By Danielle Porteur
Special To Ropers Sports News

TRES PINOS, CALIF. – continues to be the home of the largest All Girl Breakaway and Team Roping at Bolado Park Event Center on July 8th 2021. This year was another huge success, thanks to our amazing local and central coast sponsors. California’s Richest wants to send a sincere appreciation to our partnership with Cactus Ropes, Cactus Saddlery, Heel-O-Matic Training Systems, Charlie One Horse and Best Ever Pads for providing such an amazing prizeline to our contestants, we appreciate your continued support and thank you for the prestigious awards and setting California’s Richest apart.
This year, California’s Richest not only had the main event, the Open Breakaway, but  following was the All-Girl Team Roping, and for the first time we decided to have a Cowboy/Cowgirl Open Mixed Roping that reached 77 teams total and brought some tough ropers to the arena. Thank you to all that came out and supported us and congratulations to this year’s first Open Mixed average champions, Alison Grantham and Danny Leslie. Congratulations to Jordan Gutsch for claiming the Open Breakaway title, roping the fastest on four, with an average time of 12.09. She beat out 60 contestants, which also qualified her for “Rope for the Crown” in Vegas in December, good luck to you Jordan. Haleigh Grant was the Junior Incentive Breakaway champion with the fastest on four head and a time of 13.65.  Cactus Saddlery gave contestants an opportunity to run at a beautiful High Money Cactus Saddle that was awarded to our high money winner of the day. Haleigh Grant, also our Incentive Champion, took home the beautiful Cactus Saddle and $3,037 in cash, congratulations and great job! Beth Hitchcock was the 2021 American Qualifier and we are looking forward to seeing her in the lights soon. Congratulations to Katie Whitney and Allison Grantham, the California’s Richest All-Girl Team Roping champions each taking home an A&R champion buckle and $1,245 each in cash, great roping ladies!
Cactus Ropes presented all Breakaway contestants Cactus Koozies, stickers and Cactus Rope gloves at check in. We are beyond grateful. Huge shout out to Barry Berg and Dustin Noblitt for believing in this event and pushing to expand this kind of roping for the West Coast girls who love to rope at a competitive level and run at high payouts. Thank you for continuing to help California’s Richest reach its goals and remain the largest on the West Coast.
We started out exclusively as a breakaway roping seven years ago with an 80% payback and a 17/Under Incentive, surprisingly coming off a COVID comeback. 2021 was a huge year that brought us back a total of 60 breakaway ropers. We added a 40/Over Incentive, awards only, and the ladies loved that opportunity to win some great prizes. This event is continuing to grow each year and remain strong. With such generous sponsors all breakaway contestants at check-in received a California’s Richest ball cap sponsored by Golden Memorial Insurance, owned by Andrew Barragan and S.O.S. Septic Service owned by Fernando Garcia, both Hollister, Calif. residents for supporting this local event with California’s Richest logo on the hat.
This year California’s Richest also decided to honor a beloved cowgirl from San Benito County named Blaire Strohn. Anyone that knew her knew she was coming for you when she backed in the box so it was only fitting to give a Fastest Time of the Day buckle in her honor in her hometown arena where she grew up competing. This buckle was donated by Brennan and Stacey Porteur and A&R Buckles who came together give it to a young lady named Maggie Usher with a time of 2.42 seconds. Wear that buckle with pride and congratulations Maggie.
The All-Girl Team Roping is an open team roping with a #8 Incentive and both events are WPRA co-approved event. California’s Richest has practical fees, considering this is the busiest time of year to rope, a pick one/draw one for $150, four head, progressive after two with a 73% payback. It has continued to be the largest All-Girl Team Roping in California. We are thankful for all the ropers showing up.
To the sponsors that have been with us from day one and continue to help support this event in so many ways, we’re beyond grateful to you for making this roping possible.     
I would like to give a special thanks to Darrick Hoskins (MY Chevrolet) who was our first saddle sponsor when it all began. He’s the man that got this event off the ground and continues to support. Darrick is well known for his generosity and support of rodeo, not only on the West Coast but also supporting many prestigious events around the nation. Tammy and Ryan White with Best Ever Pads are also huge sponsors around the world and continue to sponsor California’s Richest every year with a beautiful Best Ever pad. S Bar J Cattle (Steve Simons) has provided a great set of steers every year since we started. Ropers Sports News promotes our roping and Lee Legasey, with the Perfect Timing System, is the best in the business always making sure the roping is running as smoothly as possible – I couldn’t or wouldn’t want to do it without him.
Our local sponsors are truly the best – huge thank you to Jennifer Porteur with Advantage Truss Company, Brent Redmond Transportation, Dr. Charles M Rita DDS, 19th Hole Restaurant, Mark and Glenna Porteur, Ram Property Management of Hollister, Java Express Coffee of Hollister, Brennan and Stacey Porteur of (B & S Supply) and AR Buckles for outdoing yourself with the beautiful buckles, Rich Mc­Abee with McAbee Feed of Hollister, Carol Scagliotti, Charlie Hall with First Choice Repair and Mark & Glenna Porteur.
We would like to introduce our new sponsors that jumped on board for 2021, Golden Memorial Insurance, S.O.S. Septic Tank Service, San Benito Roofing Co; Panoche Inn Bar and Panoche Construction, and Crown Sanitation, all of Hollister Ca. Huge thank you to Mike Williams and Joy Perezchica of Turlock for the rope halters, and top 15 breakaway roping gift bags, your time and efforts and creativity were much appreciated by all.
We would like to give some well-deserved shout out to people behind the scenes: Elly Leslie for being a top notch secretary and keeping things on task in the office; Tony Branquinho, for announcing the event, glad to have you on the mic. Dana Avilas for handling our awards, everything went so smoothly and fast. Corrisa King and Rylee Roberts, for running the Grand Entry displaying our American Flag, and Motherlode sponsors, MYCARS, Advantage Truss and Java Express Coffee. Stacey Schmidt for taking pictures all day. Anyone can find her photos link on California’s Richest All Girl Breakaway & Team Roping Facebook page. Again, special thanks to Cactus Ropes and Saddlery for the partnership and continued support!
Thanks to the chute help Justin Gregory opening up the gate, it was a hot day and you showed nothing but resilience and professionalism. Gavin Rossie, Gavin Siler, Clayton Johnson, Charlie Hall, Jake Bourdet, Chance Machado, Rob Reagan, thank you for your time and effort to keep things running smoothly and cattle coming whenever needed. Bob Branco for running the tractor and water truck, keeping the arena in tip top shape all day; Bolado Park for the beautiful facility we roped in; Todd Utterback for flagging and making some tough decisions while maintaining a roper friendly environment; David Porteur for spotting each run and jumping in wherever needed; Rikki Perezchica for your help making some decisions on making the perfect score to remain the prestigious breakaway roping California’s Richest strives to be; all those who showed up the night before to sort through steers, Wyatt and Lacy Bourdet, Katie Whitney – your time and energy was appreciated.
Last but not least, thanks to all the women ropers who traveled from all over the West Coast this year, as well as the local women ropers here in Hollister – it’s good to see you all out here roping in our home town arena. Thank you to all the Northern and Southern California cowgirls who have a bit of a travel but still make the trip to continue to come out and rope.
California’s Richest will continue to grow, refine and rally to reach the goals for every girl roper out there and keep it an even playing field, giving everyone a chance at every level at high payouts and beautiful amazing prizes Cactus Saddlery and Cactus Ropes provides. We look forward to 2022, stay tuned and get connected and learn the details through California’s Richest All Girl Breakaway and Team Roping Facebook page for 2022. If you would like to join California’s Richest prestigious sponsor team, please contact Danielle Porteur via email or by phone, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (831)801-4290. We look forward to seeing you all next year.
 Results are as follows; payouts are per roper:
Open Breakaway with 17/Under Incentive
1st go: 1. Katie Whitney, 2.59, $924. 2. Braydee Bourdet, 2.61, $693. 3. Hanna Snodgrass, 2.98, $462. 4. Madison Deardorf, 3.20, $231.
2nd go: 1. Marla Zuber, 2.55, $924. 2/3. Londyn Brazil, Fallon Ruffoni, 2.64, $577. 4. Chanel Holland, 2.78, $231.
3rd go: 1. Maggie Usher, 2.42 (fast time of the day and won the Blair Strohn buckle).
Short go: 1. Haliegh Grant, 2.61, $300.
Average: 1. Jordan Gutsch, 12.09, $2,963. 2. Haliegh Grant, 13.65, $2,427. 3. Whitlee Burgess, 14.37, $1,942. 4. Beth Hitchcock, 15.18, $1,456. 5. Josie Pereira, 15.57, $971.
17 & under Incentive: 1. Haleigh Grant, 13.65, $610. 2. Beth Hitchcock, 15.18, $366. 3. Josie Periera, 15.57, $244.
40+ Incentive: 1. Morgan Goodrich, 25.16. 2. Lacey Bourdet, 27.49. 3. Cathy Cagliari, 3.42 on 1.
All Girl Open Team Roping (payouts per roper)
1st go: 1. Sutton Mang and Whitlee Burgess, 9.15, $478. 2. Fallon Ruffoni and Rikki Perezchica, 9.27, $286. 3. Mc­Kenna Wood and Cheyenne Rey, 9.35, $191.
Average: 1. Katie Whitney and Alison Grantham, 46.97, $1,245. 2. Morgan Good­rich and Nikki Clarot, 53.39, $1,036. 3. Ashley Haggens and Cheyenne Rey, 55.35, $829. 4. Taylor Bennett and Cheyenne Rey, 56.72, $621. 5. Katie Whitney and Nikki Clarot, 37.44 on 3, $414.
Mixed Open Team Roping (payouts per roper)
1st go: 1. McKenna Wood and Jake Bourdet, 6.23, $175. 2. Taylor Bennett and Will Cowden, 6.32, $120.
Average: 1. Alison Grantham and Danny Leslie, 21.47, $697. 2. Markie Battaglia and Anselmo Ramirez, 22.30, $503. 3. Breanna Blaswich and Bronc Boehnlein, 27.60, $335. 4. Josie Periera and Chance Machado, 27.66, $167.

Katie Whitney and Alison Grantham were the All Girl champs, winning $1,245 each and beautiful buckles. Danielle Porteur, event producer, presents the buckles.