GUTHRIE, Oklahoma, April 6, 2022 – Oklahoma cowboys Jake Clay and Billie Jack Saebens came out kings of the 126 teams entered in the 45th annual Bob Feist Invitational team roping for professionals on April 2 in Guthrie, Oklahoma. They came from third high callback to take the $150,000 victory lap after roping six steers in 47.11 seconds. Reserve champs James Arviso and Josh Patton were edged by just one-tenth of a second on six to split $100,000.
A day prior, roping legends Speed Williams and Matt Sherwood brought their best game to the world-famous Lazy E Arena to win the inaugural BFI Legends roping on April 1, worth $40,000. Eight-time champ of the world Williams, 54, headed for two-time world heading titlist Sherwood, 52, as one of 34 teams competing that treated the crowd to a sweet real-time walk down memory lane.
“Are you kidding me, I won $20,000 for roping with Speed Williams?” Sherwood grinned at roping’s end. “I’ve never run a steer with the best header in the world that ever lived. To be able to keep my composure and do my job is very rewarding to me personally. What a fun situation to find myself in.”
The additional amateur ropings that make up Wrangler BFI Week paid four other teams sixfigure checks, in addition to the top two teams in the actual BFI. Texans Chick Wilfong and Todd Thompson roped four steers in 32.58 seconds to win the 12.5 Oilfield Classic and split $180,000, while reserve champs Tim Robinson and Jerry Skaggs earned $120,000. Then, Rusty Goforth’s and Andy Anaya’s win in the 11.5 Businessman’s roping in 34.19 seconds let them split $140,000. Plus, the champs of the 10.5 roping, Manuel Rocha and Stephen Stewart, split $120,000 for roping four head in 34.53 seconds, and they won the 9.5 Incentive, too, for another $20,000 total.
The Charlie 1 Horse All-Girl Team Roping saw Hope Thompson and Whitney DeSalvo win the average for the second time in three years, worth $20,000, while Kersti Passig and Lenay Willie won the 9.5 Incentive to split $7,500. Finally, 18-year-old breakaway roper Josie Conner took home $11,000 for winning the Charlie 1 Horse Breakaway for her threehead time of 12.59 seconds.
For detailed results, please visit http://www. bfiweek.com.