For the first time in eleven years, a lucrative stand-alone steer roping will be held at the Lazy E Arena, which was built by Ed Gaylord in 1984 specifically to host the PRCA’s National Finals of Steer Roping.
The sport’s premier Finals was held there for sixteen years, then returned to Guthrie for five more years until support from Boyd Gaming meant it moved it to their property in Kansas in 2014. On the heels of 2024 Wrangler BFI Week presented by Yeti, Ullman Peterson Events will produce a new four-head steer roping on April 6 at 10 a.m.
“Our BFI Week has the Lazy E busting at the seams, it’s grown so much,” said Daren Peterson, who with co-owner Corky Ullman moved the prestigious Bob Feist Invitational and its accompanying team ropings from Reno, Nevada, to Guthrie during the pandemic. “We love the demand, and it made sense to add a weekend to allow for growth and create shorter days during BFI Week. It’s a great opportunity to fill that, now, with the event that is truly showcased in that arena.”
The best steer ropers in the world, many of whom hail from Oklahoma, will be gunning for Gist buckles, $10,000 cash added by Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, and a custom Veach trophy saddle, thanks to Clark Quarter Horses and Veach Saddlery. A calcutta will be hosted Friday night, April 5, at the Gold Buckle Cantina inside the Lazy E at 7 p.m.
The steer roping will follow a new two-day barrel race produced by Wild West Promotions. They are two of several new events recently added inside the world’s largest indoor equestrian arena, which still hosts the Timed Event Championship of the World and now includes the Barrel Futurities of America (BFA) World Championships, the World Championship Junior Rodeo, the Platinum Medal Roping Futurity, and the WCRA’s Stampede at the E.
“We have a number of improvements taking place over the next 12-18 months,” said Lazy E General Manager Dan Wall. “We’re adding some new permanent stalls and a 30,000-square-foot multipurpose building to house trade shows and horse sales, plus we’ll add a new office building for event producers, and a new shower and restroom facility.”
To download entry forms for the steer roping (due March 1) or for more details, visit www.bfiweek.com.
