Ringing in the New Year with the Top 10 Team Roping Stories in 2020

You read them, and we're sharing them. Here's the top 10 team roping stories of the year in 2020.

It’s no doubt that the year of 2020 was one of the toughest years ropers have seen. But despite the tough year, team ropers still managed to practice their heading, tune up on catching two feet, continue to enter select team roping events and have a good time while doing so. Thank you to The Team Roping Journal Magazine’s readers for continuing to follow the sport we know and love. Here are the top 10 stories from TRJ:

10. Crossfire Calls: The Toughest Team Roping Call

The dreaded flag-out for a crossfire is one of the toughest calls in team roping, and Julie Mankin outlined the call after Steven and Jason Duby were flagged out on February 18, 2020, during the second round of the Semi-Finals at the San Antonio Rodeo.

The steer’s weight is on its right leg, signaling it has completed the switch.//Robby Freeman, Bull Stock Media Courtesy WCRA

9. REMEMBERING COWBOY CASEY CORDELL, 1967 – 2020

The rodeo family mourned the sudden loss of 1990 National Finals Rodeo cowboy Casey Cordell on July 24, 2020, from a sudden heart attack.

8. Blasingame Recovering After Cutting Off Finger Tip in San Antonio; Expects to Rope at Houston

Ty Blasingame, a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier, cut off the tip of his right-hand ring finger in the third round of his set at the 2020 San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo.

7. Global Handicaps Assigns No. 8 to First Female Roper

History was made in 2020 as Whitney DeSalvo was announced as the first female to ever receive a No.8 Global Handicaps number.

6. Size Matters: Insights on Head Horse Size

We tapped some of the winningest headers of all time to share insights on the head horse size.

5. Thanks for the Ride, Paint! Begay Says Goodbye to His Game Changer.

Derrick Begay, a fan-favorite header, laid his great horse Paint, the horse that was a game changer to Begay’s career, to rest.

4. Life After Rodeo with Derrick Begay

Begay also has faced some life changes in 2020. The eight-time NFR header is now a stay-at-home dad to his and fifiancée, Justine’s baby girl Brindle Mae.

3. $2,700-Craigslist Mount Carries Lord Across a Decade to First NFR in 2020

We saw Levi Lord rope at his first Wrangler NFR in 2020, where he qualified with his 23-year-old heel horse that was purchase off of Craigslist.

2. Dear Sports Media: Here’s What We Wish You Knew About Madison Bumgarner’s Team Roping Habit

Before the world stopped team roping was getting a lot of national attention as major league baseball player Madison Bumgarner’s big secret leaked out. Madison Bumgarner—a.k.a. MadBum—and his alias, Mason Saunders. The Team Roping Journal Magazine’s editor Chelsea Shaffer shared a primer on all things team roping.