After seeing the payouts of the National Nine and National Eight the past two years, I’ve had a lot of requests from the higher-number ropers for the NTR to include a division for them also to compete for $100,000.

In 2016 I’m going to add a National 12, a roping—that like the other NTR Nationals Finales—will be guaranteed to pay $100,000 for first. I used the basic format of RFD-TV’S The American and how it qualifies its contestants as the foundation for the format of the National 12 program. For those of you who don’t know, The American, held the past two years in the Dallas Cowboy’s Stadium, is a single rodeo that pays each event champion $100,000!

The National 12 format will be different from the National Nine and Eight qualifiers. We have come up with a program that will allow large, on-site payoffs, and additionally give the ropers a chance to win $100,000 at the National 12 Finale. Below you will be able to familiarize yourself with some of the basic rules for the National 12 program. Take special notice of the 100-percent payback at the qualifying ropings and the non-progressive formats if the qualifiers have under 50 teams.

QUALIFIERS

There will be 15 qualifiers nationwide. We will take the top ten finishers from each qualifier to the NTR National Finals to compete in the National 12.

Following are some key points that sum up the qualifiers:

* $500 entry fee per man at the qualifiers.

* If less than 50 entered teams at the qualifiers, the qualifying roping will be non-progressive in the first three rounds. What that means is that if you miss, you will receive 25 seconds rather than a no-time, keeping all teams in the average. So even if you miss you still have chance to qualify in the top ten spots and thus move on to the National 12.

* Ropers may enter as many of the qualifiers as they want until a roper is qualified two times for the National 12.

* May enter each qualifier two times.

* Qualifiers are four-steer averages

* Of the $500 entry fee, 25% is paid at that qualifier event, 75% will be carried over to the National 12 Finale.

QUALFIER PAYOUTS

Team Roping Qualifying Event Payouts & Percentages:

Based upon 100 entries – 100% payout at the Qualifiers $1,000 per team ($500/man) x 100 teams x 25% = $25,000

1ST: 40% - $10,000/TEAM

2ND: 30% - $7,500/TEAM

3RD: 20% - $5,000/TEAM

4TH: 10% - $2,500/TEAM

THE NATIONAL 12 FINALE

The National 12 will consist of all qualifying teams free of entry fees. Once qualified, the team is in the Finale. The maximum number of teams that will qualify will be 150 total teams. The Finale will be a five-head roping. 

The dates for the National 12 Finale will be held on Weds, March 8th during the NTR National Finals  at Rancho Rio Arena in Wickenburg, Arizona.

RULES

1. No Stock Charges. We are doing away with ALL stock charges. This means both the Qualifiers and the Finale will have 100% payback. ($250 of the entry fee will be paid back at each qualifier in it's entirety (100%), and the remaining $750 will be paid back 100% at the Finale.)  

2. No Age Cap. There will no longer be any age caps in the National 12.

3. Limited Direct Entry. At some of the the earlier qualifiers there were only a couple of teams that qualified for the Finale, in those cases we are opening up the remaining positions to direct entry. There are only 15 spots currently available. The direct entry fee will be $1,500 per man/$3,000 per team. However, in no way will the total teams in the National 12 exceed 150 teams.

4. A team may not qualify twice. However an individual contestant may qualify for National 12 Finale twice, but must be with a different partner.

5. Classifications will be powered by TRIAD.

6. If a roper’s classification changes throughout the year, then the roper has an opportunity to get a replacement partner, provided that the replacement roper has competed at an NTR event and has approval from the NTR. 

7. A current NTR membership is required to rope. 

8. Any further rules that are not addressed will be resolved by the decision of the National Team Roping Tour (NTR).