b'From the Back OF THE BOXBy John SamsillTo schedule a lesson or a clinic you can contact me directly at johnsamsillteamroping@gmail.comW inter roping seasona matter of fact, there were some of those beginnerWorld Champions Cody Custer is fast approaching.kids who have gone on to become really great ropers It is September nowsuch as Clay Logan, Tom Bill Johnson, Amber and things will start to kickJohnson Gould, Matt Cumbie, and Beau Billingslea,and Everett Bowman off in October and then byjust to name a few. Some top hands that got a November ropings will bestart there may not be known for their roping but in full swing here in thecompeted there and still rope today such as Cody Wickenburg area. With all these top-notch ropingsCuster and Jim Bob Custer.going at such a fast pace, its difficult to take a minute to think about how all this roping came to be inThat roping club was the beginning of what is now Wickenburg. I would like to take a moment in thisknown as the Team Roping Capital of the World. article to let everyone know the transition that hasNo one could have predicted how big roping wouldrope with him or her. He set a great example for me taken place in Wickenburg in a relatively short timebecome in Wickenburg but there were a few peopleand many others as a young man. Another person from my perspective, a longtime resident and roper.who would not let it die. They kept that roping clubwho kept things going in tough times was Gil Snyder. Wickenburg is a special place for me, I met my wifealive even if they had to pay the bills themselves. II always thought the world of Gil because he was here, my kids were raised here, and now my grandsontruly believe that this type of spirit and attitude is whysuch a nice man, and you could tell he thoroughly is being raised here in Wickenburg.not just team roping, but barrel racing, breakawayloved to rope. He was so generous and did many roping, and rodeo, in general, are ingrained into thisgreat things in those early days and never wanted any I moved to Wickenburg full time in about 1987. community and why it is important to the town andrecognition for it. Everything he did was because he I had been living in the Cave Creek area and reallythe people who put on these events.loved roping and that lifestyle. Another Gil was Gil loved it down there. I would come to visit my sisterWaldon. Gil served as the president of the roping club and brother-in-law who ran a ranch outside ofIf you rope in Wickenburg or just rope in general,for a few years but in those few years, he made some Wickenburg and I fell in love with the town andyou know who the roping producers are that arechanges that may not have been the most popular at the people in it. Even though Wickenburg has beencarrying on our western and rodeo legacy, but Ithe time but brought the club current with the times. through some changes, it still is a small westernwould like to recognize some of the people who mostThis may be hard for some young people to believe town with a respect for the western lifestyle and thehave never heard of but whose past efforts helped tobut before Gil Waldon, the club had always roped pioneers who made it that way. Men like Everettmake this roping boom possible. I can only commentmuley cattle with plastic horns you would strap on. Bowman who has a statue sitting in front of the townon the people who I have known about for the lastIt had of course worked great for many years, but Gil hall. When you come into Wickenburg there are signsthirty-five to forty years. Most of these people havebought Corrientes and started the ten steer ropings that say Welcome to Wickenburg Home of Worldpassed but if you are lucky enough to run into one ofin Wickenburg. One of the draws for everyone was Champions Everett Bowman and Cody Custer. them that are still out there doing what they love andthat if only one team caught all ten steers, they won I think the same things thathave supported for all thesethe entire pot. Those ropings were some of the best attracted me to Wickenburgyears, maybe tell them thankin the state at that time and put Wickenburg on the are the same things that areyou and give them a firmmap for team ropers. Some others that contributed a still attracting people to thishandshake. Two people wholot to that club are Mike and Jenny Lutch, Armie and beautiful town.were synonymous with ropingJody Gill, Bruce Meier, Ben Billingslea, Barney Hayes, in Wickenburg from the sixtiesthe Cumbie Family, Weldon Rutledge, and Larry Before I moved here, andto the late eighties were ArtSimpson, along with many others. If I tried to name before Beaver Bird moved hereand Patsy Rogers. Patsy wasall the things that these people were responsible for, I and began putting on ropings,the secretary and official timerwouldnt have enough room in this article. Just know the town had a roping club thatof the old Wickenburg Ropingthat they deserve a big thank you from all of us who ran out of the town arena. AtClub. Art did everything thatrope in Wickenburg today. that time, there was only onewas needed. He bought cattle, other event that happened atran the ropings, and served onWhen roping in the Wickenburg area, know that that arena and that was Goldthe board in every capacity. Ithere is a long and proud history that came before Rush Days in February. Nowill always remember Art forwhat you see now. Thanks to the men and women that other ropings were happeninghis support of the kids andI have mentioned and many others, for setting the in Wickenburg. The club ropednew people who came to ropestage for team roping in Wickenburg.twice per week, Wednesdayat one of the club ropings. nights and Sunday afternoonsI saw Art on numerousUntil next time, Ill see you at the back of the box. in the winter and Saturdayoccasions, go over and talk nights in the summer. Oneto a kid who he didnt knowI would like to thank my sponsors, Fast weekend a month they wouldbut could tell was nervous to put on a roping that was openrope and who may not haveBack Ropes, Usher Brand Silver and to anyone who wanted to comeThe statue commemorating Everett Bowman,had anyone to rope with otherSaddlery, Omega Fields Supplements, and rope. It didnt matter tochampion all-around cowboy, sits in frontthan who they came with. ArtSaddleRight Saddle Pads, and Hassayampa them if you were the worldswould ask if they were fullVeterinary Services.champ or a beginner kid. Asof Wickenburg Town Hall. because he would sure like to ArizonaRealCountry.com September 2021 33'