If this is your first time to Wickenburg, Ariz., I want to welcome you. If you’ve been here before, welcome back. Wickenburg has quickly become the “Team Roping Capital of the World.” In part, because of its friendly winter climate, but more than that it offers an incredible number of weekly ropings—over 25 each week, on average! With its small town western hospitality, I cannot image a better place to host “The Horse Sale at Rancho Rio” and the National Team Roping’s National Finals II.
This guide is filled with useful information to help you enjoy your week in Wickenburg. Included is the sale catalog for the second annual The Horse Sale at Rancho Rio. We have 57 top-notch performance horses on consignment for every level of roper. If you missed the sale last year, it was something. We will once again be erecting an 80’ x 100’ tent, hanging chandeliers from the ceiling and bringing in the best auctioneer in the business, Steve Friskup. It’s guaranteed to be the most-fun three hours a performance horse lover would want.
The horse sale preview will be held in the Kimes Ranch Wear Arena at Rancho Rio on Wednesday, March 9 at 3:30 p.m. New this year, we will we hang a sizeable big screen in the sale ring to replay the horse preview from the previous day while the horses sell. To help reconcile last year’s standing-room-only problem, we will be selling a limited number of VIP tickets to guarantee you a premium spot to watch the sale. You will be able to purchase those tickets at the Rancho Rio entry office.
The second NTR National 12 qualifier (for 2017) will be held on Tuesday March 8, during the Finals. It’s my guess that the early qualifiers will be the easier ones in which to qualify for the Finale. As the inaugural 2017 National 12 Finale draws closer, and ropers realize that they only have to compete against a maximum of 150 teams for the $100,000 first place monies, the teams at the qualifiers will get larger. If you are not yet familiar with the National 12 format, there are two full pages enclosed detailing the program.
In its second year, the NTR’s National 9 and National 8 Finales will each have payoffs that will put them in the top three or four ropings in their respective divisions in the ENTIRE team roping industry! Most impressive, we will have accomplished that feat with a fraction of the entry fees typical seen at high paying ropings.
I’m looking forward to seeing everyone gathered together in Wickenburg, for a fun-filled week. Please join us for The Horse Sale at Rancho Rio and all the action of the NTR National Finals II.
