b'From the Back OF THE BOXBy John SamsillFor all of your team roping questions or to schedule a lesson or a clinic you can contact me directly at johnsamsillteamroping@gmail.comH ere in Wickenburg the roping season has wound down.There is no longer horse trailer after horse trailer heading to the fifty-some ropings held in and around Wickenburg each week. In the winter months, Wickenburg isnt the only place having ropings, but it seems to have the highest concentration of ropers and thusXxxthe high number of ropings each week.The visitors that flood Wickenburg in the winter have the idea that ropings shut down all over Arizona for the summer and there are no places to rope when its hot. If you have lived and roped in Arizona forIn the warmer months ropes can and will feel differently very long you know that this is not true.Although therethan in the winter.They also feel differently at night and are ropings at night in the Phoenix area in the summer thefrom Phoenix going to a roping in Flagstaff. I wrote an majority of ropings take place in the northern half of thearticle about this a few months ago but it bears mentioning state this time of year. With the migration of jackpot moneyhere again.I will use a cored rope most of the time in the moving from central Arizona to northern Arizona andsummer as it maintains its feel much more consistently the ropings around Phoenix changing from day to night,than a non-cored rope but I will also use a pure nylon rope. I wonder what changes you make to your roping routineNylon ropes maintain their feel well in warmer climates if any. I know I have many changes that happen from myand with temperature changes.There is no standard on winter roping to my summer roping. what rope to use at what time of year but when I pick a rope, I swing several until I find the feel I want for that day. Arizona is different from other states because our busy timeI will also make sure I have one or two older ropes that are of year to rope is in the winter when our neighbors to thenot worn out yet, but I can sacrifice if I am roping in rainy north are not roping because of inclement weather. So mostor muddy conditions. The weather can change on a dime other places slow time is our busy time and vice versa.I doin northern Arizona, so I have found this habit to come in know of a few people who live in Arizona full-time that dohandy lots of times.not rope in the summer.I have never taken the summers off, as a matter of fact, because it is a slower time of year forWhen I am in northern Arizona, especially coming from roping, I find I get in a lot more practice and it is a great timecentral Arizona I make sure I have plenty of time to saddle to work on young horses.My practice arena doesnt havemy horse and warm him up.There has been more than one lights, so we usually start practicing around six p.m. Yes, oncowboy or cowgirl who had to ride a bucking horse because most days it is still pretty warm at that time of day, but wethey didnt have time to warm up their horse enough in take our time and dont run too many steers on our horses.the cooler weather up north.I spend quite a bit more We probably score just as many steers as we run when wetime warming up in cooler weather.What may have been practice so our practices are slow and methodical.We alsoenough time warming your horse up in the warm evenings make sure that the horses have water to drink while we areof central Arizona probably isnt going to be sufficient in practicing which is something that we need to make sure of atthe cooler weather.The extra time you take could save you all times, especially in the summer months.It doesnt mattera ride that your friends wont let you live down or keep you where I go, I pack my own buckets to water my horses out of. from getting hurt. Either is worth the extra time you spend By doing this it helps keep my horses healthy so they do notbefore roping. catch anything by drinking after a sick horse.I love the summer months when I can slow down a bit and truly work on things.I love taking a break from the heat and heading up to northern Arizona to take in the sights and the pines.I set goals every summer just like I do for the winter.There are lots of really good ropings in the summer months, so it is important to keep your roping and horses ready to go.So, heres to summer and I hope to see everyone up north.Until next time, Ill see you at the back of the box. I want to thank all my sponsors, Usher Brand Silver and Saddlery, Omega Fields Feeds, SaddleRight Saddle Pads, Fast Back Ropes and Hassayampa Veterinary Clinic.ArizonaRealCountry.com May 2021 61'