Jorge Jauregui Marrufo and Jose Rodriguez claimed victory at the Ariat World Series of Team Roping Finale, taking top honors in the Ariat WSTR #14.5 Apex Next Evolution Finale with a total time of 26.87 seconds on four head, earning them a whopping $162,000 payday. 

Both trainers for Las Tunas Cattle Company—the official ranch of the Ariat World Series of Team Roping—Marrufo and Rodriguez achieved their win on a pair of 5-year-old horses that played a crucial role in their success. 

“We have confidence in those horses,” Rodriguez shared. “When I worked that horse in Las Tunas, moving cattle and ranching every day, I knew it was something special, and he showed that today.” 

The cowboys from Seminole, Texas, and El Paso, Texas, respectively, Marrufo, 51, and Rodriguez, 27, approached the Finale with a simple yet effective strategy: rope all four steers. They clocked runs of 7.04, 5.76, 6.54, and 7.53 seconds. 

All Ariat WSTR Finale XVIII Champions

“We had luck on all four steers,” Rodriguez said. “They were the perfect steers for us. It’s all God’s plan, and I’m so thankful we succeeded today…Before I back into the box, I thank God. He has the plans for us, and today, it all came together.” 

Look for the full story on the #14.5 Apex Finale coming in the February issue of The Team Roping Journal.