Bubba Paschal might be a WNFR-qualifying tie-down roper, but since 1997, his main focus has been P&P Trailer Sales, the largest dealer of Bloomer Trailers in the world. With his full schedule traveling between P&P’s six locations to manage a few thousand trailer sales annually, Paschal hasn’t been able to devote the time to the art of roping—calves or steers—that he’d like. So, when he gets a chance to swing a leg over a horse and rope for tens of thousands of dollars, he makes it count. That’s why he and partner Kenny Kyle won the Wildfire Businessman’s #11 in 35.84 seconds on four head, splitting $75,000.
“I never had this big of a payday when I was rodeoing,” said Paschal, who rode a 17-year-old gelding named Bulldog to the win. “I’ve won Reno and won second at Calgary but no, nothing even close to this. Whenever we won that, three of the four were neck loops. I haven’t overcome that yet. My handles aren’t the best, but I tell ‘em, ‘Hey, you’re on your own. When I catch ’em they’re loose.’”
Paschal enters the bigger team roping jackpots when he can, but he spends most of his time building his business on the Golden Rule.
“I’ve got good people, that’s what makes our business successful,” Paschal said. “Everybody is tied to the Western industry, whether it’s rodeo or horse shows or whatever. We’re trying to build a company on the principle of treating people how we want to be treated.
Billy Pipes began the Businessman’s Roping at the Wildfire Arena before the World Series of Team Roping came to be as a way to allow working men and women a chance to put up their hard earned money and rope.
“The kids’ numbers are so hard to track because they’re learning so fast,” explained Pipes. “So we wanted to take the kids out of the equation and give the adults an even playing field.”
The Businessman’s caps off a weekend filled with high-caliber roping and big payouts. First is the Sponsor ProAm, followed by the All-Girl and the Wildfire Open to the World. The whole weekend in Salado feels like a family reunion, with sponsors getting the chance to participate in at least two of the four ropings for the weekend, Pipes added.
“So many of our sponsors get to rope in both the ProAm and the Businessman’s,” Pipes said. “We have a great group of sponsors, more like a family or a fraternity and sorority really. We don’t lose sponsors and we turn down some, because our group is just great. And the Businessman’s roping is a way for them to be involved, too.”
Paschal is a prime example of one of those involved in the Wildfire weekend in multiple ways. P&P Trailer Sales sponsors the Wildfire Arena, so he got to enjoy both the ProAm and the Businessman’s with Kyle, his long-time best friend.
Get to Know: Kenny Kyle
DAY JOB: I work for P&P Trailer Sales, which my partner owns. I’ve been here nine years, and I’ve known Bubba since the ’80s.
THE BOSS MAN: Bubba and I were roommates in college at McNeese State University in the early ’90s. We went to the College National Finals Rodeo twice together. We’ve been friends for 20-plus years.
THE BEGINNING: I was over in Louisiana, and Bubba had offered me a chance to get into the business years ago. But I was comfortable where I was. We were having lunch one day, and he told me I really needed to think about getting into the business. I thought about it again, and coming from a rodeo family, to be working in something that has to do with the rodeo industry, it was a pretty easy move for me. I have an 11-year-old daughter, Karli, who rodeos, and it’s great for both of us. Even when I’m not working I’m working, talking to parents at Little Britches Rodeos all over.
DAY-TO-DAY: Basically, I live in Lake Charles, La., and I work in Beaumont, Texas. I commute 65 miles each way. We are the number one Bloomer Trailer dealer in the nation, and we sell Bloomer, Lakota, Bison and Sundowner. We probably sell 100 trailers a month. It’s constant on the go, and we take 60 to 70 phone calls a day. We’ve got a great team here, it’s a well oil machined.
BEST PART ABOUT HIS DAY JOB: I just really enjoy meeting and talking with new customers. It���s pretty fulfilling when you see people start off in a smaller trailer, and as they grow they come back as repeat customers. We rodeo in Louisiana for my daughter, and when I drive to the Little Britches Finals in Colorado, to drive around and see all the P&P stickers, I can see we’re the best and it’s really rewarding. Out of every 100 trailers, 50 of them have our stickers on them.
BUSINESSMAN’S MEMORY: Billy Pipes asked what was the first thing I was thinking after we won it, and I said, “I was just glad Bubba looked over in the box and saw I was there before he nodded.”
BUSINESSMAN’S #11 SPECIAL FEES
Salado, Texas
TOTAL PAYOUT: $250,000
436 Teams
Produced by: Wildfire Arena
Date: February 8, 2015
1. Bubba Paschal / Kenny Kyle / 35.84 on four / $75,000
2. Ty McClary / Phillip James Shurden / 36.57 / $33,000
3. Tom Stamper / David Vaught / 36.78 / $23,000
4. Mike Carrell / Rey David Quinonez / 36.79 / $18,000
5. Samuel Luchsinger / Kelly Tuley / 37.05 / $14,000
Full Results
