the highway by training rope horses
for a variety of customers who can recover that training expense.
“This will put a more concrete value on team roping horses for buyers
and sellers,” said 11-time NFR heeler Britt Bockius. “Now it’s ‘may the
best horse win.’ I think that’s important. That’s how it should be, you
know? The best horses should win.”
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