Innholdsfortegnelse for Extra Winter 2021/2022 i The Team Roping Journal

The spectacular golf You could go crazy, because there are nearly 80 golf courses within 20 miles of Cave Creek. Book tee times in advance for local Cave Creek favorites like Dove Valley Ranch (480-473-1444) or Rancho Mañana, a stunning par-70 course almost downtown that adjoins a secluded resort and the delicious Tonto Bar & Grill (480-488-0398). The hottest eateries Aside from Cave Creek’s own Harold’s and Tonto Bar & Grill, don’t miss the homemade pie at the historic Rock Springs Café (623-374-5794; RockSprings.cafe), just a handful of miles north up I-17 in Rock Springs. Along Carefree Highway are roper favorites Heart & Soul Café (480-595-7300; heartandsoulcafeaz.com), where you can start your day with the Crazy Biscuits and end it with live music in the saloon, and Peaks & Valleys…

P&M Arena 11404 East Brown Road, Mesa 480)-980-5865; PMArena.com Two arenas; Superstition Stables for boarding with restrooms and 16 RV hookups; weekly practices and jackpots Rube Woolsey’s Walking N Arena 7350 North Henness Road, Casa Grande 602-321-1738; rube-woolsey.com • RV hookups; 12 x 24 covered stalls; clubhouse; laundromat; daily practice, lessons and training tune-ups • Weekly jackpots Joel Wengert’s Winter Roping Camp 3953 South Tweedy Road, Casa Grande 602-882-2563 • RV hookups; covered horse pens; round pen; walker; daily practice Preston Porter’s Lonestar Equestrian Center 350 South Attaway Road, Coolidge 520-251-0737; LonestarEquestrian.com • RV hookups; showers and laundry; covered stalls, turnouts, round pen, wash racks, walker; daily practice • Weekly jackpots and goat ropings George Aros’ Arena 18704 South Picacho Highway, Picacho 520-241-2241; ArosRoping.com • RV hookups at adjacent Picacho…

• Dynamite Horseman Supply (28232 North 42nd Street, Cave Creek) has all the feed and tack you need just a few blocks from Dynamite Arena (480-585-4073; dynamitehorsemansupply.com) • Black Mountain Feed (6198 East Cave Creek Road, 480-488-9180; blackmountainfeed.com) is owned by 6 header and 16-time NFR saddle bronc rider Mel Coleman, along with Anderson’s Feed & Tack (1722 West Tierra Buena Lane, Phoenix; 602-993-8770), and the C&C Hay Barn (17230 North Cave Creek Road, Phoenix; 602-870-1666). • Anthem RV and Boat (44019 North Black Canyon Hwy; 623-469-0148; anthemrv.com) could work on your living-quarters problems in this region, and so could On the Road Again RV Service and Repair (23602 North 35th Drive, Glendale; 602-296-7549; AZRVServices.com). TRUCK & TRAILER • Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep and Van Chevrolet are both off Loop 101 south of Carefree, while Sanderson…

VETERINARY CARE • Durango Equine Veterinary Clinic in Buckeye has a handful of vets who also make house calls (623-386-2928; DurangoEquine.com) • Desert Edge Equine also has acupuncture (623-225-5112; DesertEdgeEquine.com). TRUCK & TRAILER • Hernandez Road & Tire Service (23740 West US 85, Buckeye) can tow or help you get down the road (602-403-1749). • Cummins Sale & Service (651 101st Avenue, Avondale) has software for a fast diagnosis, repairs and personalized service (623-474-2600; SalesandService. Cummins.com). TACK & FEED • Stockman Feeds & Western Wear (7315 West Buckeye Road, Phoenix) has Lone Star Ropes, Purina, Nutrena, alfalfa and Bermuda hay (623-936-5549; stockmanfeedswesternwear.com). • Bales Hay (20600 West Beloat Road, Buckeye) offers Teff grass, alfalfa, Bermuda grass and other mixtures, plus a retail store (623-386-2988; baleshay.com).…

The spectacular golf There are three golf courses right in Queen Creek and another 58 courses within 20 miles! Las Colinas Golf Club just outside Chandler offers a playable 18 holes at an affordable rate (480-987-3633), while other well-reviewed courses include Apache Sun in Queen Creek (480-987-9065), the Golf Club at Johnson Ranch in San Tan Valley (480-987-1532), Trilogy Golf Club in Gilbert (480-988-0004), and Augusta Ranch Golf Club in Mesa (480-354-1234). The hottest eateries San Tan Flat (480-882-2995; santanflat.com ) is a big, open-air combination of a campfire, steakhouse, and concert venue with live music almost every night. Also in Queen Creek, the Olive Mill (480-888-9290; queencreekolivemill.com) features homemade waffles at breakfast or paninis and pizza at lunch and dinner, all made with fresh local olive oil. And Schnepf…

It’s true: There are enough Arizona team ropings each winter to do just that every day. But, in the off chance you’re looking to check a pro sporting event off your bucket list or just want something the whole family can enjoy come the holidays, here are a few suggestions. OCTOBER Sports / Equine   Oct. 8–10, 2021  • Sonoita Quarter Horse Show  Versatility Ranch Horse Competition & Horse Show Sonoita sonoitafairgrounds.com    Sports / Motorsports  Oct. 16, 2021   • Track Laps for Charity  Run your own car on a NASCAR track Phoenix phoenixraceway.com    Sports /Equine   Oct. 23, 2021  • Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships Scottsdale thepoloparty.com    NOVEMBER   Music / Symphony  Nov. 6, 2021  • Symphony of the Southwest Salute to Our Veterans Mesa mesaartscenter.com    Sports / Motorsports   Nov. 5–7, 2021  • NASCAR Championship Weekend…

Wittmann, Arizona—which sits about 20 miles southeast of roping-world-famous Wickenburgis a team roping sweet spot. Restin Road and Leisure Lane are two parallel dirt roads that come winter are lined with locals and snowbirds with a common interest for a warm Western way of life when the calendar turns cold in the places they come from. These neighbors and friends get together for morning coffee, evening card games and this crew’s favorite pastime—roping. MAJOR INFLUENCE ON MINOR “That neighborhood is Roperville,” said Wrangler National Finals Rodeo heeler Jake Minor, who like cousins and fellow NFR cowboys Riley and Brady Minor grew up in Ellensburg, Washington. “It’s crazy how many arenas are right there. I flew over it in a private plane one time, and from up there it’s almost wall-to-wall…

The southeastern Phoenix suburbs of Gilbert, Chandler and Queen Creek have agricultural roots, and Pinal County boasts a plethora of arenas around Maricopa (30 miles southwest of Phoenix), Coolidge (60 miles southeast of the metroplex) and Casa Grande, 50 miles straight down I-10. Check thearizonajackpot.com for jackpot dates and times. John Volken Academy’s Welcome Home Ranch 26601 S Val Vista Drive, Gilbert 480-695-8005; jvaranch.org; 602-390-4130; ropefast.com; 480-215-3180 • Three arenas (one covered) • Equine hydrotherapy pool; feed store; horse boarding (120-plus pens and stalls; full care) • Weekly jackpots plus specialty ropings The town of Queen Creek’s Horseshoe Park 20464 East Riggs Road, Queen Creek 480-358-3793; Facebook.com/HorseshoePark • Three arenas (one covered); concessions; restrooms • RV spaces (56) and several stall barns • Weekly jackpots plus New Year’s World Series; mounted…

• Rodeo Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (35747 North Ellsworth Road, Queen Creek) is owned by a team roper with cowboys on staff at local Earnhardt Auto Centers around Phoenix (480-666-5955; rodeocdjr.com). A big sponsor at Horseshoe Park is San Tan Ford (1429 East Motorplex Loop, Gilbert), where their service department offers repairs from brake service to an oil change to tire care (480-821-3200; santanford. com). • Great West Trailer and Truck is right on the grounds of Horseshoe Park (480-390-8273), or Mesa offers Hays Trailer Sales (480-357-1018). Another roper-friendly vendor is Bishop’s Trailer Sales in Apache Junction (480-987-7689). For tires, try Queen Creek’s Red’s Tire Shop (480-988-2254) and to get your four-wheeler fixed up, visit Iron City in Casa Grande (520-836-1971). • Arizona Equine & Surgical Center (1685 South Gilbert Road, Gilbert) has…

• Bar S Animal Clinic (3920 Industrial Way), open since 1975, has three vets—one who team ropes. They also offer mobile visits to horses and dog boarding (928-684-7846; BarSAnimalClinic.com). • NRS (955 West Wickenburg Way) is a branch of the famous store in Denton, Texas, with apparel, tack and feed (928-684-7987; NRSRanch.com/other-locations). • TX Hay & Grain (30358 US Hwy 60/89), owned by a roper, will deliver hay (928-684-4448). • NRS Trailers (42217 N. US Hwy 60) last year joined locations in Texas, Florida, Oklahoma and Kansas (928-250-0577; NRSTrailers.com).…

Knowing What You Want Ropers who first move to Arizona and buy a bare patch of land might not know exactly what they want right off the bat, but they do know that they want to start roping right away. “The biggest challenge I hear pretty often is customers wishing they didn’t do things permanently because they need it changed,” Seven Peaks Fence and Barn’s Matt Chandler said. “With smaller properties, you can only do so much. You can’t have your arena, stalls, pastures laid out perfectly every time when you’re working with small properties. Sometimes, they’ll come one year with a lot of horses, the next year with a few, and wish it were set up differently.” For uncertain customers, Seven Peaks offers panels for everything from runs to…