Dear Roper,
A trip to Arizona might just be the easiest sell of anything in the team roping industry. Ropers are suckers for great horses, jackpots aplenty, freshly groomed arenas and maybe a cold beer or two. And there’s nowhere like Arizona for all of that.
If you love stepping out of your living quarters trailer in your slippers and pajamas to feed your horses early in the morning, while the dew settles on the arena; making friends over coffee in your lawn chair with your neighbors in the next RV plug-in; spending the day going from jackpot to jackpot; and the nights at your favorite family-friendly Mexican joint—then Arizona is for you.
[READ MORE: Why Arizona Has Become Home to The Snowbirds]
[READ MORE: Winter Warriors: Women of Arizona]
The teams at the World Series of Team Roping, USTRC and NTR get that, too. They’ve designed their roping schedules to accommodate the snowbirds, and other producers—those with legacy status in AZ—too. The jackpotting is like no other here, with something for every age, skill and budget. Contributing writer Julie Mankin does a heck of a job breaking all of that down by region, starting on page 12.
[READ MORE: Arizona Evolution: How Arizona Became the Hot Spot For Team Roping]
Roping legends are a dime a dozen here, and chances are you’ll run into a gold buckle or two during your stay. Kendra Santos, our senior editor, dutifully shares the list of icons who’ve called Arizona home over the years, on page 51.
Need to stay mounted for all the runs you’re going to make? We’ve got you covered there, too. Check out a wrap-up of where to buy that next great one, and when, on page 46.
[READ MORE: Vet Trends: Arizona Travel]
Let us know what you think of our second stab at this Arizona Guide. Last year, the American Horse Publications voted this the top Custom Publication industry-wide. We sure hope we’ve outdone ourselves this time around.
Safe travels south,
