In 1990, there was a bold idea for a national team roping championship—an association that would attempt to handicap thousands of ropers across every state, ask them to pay higher entry fees than ever before, and allow them only one chance to enter.
The Lazy E Arena was built on a similarly bold idea: constructing a world-class arena in the middle of the country to host the National Finals Steer Roping. Neither was supposed to work. Together, they made history—and in doing so, created an industry.
That year, the United States Team Roping Championships (USTRC) and the Lazy E launched what would become a 37-year legacy built on access, family, and opportunity.
In 2027, that story comes full circle.
“I watched the very first USTRC National Finals at the Lazy E and later competed there myself, and even today I sit in the same seat with fondness, reminded of the Lazy E’s historic role in the growth of team roping,” Gary McKinney, owner of Lazy E Ranch & Arena and Reliance Ranches’ Race and Performance Horse Divisions, said.
By 2019, it had become clear that the USTRC National Finals could no longer be held during the traditional last quarter of the year, making it increasingly difficult for ropers and their families to afford attending multiple major championship events.
With no alternative dates available, the USTRC National Finals moved to a spring schedule in Fort Worth. Now, seven years later, the USTRC National Finals will return to Oklahoma and the Lazy E Arena beginning in May of 2027—reuniting history with a newly expanded venue and a reimagined championship built for the next generation of ropers.
“This is more than a return,” said John Johnson, president of the United States Team Roping Championships. “It’s a continuation of a promise that’s been kept for nearly four decades—giving everyday ropers a national stage and a championship they can truly be part of.”
The first USTRC National Finals at the Lazy E paid out $185,000 and drew ropers from 16 states, immediately proving that team roping could stand on its own as a national sport. Just as importantly, it proved that a championship didn’t have to be exclusive to professional ropers.
From the beginning, the USTRC was built on accessibility and affordability by creating pathways for ropers of all skill levels and age divisions to qualify and compete. Youth ropers, senior ropers, mixed-ability teams, and longtime partners all found a place under the same banner.
That philosophy sparked the recreational explosion of team roping, transforming it from a rodeo event into a standalone sport and a lifestyle rooted in families, friendships, and shared weekends on the road.
For 37 years, the USTRC has remained steadfast in that mission, paying out millions of dollars in cash and awards, distributing thousands of prizes, and helping put trailers, trucks, saddles, and championship buckles into the hands of everyday ropers creating an unforeseen cowboy social order built on family, friends, and lifelong partnerships.
The return of the USTRC National Finals to Oklahoma and the Lazy E Arena represents the convergence of legacy and progress.
“Oklahoma has a deep-rooted connection to Western heritage, and events like the USTRC National Finals showcase that legacy on a national stage,” said Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt. “The highly anticipated return of the competition to our state will further celebrate the longstanding traditions and spirit that make Oklahoma the heart of cowboy culture.”
“This is about honoring where we started, while staying true to who we are,” added Connie Gentry, co-founder of the United States Team Roping Championships and president of Equine Network’s Western Sports Group.
