The Legendary Bob Feist Invitational: From Humble Beginnings to Roping Excellence
By Dee Yates
Photos by Andersen CBarC
The Bob Feist Invitational (BFI), approaching its 50-year anniversary, stands as the longest-running open roping of its kind, transforming from a doubted concept into a cornerstone of team roping excellence. Founded in 1977 in Chowchilla, California by Bob Feist himself, the event began with just 40 invited teams, $500 entry fees per contestant, and a guaranteed $40,000 payout that many industry insiders believed would never succeed. Feist, coming from the restaurant and hotel business, knew he needed spectators to make the event viable. His solution was simple but effective: $5 tickets paired with a parking lot BBQ, an awards stage surrounded by a bar, and a focus on showcasing the sport’s elite competitors.
The BFI’s journey included moves to Las Vegas (1981), Denton, Texas (1982), and after taking 1983 off, found its decades-long home in Reno, Nevada from 1984 until 2019. Since 2020, the prestigious event has made the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma its home. Throughout its history, the BFI has paid out over $11.2 million in prize money, changing lives through its challenging format of long scores and strong cattle. The event has seen remarkable achievements, including Walt Woodard becoming the oldest winner at age 52 (with Clay Tryan in 2008), while Travis Woodard remains the youngest at just 19 when he won in 2003 heeling for Mickey Fletcher.
The 2025 Charlie 1 Horse All-Girl Team Roping and Breakaway kicked off this year’s BFI Week with Beverly Robbins and Jimmi Jo Montera capturing the All-Girl title with four steers in 34.50 seconds, earning $20,000 plus prizes. Jackie Crawford and Annette Stahl secured second place with $14,000, while Kinsley Baxter and Lorraine Moreno rounded out the top three and claimed the 9.5 Incentive title with 26.46 seconds and $9,000. Fast-time honors went to Marissa Mitchell/Emilee Moyer (6.98, Rotation 1), Mitchell/Martha Angelone (6.17, Rotation 2), Cassidy Boggs/Kaitlyn Torres (6.59, Rotation 3), and Dally Peterson/Ashtyn Pratz (14.09, Short Go).
In the Breakaway competition, Emilee Charlesworth dominated with three calves in 9.92 seconds to win $21,000. Danielle Wray finished second (10.33/$17,000), followed by Jessi Everet (11.04/$13,500), Macy Young (11.53/$10,000), and Kate Eiland (11.86/$7,000). Wyoming’s Audrey Kremer won the youth incentive with 11.94 seconds and $1,400. The fastest runs came from Charlesworth (2.78, Round 1), Kiely Walz (2.80, Round 2), and Jessi Everet (3.06, Short Go).
The main event saw Kaleb Driggers and Junior Nogueira make history by winning back-to-back BFI championships, roping six head in 41.48 seconds – the fastest time since the event moved to the Lazy E and second-fastest in the roping’s 48-year history. Their accomplishment is even more remarkable considering Driggers had lost his main horses in recent months and competed on Brooke Howell’s “Cowboy Sangria” with minimal practice, while Nogueira relied on his faithful buckskin “Lucky Bucky.” The victory earned them $77,000 each plus numerous prizes and places them in elite company alongside legends like Speed Williams and Rich Skelton (2001-2002), Charles Pogue and Britt Bockius (1999-2000), and Kory Koontz (1995-1996 with different partners) – some of the few teams to accomplish consecutive BFI wins.
The Hooey Junior 10.5 saw 465 teams compete, with Slone Weishaar and Cannin Carson winning $100,000 on a 30.71 four-steer run. Tuftin Becker and Treston Brazile took second (33.18/$66,000), followed by Cort Boyd and Oscar Viera Jr. (34.21/$40,000), Dax Sullivan and Cooper Young (34.76/$24,000), and Treyden Gonzales and Joe Cortese (35.85/$18,000). Fast-time achievements came from Colt Sanders/Cooper Charleston (6.51), Brayden Israel/Owen Clemons (6.40), Chachi Odom/Brody Freeman (5.80), and Colton Williamson/Zander Hinton (5.13). In the Hooey Junior BFI Open, Tyler Tryan and Nicky Northcott roped five in 34.79 for $70,000.
In the professional divisions, Tyler Tryan and Heath Hammerstrom won the 15.5 Team Roping with a 29.00 total, earning $80,000. Dalton Grimes and Colton Thomas dominated the 12.5 Team Roping (29.39 on four, $220,000), while Barry Berg and Monty Crist took the 11.5 Businessman’s Roping (32.75, $175,000), and Steve Orth and Jack Morris claimed the Consolation Aggregate title on three steers. The Over-40 divisions saw Leo Amado and Russell Holden win the 10.5 ($150,000) and Jason Posey and Jeff Souza claim the 9.5 ($155,000). Joshua Bray and Ravanna Bey won the 8.5 Team Roping (40.12, $90,000), with Ron Griffin and Jose Meraz adding another $8,000 by winning the 7.5 Incentive.
Top Horse honors went to Bubba Buckaloo’s “Frank” (Head Horse) and Joseph Harrison’s “Boujee” (Heel Horse), both bringing exceptional skill to the challenging six-head marathon. Teen phenoms Ketch Kelton and Nicky Northcott won the Rickey Green Fast Time Award with a blazing 4.84 in Round 5, while nearly 70-year-old Walt Woodard demonstrated the event’s multi-generational appeal by finishing fifth in the average. Before Round 5, the event paused to honor the late Mel Potter and Mike Cervi, paying tribute to their immense contributions to the sport with a special moment of respect.
From its humble beginnings to today’s prestigious showcase, the Bob Feist Invitational continues to prove what its founder always believed – that team roping’s greatest attribute is its longevity, allowing competitors to participate throughout their lives and creating a rich tapestry of champions spanning generations, with over $11,225,207.15 paid out since its inception in 1977.
