COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. The 2006 National Finals Steer Roping, scheduled for Nov. 3-4, will move to the Lea County Events Center near Hobbs, N.M., after five years in Amarillo, Texas. This year's event will mark the first time the NFSR has been held in the state of New Mexico since 1960.
"Our expectations are to put on the best National Finals Steer Roping that has ever been," said Randy McCormick, Lea County Commissioner. "It's an exciting time in Lea County, and we have a lot of growth going on. We're going to shine up our best boots, and hopefully people will want to come back to Lea County again."
The first National Finals Steer Roping was held in 1959 in Clayton, N.M., in the northeastern corner of New Mexico about 350 miles north of Hobbs. It remained in Clayton for two years before moving to Laramie, Wyo., for a year. In 1962, the NFSR moved to Douglas, Wyo., and then spent the next two years in Pawhuska, Okla. The event remained in the state of Oklahoma until 1969 with Vinita hosting the event from 1965-66 and McAlester from 1967-68.
In 1969, the NFSR made a stop in Pecos, Texas, until 1971, when Pawhuska, Okla., got it back. It remained there for two years before moving back to Laramie, Wyo., in 1973. It remained a fixture there until 1984 when Guthrie, Okla., became home to the NFSR. The Lazy E Arena was home to the NFSR until it moved to Amarillo in 2001.
"We are looking forward to our new partnership with Lea County," said PRCA Commissioner Troy Ellerman. "The committee in Amarillo did a great job hosting the event the last five years and we are confident that the event will continue to grow and prosper in Hobbs."
Marty Jones, a 12-time NFSR qualifier from Hobbs, N.M., was instrumental in getting the NFSR to his hometown.
"I took the idea of hosting the NFSR to out county commissioner and we submitted our proposal," Jones said. "We are very excited about hosting this event for at least the next three years and we are hoping we can increase the prize money and make it a better event for all involved."
The 2005 edition of the NFSR produced one of the closest title races ever in any single event in the history of the PRCA. Scott Snedecor (Uvalde, Texas) rallied at the NFSR to outdistance 18-time World Champion Steer Roper Guy Allen by a mere $1.67 for the gold buckle.