Dick Yates qualified for 13 Wrangler National Finals Rodeos, and in his 85 years he’s seen team roping go from a second-class, amateur sport to the richest event in all of the Western performance world. And along the way, he’s led his family—late wife Jan, son, J.D., daughter Kelly, and grandson, Trey—to become one of team roping’s powerhouse dynasties.

In this interview from a Roping.com shoot, Dick Yates muses about all the changes he’s seen in the sport as its evolved. He talks about how things have changed, how his roping has adapted and how the horsemanship he has shared with his family has helped them stay ahead of the game.

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