Team roping champion, instructor and entrepreneur Bret Beach has teamed up with Denny Gentry, who is akin to the godfather of modern team roping (founder of the United States Team Roping Championships and World Series of Team Roping) in another stellar concept—Junior NFR Team Roping. Since both men are exceptional at making dreams become reality, we can expect that this new venture will allow the next generation’s dreams to come true as well.
Beach, who has qualified for the NFR in both heading and heeling, founded Total Team Roping (TTR, www.totalteamroping.com), a Web site where members can receive personalized coaching from top pros. Business minded Gentry told Beach that Las Vegas Events wanted to do a Junior NFR, and was convinced TTR would be the perfect platform. Consequently, two years ago, a whole new opportunity for young ropers materialized.
“The first year, we just had to come up with something quick and see how it worked, and it was very well received,” Beach recalled. “This year (2017) we had maybe 25 qualifiers all year, and the event in Las Vegas and the feedback was outstanding. Momentum is crazy. This year, I tried to get roping producers around the United States to add qualifiers to their existing events,” he explained. “Initially, they missed the point that I wasn’t asking for a separate roping, and that I was trying to do something for the kids—build something for the next generation—so about 90 percent of the producers weren’t interested. But late in the year they started to understand, and wanted to get on board as they saw the profitability in what we are doing for kids.”
Beach said the Junior NFR Team Roping is now becoming a “big deal, fast” and the goal is to provide kids an opportunity like they have never had before—complete with a true NFR experience, in Vegas, during the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
“You talk to the pros,” Beach said, “and they will tell you they would have given anything to have this chance at a big finals, money and prizes when we all started out.”
The fledgling event already has an impressive lineup of sponsors and prize money, and Beach is working tirelessly to keep the opportunities coming. He is striving to offer $100,000 added money in the future, and sponsorships to pay entry fees—just like the real NFR.
Moving forward, look for qualifiers attached to the USTRC ropings, World Series of Team Roping events, and some stand-alone qualifiers. Age groups are 15 and under, and 16-19, and the two divisions are the 10 Handicap (with no cap) and the Open. Ropers can qualify for both divisions. Just like a PRCA NFR-qualification, the top 15 money earners will qualify for Vegas.
“Denny and I knew that the handicapped system brought team roping to the next level. So, I suggested a 10 Handicap with no cap. A kid that is a number two can rope with a kid that is an eight and they can rope in the 10. This will really balance things out, because so many kids are fours or fives. They can still rope in the open; they can qualify in both divisions,” he explained.
“We want an event that can offer enough money to change a kid’s life,” he continued. “Kids will have an opportunity to run at good money throughout the year, but now there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow as well. We plan to take this concept and blow it up to proportions nobody saw coming,” Beach said.
Note: Stay tuned to totalteamroping.com for upcoming information on qualifying events, structure, membership information and more.
