I hope you are enjoying this time of the year.  June 1 is one of my favorite milestones of the year.  To me, June 1 means the start of the summer, lots of sunshine, kids home from school, and family vacations. 

We published our first edition of the ARENA and you should have received your issue in the mail.    We have been working on it for the past month and I hope you like the premier edition.  The next issue will be out the first of August.

Our inaugural season ended March 8 at the NTR National Finals and I couldn’t be more pleased. What an exciting, electrifying culmination to a year of anticipation during the finale of the NATIONAL NINE! For an introductory, experimental idea, the finale certainly didn’t disappoint!

Two hundred twenty one teams, a payout that hit $310,000 with Trace Steele and Tamara Mann winning first and taking home $100,000, saddles and buckles! The roping and especially the short go was awesome. Nothing fell apart. Every bleacher was packed and standing room only for viewing.

It may have taken some time for ropers to understand just what all was up for grabs.   That for $100 entry fee you could qualify to rope at the National Nine Finale with NO ADDITIONAL ENTRY FEE and that $100,000 was guaranteed for the winning team at the Finale.   

I am excited about the success of the National Nine and have added a National Eight for the 2016 Tour. I want every roper to have the chance to win the big money without having to pay big money to do it.

Our National Eight will have the same format as the National Nine qualifiers, but capped at a 4 Elite. Two 4 Elites cannot rope together.  I anticipate that the National Eight Finale will likely be the highest paying Eight roping ever held!

The 2016 NTR National Finals will be March 6-13 at Rancho Rio in Wickenburg, Arizona. We have a full schedule of ropings this summer, including new events in Colorado, North Dakota and Idaho. For more information on the National Team Roping Tour, go to nationalteamroping.com

Thank you for roping with us in our first year and I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming ropings. Come get qualified for the National Nine & now the National Eight, the Big Money - Low Entry Fee Ropings!

TY YOST