Back in the 1990s, brothers Kevin and Richie Pate, along with their friend, Guy Alford, were looking for a better-quality rope to use at roping's. The pickings were slim, so the threesome decided if they wanted something done to their standards, they needed to do it themselves.
The Pate Brothers bought a single rope machine, and Lone Star Ropes was born in an old barn on the Pates' ranch in Buffalo, Texas. With Alford masterminding rope design, the company has continued to grow ever since and is now an elite provider of ropes in the industry.
"We have some of the most state-of-the-art machines in our shop and some of the most innovative technology I've ever seen at a rope company," said Jordan Fabrizio, who does the company's marketing and sales. "They just wanted to be a part of the industry and grow it, too. If they're going to do anything, they're going to do it to the best of their abilities, and that carried over into the culture of Lone Star Ropes, as well."
With its entrepreneurial spirit, Lone Star Ropes has worked to evolve the traditional rope, utilizing new and different technologies to create the best product possible. The new ropes are tested daily by ropers, then taken apart to see what worked and what didn't.
"Guy is always willing to try new things," Fabrizio said. "I think having that mentality and not being so boxed in, we're willing to take risks, and some of them have paid off."
Being ropers themselves, Alford and the Pate family are able to work with others in the industry and adapt with the times. The company is excited to reveal some new products in 2021, including expanding in the breakaway market and the team roping market. They've also got some other new additions to their product line coming up the pipeline soon that will help them grow and evolve with their customers.
"We're constantly working to make it better and constantly working to perfect it and fine-tune it," Fabrizio said. "I know perfection isn't attainable, but it's something we strive to get pretty close to."
