LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- The Priefert World Series of Team Roping concluded its 11th annual record-breaking event on December 11. The World Series Grand Finale XI, held at the South Point Hotel and Casino Equestrian & Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, paid out a whopping $10,468,000 in cash and another $250,000 in prizes. An additional $1 million in prize money was paid at the qualification events held at the outside arena on the South Point grounds, to bring the week take for ropers to $11.5 Million.  The #10 Ariat Finale tied last years single division record paying $2,040,000.

This year's WSTR Finale brought over 3,800 contestants to Las Vegas, the direct result of over 100,000 teams competing in 140 sanctioned events during the year in the United States, Canada, Australia, Italy, Mexico, Brazil and the Czech Republic competing for over $34 million is payouts. In the last ten years WSTR has awarded over $64 million to Las Vegas Finale contestants.

RIDE-TV will air five one-hour telecasts of the short rounds to be telecast on DISH TV during the coming year. The sport of Team Roping boasts the largest economical component of the recreational horse world, producing over $65,000,000 in purses each year. Excluding horse racing, the combined purses of the various team roping associations surpass all other horse events combined. The World Series of Team Roping Finale is the richest, and most prestigious event to showcase the sport. The event will return to the South Point Hotel & Casino, December 11, 2017.

#15 WSTR Finale XI

Total Purse: $766,000
Brenten Hall, Jay, OK, and Jake Clay Cooper, Sapulpa, OK
First place earnings: $150,000; Winning time: 26.57 on four steers

The #15 Division is the only World Series Finale division that does not have an age cap. Obviously, in this highest skill level event, everyone in this roping ropes well and it was filled to the brim with 8, 8E, 9  and 10 ropers. But when it was all said and done, two Oklahoma 17-year-olds got the big check.  While they've both roped on big stages before (Hall won the 12 Shoot-Out at the USTRC Finals last October) , the massive crowd they faced when riding out for the short round was enough to surprise Clay, but evidently it didn't rattle him. From the second call back they needed a 7.1 to take the lead, they promptly posted a 5.9.

#13 WSTR Finale XI

Total Purse: $1,496,000
J.R..Wood, Sinton, TX, and Shane T. Brown, Robstown, TX.
First place earnings: $254,000; Winning time: 29.65 on four steers

Most of the Finale short rounds presented some clear front runners who held their positions to the last steer. Wood and Brown on the other hand, who usually rope methodically, came out and attacked the final fourth steer. The six-second run from the 6th call back position was good enough to apply more pressure than the front teams could stand. When the Finale ended their move to first represented the largest position move for a win in 2016.

The duo entered every jackpot between Texas and Las Vegas trying to be prepared for South Point and somewhere along the way they felt like they just started clicking.  "All week long we just felt like we were on it, and it is great when you have that feeling." J.R Wood who owns a pipeline inspection company was paired with Shane Brown who won the Heartland #13 last year. Of course Shane, a branch manager for Texas Farm Credit had a big motivation for doing good in Vegas, he watched his brother Scott win the #11 in Vegas in 2014.

#12 Allways Auto Group WSTR Finale XI

Total Purse: $1,792,000
Jason Williams, Laveen, AZ and Robert Reynoso, Gilbert, AZ
First place earnings: $304,000; Winning time: 30.55 seconds on four steers

Jason Williams is not an unknown in central AZ and even placed at the BFI, but up to this point, the farmer, horse and cowman had failed to draw a aggregate check at the  WSTR Finale. That ended this year.   Reynoso, on the other hand, has been attending the WSTR Finales since the beginning and won a big check in 2010 placing third in the #13 roping to pocket $90,000. But times have been tough on Robert who suffered injuries in two disastrous horse wrecks. The restaurant owner was hopeful that the 2016 version would change his luck, and that it did!  The duo drew well and roped the first three to find themselves 22 on three; they were high call with a full second advantage over the second call back.  They needed a 8.3 second round to win and their 7.6 fourth steer was more than enough to get them the big check.

#11 Bloomer Trailers WSTR Finale XI

Total Purse: $1,738,000
Brian Wright, Hallsville, TX and Combine, TX, Milton Aguilera
First place earnings: $289,000; Winning time: 31.84 on four steers

Brian Wright is a heavy equipment operator in a coal mine in east Texas, and had to give up roping for 12 years. But his occupation gave him plenty of time to think about roping and not only think about it, make a historic comeback. If you're going to make a comeback then why not do it with a young guy who just turned 21. This was the first visit to Vegas for  Milton Aguilera who turned 21 earlier this year. The young man is a salesman for Trent Ward Saddlery, and according to Wright is cool and unflappable.  Being a little rusty and a little young wasn't a problem for this team. They roped their high call steer in 7.64 to hold the lead and walk out with $289,000.

#10 Yeti WSTR Finale XI

Total Purse: $2,040,000
David R. Hull, Wilson, OK, and Samuel Luchsinger, Atoka, OK
First place earnings: $348,000; Winning time: 34.77 on four steers

Even though rancher Samuel Luchsinger had the hot hand all day, the tale that David Hull told over the PA had everyone laughing and shaking their heads. Three wrecks in one day, and still wins the big check. On the third steer in arena two, Hull, after the run was over slipped a stirrup and fell off in the arena, only to be clothes lined by his horse and the steer, still managed to get a clean call.  Then in the short round Hull got three fingers under the dally, but finished the run, "hoping the flagger would drop the flag before his fingers were cut." During the victory lap his head horse got a little too excited, grabbed the bit and ran off.  "I wondered if I would be the first champion to die on the victory lap before I got a check?" Then his partner had to remind him that his head horse had just carried him to a $174,000 pay day. The pig farmer, quickly remembered his horse, Virtues."  Actually credit goes to the duo roping a very nice 8.81 second steer in the short round to move them from 4th to 1st place.

#9 AIPC Energy WSTR Finale XI

Total Purse: $1,708,000
Chelsea Gainey, Jonesville, LA, and Tillman Saucier, St Amant, LA
First place earnings: $284,000; Winning time: 35.65 on four steers

Something you don't see very often in a #9 team roping, a leg on the first steer for 13.70, 6.99 second steer, a 6.06 third steer to enter the short round as high call.  Six-second runs are kind of unheard of in the #9 even with the soft start and perfect cattle. Finishing with an 8.9 short round time, the team ran away with the #9. Tillman Saucier admits that he likes to throw on the first hop, "Some days it works and lots of days it doesn't." This was obviously one of those days when it did. Chelsea on the other hand was somewhat surprised at the fast pace.  "I don't rope like that and was pretty shocked to be high call." But make no mistake, Gainey, who is a horse farrier helper said, "I didn't put up the big fees and drive 1,600 miles not to win a check.  I had a great partner and knew if he was having one of his days we could win some big money."  Tillman who is a pipe welder never had any doubt that Chelsea would turn all four.

#8 WSTR Finale XI

Total Purse: $928,000
Michael Zamzow, Whitney, TX and Derek Pierce, Axtell, TX
First place earnings: $150,000; Winning time: 42.40 seconds on four

It is only fitting that in the first year of the full fledged #8 Finale, that the team who won it would be on their first trip to Vegas.  Michael Zamzow is a 23 year old lineman with Hillco Electric, paired up with Derek Pierce after they qualified at the Stephenville #8 Heartland. Michael Zamzow, even though he had just won the #8 and pocketed $75,000, was quick to mention his hog hunting dogs and his "other" recreation. Pierce on the other hand couldn't contain his excitement about his team roping win and seemed gratified in his accomplishment. Admitting that 2016 was the best roping season of his life as he explained his long hard journey to the pay window. "I started off as a left hander heeler and nearly cut a finger off when I first converted to my right hand." The commercial roofer said his training curve had taken nearly eight years to arrive at a place where he felt comfortable with the rope in his other hand. On this day the team roped great and won the $150,000 with a little over 10 seconds per steer. Derek and wife Jana's twin boys, at four years old and one year old  brother Trevor are too young to remember but Jana will have the video saved for the day to share this memorable experience.

Press Release and Pictures Provided Courtesy of World Series of Team Roping