Anyone hanging around Wickenburg in December has watched the talent level of
today’s teenage team ropers from across the country go through the roof. That’s partly
because of the Hooey Jr. BFI, according to California’s Bert McGill.
McGill, who runs an arena-management company, roped at the BFI itself multiple
times in the past. But this year, he said a huge group of California teenagers will skip
high school rodeos to hit Guthrie for the Jr. BFI on Mar. 27-28.
“There are no events for kids that pay like that one,” said McGill. “Those kids won
$50,000 a man last year, and it’s a great format. The fees aren’t crazy-expensive – they
get to go three times in the 10.5 and in the Open, so there are lots of chances at that big
money. And it’s not top-loaded.”
Last year, maybe eight or 10 west-coast teens went to Guthrie from California, he
said, but it will be more like 18 to 20 kids this spring. Parents will take “a pile of horses”
out there with a couple of rigs and the majority of kids will fly out, he said.
McGill did point out from Arizona this week that plenty of teenagers’ numbers are
in the middle of changing, but they’re all still going to Guthrie – it’s just whether they can
enter the 10.5 or just the Open. His 17-year-old son Wayce is a junior, a straight 5,
who’s home-schooled for the first time this year.
“There are a group of kids in California that rope really, really good,” McGill said.
“They’re all good friends. But from out there, we have to travel to get these kids to
bigger events.”
Last summer, he and other parents took a group and were gone for almost seven
weeks to places like the Best of the Best in Gallup, the International Youth Finals in
Shawnee, the NHSFR in Rock Springs and the World Championship Junior Rodeo in
Guthrie. This year, they’ll add in the Jr. BFI and maybe Tyler Wade’s World Youth Team
Roping Championships.
“These kids work at it and are competitive, so you know what, if they can do it,
we’ll try to make it work,” said McGill. “What the BFI has done creating an event for kids
that rope good – really for all level of youth ropers – it’s a really big thing.”
