Guy “The Legend” Allen’s gold buckle count is second only to Trevor Brazile’s. The 18-time world champion has won it all in his ProRodeo Hall of Fame steer roping career. But last night was one for the team roping record books, when Allen heeled for friend and neighbor Chris Torres to win the #9.5 roping at the Ariat World Series of Team Roping, and the $195,000 per man biggest checks in team roping history. The Cross Plains, Texas cowboys were the high team back out of 683 teams, and roped four steers in 34.95 to close the historic deal.
“I cried,” said the heeling half of Team #258. “All I ever wanted was to be a cowboy and rope. Making a living roping is hard. I haven’t team roped in 18 years, since my last world championship year in 2004. And I never team roped much, because roping steers was how I made my living and I didn’t want to sacrifice any part of that. I’ve never come to this (World Series Finale). I wanted to come, but I didn’t have the money.”
Allen called it a Christmas miracle that he caught four steers in a row.
“I’ve heeled all my life, I just haven’t caught very many steers at that end,” Guy grinned. “I’ve never worked at my heeling, and I’ve been lucky to catch four steers at a jackpot if I was entered four times.
“People who’ve seen me heel know how shocking this is. There’s no telling what the World Series will make off of me winning this much money heeling. I can hear them all saying, ‘If he can do it, I surely can, too.’”
Allen, 64, was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs in 1996, and was just last month inducted into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. He and Torres qualified for the Finale with their $6,000 per man win at the October qualifier in Andrews, Texas, which was the last-chance event to make the cut to rope in Vegas. They’ve practiced together a little at home. Now this.
“The biggest check of my career before this was winning $26,000 for second at the Timed Event (at the Lazy E Arena) behind Paul Tierney one year,” Guy said. “I headed for Paul there that year, he rode my tripping horse and it was pretty cool that we finished 1-2.
“I don’t know how to put words on this win. I realized I was roping in a big team roping, but I didn’t realize it was the biggest one ever. I’m going to try to use this money wisely. I have some bills, and I just bought a horse that I have to pay for. I wanted to do my best, I did and that’s always a great feeling. This is a life-changing win.”
