More than 600 roping teams converged upon Ponoka for a World Series of Team Roping qualifying event, May 8 to 10 at the Calnash Ag Event Centre.
“There’s some from the (United) States, B.C., Saskatchewan and Alberta,” said producer Ray Lane.
Lane says the event holds to a handicapped system that allows teams and ropers to compete against others close to their own caliber. “It equalizes everybody’s chance to win some money,” he explained.
Ropers sit on a scale of one to 10, 10 being in the elite, the scores of the two ropers on a team are added together and that gives them their class.
Lane says while the World Series qualifier had no 10s in attendance but there were some eights and nines. “They’re very good,” he added.
At the qualifier there was approximately $160,000 up for grabs, according to Lane.
While the qualifier was well attended by ropers of all skill levels, it’s the Las Vegas finals they are all gunning for.
“This is the 10th year,” said Lane. “It’s a really big roping event, the third highest paying equine event in the world.”
Over the course of the three days, the teams had a chance at three long gos and a short go. “If they miss one, they’re out,” said Lane.
For teammates Kevin Slot and Dustin Hummer, both from Longview, they are hoping to make it to Las Vegas. “I’ve been down to watch it a bunch of times, but I’ve never qualified for it. That would be the ultimate goal,” said Slot.
Together the two compete in class nine and Hummer says, for him, the attraction to the sport is the money.
“Not many people do this for a living,” said Hummer. Both men agree it is the world’s best ropers who are able to make a full time job out of the sport.
Slot and Hummer hit three to four rodeos and jackpots per month to keep their hobby lucrative.