LF to RT: Speed Williams, George Strait and Brad Culpepper (with their families)







TOP WINNER  OF THE
2006 GEORGE STRAIT TEAM ROPING CLASSIC
WAS ALMOST A “NO SHOW”!

GAC Tapes 24th Annual GSTRC
for a One Hour Special to Air March 29

San Antonio, TX (March 11, 2006) -- Over 570 teams traveled to The Rose Palace in San Antonio, Texas this weekend to compete in the 24th Annual George Strait Team Roping Classic.  Hosted by country superstar and avid team roper, George Strait, the sold-out GSTRC event is among the largest and most prestigious open ropings in the circuit and annually plays host to the most accomplished names in the sport.  Ropers competed for a chance at cash prizes totaling $328,000,  two Chevy Silverado Trucks provided by Cavender Chevrolet of Boerne, TX, two Strait X-treme 3-horse slant trailers by Bruton, Twister saddles and Gist Buckles.
    This year’s winning team is returning Champion Speed Williams (Llano, TX) and 1st time winner Brad Culpepper (Tifton, GA) with a combined 3 round score of 15.82 seconds.  Speed Williams with partner Rich Skelton (Llano, TX) placed second with a score of 16.48 and David Key (Caldwell, TX) and Patrick Smith (Midland, TX) placed third with a score of 16.80.
    First time winner 35-year-old Brad Culpepper says no one could be more excited to win than he – especially considering earlier in the week, the Georgia native had decided not to come.  “I called Speed on Monday to back out of the competition,” admits Culpepper.  “My first string horse was hurt, money was tight and I just didn’t feel 100% prepared.  When you are roping with the best in the world, you want to be prepared. Thank Goodness Speed believed in me and wouldn’t let me back out.”
    Ropers have the opportunity to enter with a different teammate up to three times but few find themselves competing against themselves in the final seconds of the championship. When asked about his strategy for roping with both Culpepper and Skelton, Speed Williams replied, “I was trying to do the best job I could to win, no matter which team I was on. I told my buddy Rich if it came down to it, I could show no mercy and he understood. ”
    Television Network Great American Country (GAC) filmed this year’s roping and will broadcast the event in a 1-hour special March 29 at 9pm ET.  In addition to the roping highlights, the special will feature Strait and his family competing and talking about their passion of team roping.  GAC is available nationally on DIRECTTV and Dish Network.
    “This event is the best you can do in roping,” says Williams. “George does a lot for team roping. He could do so many other things but this is his passion.”
    Originally conceived 24 years ago by George and his brother Buddy as a small competition for friends and family, the GSTRC has become the premiere open in the sport with hundreds of thousands of dollars up for grabs each year.  Past money winners include Jake Barnes, Steve Northcutt, Allen Bach, Matt Tyler, Steve Northcutt, Tyler Magnus, Turtle Powell, Kirt Jones and the team of Rich Skelton and Speed Williams who broke the GSTRC record with a lightning fast round of 3.69 seconds last year. “The Strait” not only attracts the big names though. As an open roping, ropers of all levels may compete alongside each other for a chance at the big winnings.
    In addition to these great prizes, the GSTRC welcomed back H.E.B. Food Stores and their “Red Wrapped Challenge” – an exciting $10,000 per round progressive contest that took place during the finals. $40, 000 total was up for grabs as ropers had the chance to rope  one of the steers with red wrapped horns.   Unfortunately, this year no one took home the prize money.
    Sponsors for the 2006 George Strait Team Roping Classic are: Bruton Trailers, HEB Food Stores, Bill Miller Bar-B-Q, Tractor Supply company, Brake Check, Gist Buckles, Wrangler, Justin Boots, Cactus Ropes, Classic Ropes and Southwest Texas ACA.

GSTRC RESULTS

                                                  2nd ROUND STANDINGS

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