Unless you have been notified directly, 2010 WSTR Cards will be required at WSTR ropings to collect winnings. For ropers with USTRC triad cards that do not wish to purchase WSTR cards, weekend roping permits will be sold. WSTR handicaps take priority.

Special Commentary on Classifications
By Denny Gentry


Classifications, regardless of who administers them, are an absolute necessity for any type of major or minor roping production. But as you know it has the potential to be polarizing with a tendency to build lifelong resentments and even hatred in some cases. Mix in parents and kids, age deterioration, add the tie-on question, lightly sprinkle with perception vs. reality (old reputations), stir well, and you have the recipe for a real problem.

I built the USTRC number system to control my own events. Coors, ACTRA, Rider and several other systems were operational at that time but didn’t quite fill the bill. Lets be honest, that is why Rope America, Bud Lite,West Coast, METRA, Southeast, Southwest, Wrangler and all the other systems copied my scale but did their own version so they could control their own competition. While I find it flattering that the whole roping world came along for the ride, the bottom line from day one was simply to control my business.

After all these years I haven’t changed my mind and still feel management is an essential element of any successful business. We are now dealing with 5,000 ropers and not the 100,000 from the old days. That fact makes it very easy to make the minor adjustments that make me comfortable with our competition. Is it worth the effort? In my opinion yes. Connie and I know most of you personally and are catering to an elite clientele that share our simple goals--- easier, smaller, richer ropings. Final control on classifications must be a part of our service.

Our primary effort - We will make every attempt to minimize turmoil and impact of classification for you our roping customer. We do not view ourselves as a roping association but more of a private Ropers Social Club. Once we have set the base number in our system we will be expecting you the team roper to perform the function as a Self Policing Social Club!


Thanks for Roping with Us! 

Classifications

"Our primary classification system is enter once”. Since everything in our operation points toward the Finales in Las Vegas, and Heartland that line was dusted off and reinserted here.

The handicap strategy will be very simple, and yes I freely admit“subjective”. This is a cutgate approach. Concerning heelers- if we don't believe they belong in the #10 (our bottom roping) they become 6 Plus heelers. If we don't want them in the #11 roping they will be 7 or higher. From that point we then start accessing the headers based on their winning percentages and also watch those heelers that are winners to see who the headers of preference are, to identify the pluses.

The old USTRC scale was a derivative of the old Coors scale. We were never able to determine why two numbers were added to every number on the old pre-triad scale, but the following should show you how we relate the old Pre-Triad scale to the current World Series of Team Roping Scale. We discussed going back to the abandoned scale but chose to use a 9 point scale with the #3 as a starting point to avoid confusion within the industry, and on the outside chance we eventually reach an agreement and return to Triad.

The Old USTRC Scale

1, 2, 3 was a low, medium, and high NOVICE/AMATEUR

4, 5, 6 was a low, medium, and high AMATEUR

7, 8, 9 was a low, medium, and high PROFESSIONAL

The World Series Roping Scale

3, 4, 5 is low, medium, and high NOVICE/AMATEUR

6, 7, 8 is low, medium, and high AMATEUR

9, 10, 11 is low, medium , and high PROFESSIONAL

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY - all NFR Heelers are #11.

The minor Adjustment - Plus System Classifications

Borderline ropers are ropers that have a competitive advantage at their current classification but if moved up to the next level would struggle to compete and would also have difficulty finding partners. Borderline ropers tend to find other like partners that have a competitive advantage in any division. As example two borderline #5’s roping together that belong in the #10 Division, but roping together might be much closer to a #11 team. Together they are too tough for the field and thus will have to find other partners for the #10 Division. As Pluses they must rope together in the #11 Division.

Likewise ropers demonstrating a competitive disadvantage would also move to plus status but at a lower classification. For example, A #5 heeler that would stand out as a #4 among other ropers, but as a #5 struggles to compete. This roper also has trouble finding competitive partners. The Plus System would drop this roper to a #4 Plus, which enables him or her to find better partners and be more competitive. Number six Plus ropers will not be allowed to rope in the #10 roping. The Plus system will only affect a few ropers and targets the problem directly at the source rather than exposing the entire roping community to a half number system to fix only a minority. However, the majority will benefit from the Plus System due to increased access to Plus partners.

For the past four seasons we have done our best to provide roping services for Free! That FREE concept caused us to get by handicaps as easily as we could with as little cost as possible. With limited entry at our ropings and the fact that less than 5,000 ropers are participating at qualifiers, classifications have not been that big of a deal with us in the past. But, it has become apparent over the past few months that final control on classifications is now necessary. Our organization will now be self contained and hopefully independent from all outside influences.

Starting for the 2010 season, a World Series Card will be necessary to collect winnings at all WSTR ropings. You will need to have a Card in your possession, or have submitted an application, including appropriate fees to our office or to the roping producer, prior to the event or division you are entering. We have targeted monday following Christmas as target date to begin selling classifications online here at this website. The price of the WSTR Card will be $40.00. We will also sell a $10.00 weekend permit for ropers that do not want to join, only rope.

You can print a copy from forms at the website, call our office, or enter at an event.