Grady Pierce- I was hoping you might consider a suggestion I have for standardizing WS events? I notice at some WSTR qualifiers producers opt to use the priefert butt bar and some do not. There is no doubt that where the butt bars are used it is much easier for a header to get the steer set to nod to his satisfaction (being "up to the front"), and enable him to get a much more uniform start. As you know under the WS barrier getting a great roll at one could be argued to be the most important part of the whole run, especially when many of the top ropers are "going" when there chin hits there chest. Additionaly where this contraption is not in place, the chute help seems to be worked to death no end by the endless barrage of every other header riding up and saying "push 'em up". Overall it is a much more precise science for a header to get a uniform start by taking the guess work out o f whether or not the steer will back up at the last second or will the chute hand being able to hold him forward. I was wondering if you might seriously consider the possibility of a rule requiring contractors to have these contraptions in place at all events, just as it was done in standardizing the laser eye distance from the back of the box. To me at least the two things seem equally as serious in standardizing WS events and up holding the quality of WS productions which are top notch. Thanks for your consideration
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Denny
Grady, A couple of things here. We do push that as much as we can, but many of the chutes you see are owned by the event centers ( most have switched to Priefert chutes). They also run calf ropings in them, and that is generally the reason they tell us they don't want them.
Denny
You can have any rule you want, but enforcement is always an issue. USTRC doesn't have anymore compliance than we do and probably less because they have more ropings. Nice thought, but putting a pusher on and taking it off is a little more of a project than you might think, and has nothing to do with cost.
GradyPierce
I also certainly can see why an arena or event center might not need or want to own and install a steer pusher on their own chutes. The small number of events that do want them might not make it financially appealing enough for them to invest in such a device. However I believe that many of us here among this organization can clearly see why it would be worthwhile for an individual contractor to invest in something that would increase both the quality of their events and the speed with which they run off. USTRC requires steer pushers be used at all sanctioned events because it helps ropers and speeds up their team per hour runoff by minimizing the time spent fighting with steers in the chute, something all producers could benefit from. I may be incorrect but it appears that once initially assembled the Priefert Steer Pusher can be retrofitted onto any Priefert chute by attaching it with seven bolts and a crescent wrench.
