-- The 29th Annual George Strait Team Roping Classic (GSTRC) is scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday, March 11 & 12, 2011 at the San Antonio Rose Palace in San Antonio, Texas. The event, which originated as a small family roping by George and his brother Buddy in 1982, has grown into the most prestigious open Team Roping competition in the country. The GSTRC has become the premiere open in the sport with hundreds of thousands of dollars up for grabs each year.
The GSTRC consistently attracts the biggest names in the sport each year including past GSTRC champions Jake Long, Coleman Proctor, Brad Culpepper, Jake Barnes, Speed Williams, Rich Skelton, Tyler Magnus, Clay O'Brien Cooper, Allen Bach, Matt Tyler, Nick Sartain and Jhett Johnson.
The GSTRC is not just for the big names however. As an open roping, ropers of all levels may compete alongside each other for a chance at the big winnings. In 2010, nearly 500 teams competed for nearly $700,000 in cash and prizes. Heeler Jake Long and Header Coleman Proctor walked away with the Champions title along with $79,815 each. In addition to the cash, they each won a custom painted GSTRC Championship Chevy Silverado Dually from Cavender Chevrolet (Boerne, TX), a Strait X-treme horse slant trailer from Bruton Trailers and Twister saddles from Tractor Supply.
'We run that steer thousands of times and to come out here and do this in front of all these people and for this much money, well there just isn’t a better stage for team roping,” admits 2010 winner Proctor. 'Whether you are a fan, a part-timer, do it for fun or make a living at it there’s nothing better than this.”
'The most gratifying thing about putting on the GSTRC comes when we present the awards to the winners,' said Strait. 'The looks on their faces, the excitement and their words of appreciation make all the hard work worth every minute.'
All ropers will participate on Friday, March, 11th for cash and prizes. Following Friday's competition, the top 50 teams will come back for the final three rounds on Saturday, March 12th. Entry fee for the 29th annual George Strait Team Roping Classic will be $1000 per team. Each roper will have the opportunity to enter up to three times with different partners.
Sponsors include Hill Country Tractor, Kioti Tractor and Bill Miller Bar-B-Q.
For complete details go to www.gstrc.com.