Ariat WSTR Finale Roping Information

With 2,100 rooms and all the Las Vegas amenities and service that goes along with them, the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa has much to offer its guests. Luckily, a stay throughout the nine-day Ariat WSTR Finale should provide ample opportunity to take advantage of all the offerings while roping for the richest payout in history.

There are 3 Arenas on property at the South Point: The Main, the Priefert Pavilion, and the Farnam Arena. The Outside Qualifiers are produced by Mathews Land & Cattle in conjunction with the Finale schedule.

• Main Arena: 1st Round & Main Aggregate Short Round
• Farnam Arena: 2nd Round
• Priefert Pavilion Arena: 3rd Round & Consolation Aggregate Short Round

Finale Events Arena Locations

• Open: One Arena - The Main Arena, Traditional Barrier
• #15.5: Two Arenas - Main and Priefert Pavilion
• #14.5-#8.5: Three Arenas - Main, Farnam, Priefert Pavilion
• #7.5: Two Arenas - Main and Priefert Pavilion

Listed on the schedule are six additional 2024 Super Qualifier events to run in the main arenas. This is a great opportunity for you and your horse to familiarize yourselves with the cattle, scores, flow and setup. It is a great opportunity to take advantage of your Key Card Rewards. These ropings will be limited to 2024 Finale contestants with 2025 Finale qualification spots awarded. Entries will open online at GlobalHandicaps.com Nov 26th for the #16.5 #13.5 and #12.5 and Nov 27th for the #11.5, #10.5, and #8.5. Onsite cash entries will be also accepted for open spots. Books will close online as soon as they are full or the day before the roping at 4PM Pacific Time.

Locations:

• #16.5: Two Arenas - Main and Priefert Pavilion; Traditional Barrier; Progressive
• #13.5 & #12.5: Three Arenas - Main, Priefert Pavilion, Farnam; Progressive
• #11.5, #10.5, & #8.5: Three Arenas - Main, Priefert Pavilion, Farnam; Progressive

The outside qualifiers will be at the south end of the property in South Roping Arena 1 and South Roping Arena 2. These ropings will be limited to 2024 Finale contestants with 2025 Finale qualification spots awarded. To enter the Open, you must be entered in the Riata Open Finale. Otherwise, you can rope in any other division as long as you are entered in this year's Finale. If there are open spots available in any ropings, the WSTR will send notifications via text message alerting all 2024 Finale contestants. In the event that the ropings are not filled by Nov 25, entries will be taken on-site. For those of you not wanting to pay with a credit card, each roping will reserve and allow a maximum of 50 on-site entries, cash only and will be on a first come basis. No checks accepted.

Generally, all large roping competitions run in rotations or heats. Roping in rotations has led ropers to argue that the cattle were much softer or tougher in one rotation than another. To counter this assertion, each rotation will have its very own herd of cattle at the WSTR Finale XVIII. These rotations will be gate-cut from the overall herd.

With the size of the Finale herd, the odds that one pen of gate-cut steers will be noticeably faster or slower from another is not probable but does occasionally happen. Nevertheless "At-Large," teams who are fastest over-all teams (described below) are put into place to balance the perception of speed issues between rotations. The "At-Large" procedure addresses any rotation cattle variances.

Aggregate Short Round

Qualification by rotation is a tool that WSTR has used for many years to prevent each of the large Finale ropings from becoming super-fast, mega ropings. This also guards against rotations that for some reason become disproportionately faster than other rotations. The top 7* fastest teams in each rotation will advance to the aggregate short round and are guaranteed a check. Depending on the size of the event "At-Large" teams (see explanation below), are also guaranteed an aggregate check and will advance to the short round. The odds of winning at the Finale have vastly improved as a result of these two features.

*the number of teams qualifying to the short round in each division may vary depending on team count and number of rotations.

At Large Teams:

"At-Large" teams are the fastest overall who don't make the cut (top 7*). This is another added feature of qualifying by rotation. "At-Large" Teams are those who had faster qualifying times than times in the other rotations. Two "At-Large" team for each rotation in a division, advance to the short round of each Finale. These "At-Large" teams are the fastest times on three steers from the entire roping who did NOT advance from their rotation.

New 2024: In the last several years we have seen in increase in teams receiving ground money. To try to alleviate this, this year we have decided to increase the number of At-Large teams by one "per rotation" and decrease the guaranteed teams in each division by one. The amount of teams in the short round will remain the same.

Ground Money

If the "At-Large" does not cover all the teams who were faster than teams making the aggregate short round, and those teams also do not qualify for the consolation short round, then those teams will receive $5000 ground money (priceing the same). In no instance will any team who qualified for either the aggregate or consolation short round be eligible for ground money.

Aggregate Short Round Checks:

Every team who makes the aggregate short round is paid an aggregate check. However, for any division that has four rotations will also pay one fast time in the short round. Any division with five or more rotations will pay two fast times in the short round. Teams who do not win an aggregate additional check in the short round are the only teams eligible for fast time short round money.

Aggregate Short Round Need To Knows

The ultimate goal of every roper at the finale is to qualify for the aggregate short go. With that being said here are the things you need to know when you qualify.

Interview/W9

Following each rotation once you have qualified, you need to immediately go to the main WSTR office, located on the main concourse in the southwest corner, to register and complete the required paperwork to compete in the short round.

$6000 Minimum Aggregate Payout

Every team in the short round is guaranteed a minimum of $6000/team, $3000/roper. This payout check is available when you are processed for the short round. Depending on where you place in short round you may have an additional check written that combined with the $3000/roper will total what you won. This advance "guaranteed check" is part of the overall aggregate payout and is not in addition to the overall payout.

"At-Large" Teams

"At-large" teams are not confirmed until the last rotation is complete, however, if you are an "At-Large" team at the end of your rotation please go to the main WSTR office, located on the main concourse in the south west corner, to register and complete the required paperwork to compete in the short round. This helps us to stay ahead of our registration process so when the last rotation is completed we can register the remaining qualified teams from the last rotation. If you qualify as a "At-Large" team, your $6000/team payout will be available at the conclusion of the event.

What is the Consolation?

Teams, who miss a steer, break a barrier, or rope a leg, don't be discouraged, you still have a chance. In each rotation, after the third round, each team who does not advance to the Four-Steer short round has the potential to qualify for the Consolation Short Round.

Who Qualifies for the Consolation Short Round?

The fastest top 8* teams on "two times" in each rotation:

• The team missed at least one steer in any round.
• The team roped all three steers but missed the aggregate cutoff time will have the slowest time of the three steers roped dropped.

*the number of teams qualifying to short round in each division may vary depending on team count and number of rotations.

Consolation Short Round

In previous years there has been a consolation short round following each rotation in most cases paying out $35,000 per rotation. With the new Farman arena allowing us to have a 3 arena set up we have found the consolation short round congesting the flow of the rotation to follow. Instead of eliminating the consolation short round and paying on two-head, we will conduct a Consolation Short Round, mirroring the Aggregate Short Round in both the number of guaranteed teams advancing and running the short round at the end of the event. Meaning the Consolation Short Round will run in the Priefert Pavilion Arena at the end of the last rotation, simultaneously with the Aggregate Short Round. (There are no At-Large teams in the consolation short round. Example: a 4-rotation roping - 7 per rotation = 28 + 8 At-large = 36 to aggregate & 28 to consolation)

With this change there is the opportunity for a much bigger pay day.

With that being said, let us explain further...

With each rotation you will still only be competing against the fastest two times/team in your rotation. Culminating to one consolation short go at the completion of the last rotation running simultaneous along with the aggregate short go in the Priefert Pavilion.

For example: If there are six rotations in the #10.5, 7 teams from each rotation will advance to the main Aggregate Short Round and 7 teams from each rotation will advance to the Consolation Short Round.

The 7 fastest teams on two steers will advance to the consolation short round from each rotation.

"At-Large" teams in the aggregate are always a moving target with the completion of each rotation. As the "At-Large" cut changes so could the cut for the consolation depending on which rotation the "At-Large" teams were coming out of. If an "At-Large" team gets bumped from the aggregate short round they will still have the opportunity if they are faster on 2, to make the cut for either a top 7 consolation spot in their rotation or a potential "At-Large" consolation spot. Knowing this, The consolation positions are not official until the last rotation is complete.

Reruns:

In addition to the flagger, WSTR will have an additional field judge stationed in the arena or arena area reviewing every run. The flagger will make the call and in the meantime the field judges are looking for anything out of the ordinary, borderline calls or any potential objections.

The flagger may call for a rerun, or the flagger and/or the field officials may call for a video replay of the run. If the flagger or a field official requests instant replay, a replay official will analyze the video and make the final determination on the run. This decision is final. No explanations are owed to a contestant, and the replay official will offer none. The position of WSTR is that if none of the three people observing the run detect anything out of the ordinary, then more than likely a rerun wasn't warranted. Ropers will be notified if they receive a rerun.

The official HD video and angle provided from the arena to the replay official will be the only recordings used by the replay official to make final determinations. Publicly arguing (includes social media) the matter beyond the final decision may be grounds for disqualification from the current division, future divisions, or future events. WSTR believes that higher stakes should only afford a higher degree of review, not higher degree of discretion. In all instances the underlying standard in granting reruns will be based on "the ability to compete" on the animal drawn (in the opinion of field judges). The Farm Tek break out barrier will be used to determine any question concerning excessive steer speed.

Live Streaming

The entire roping will be a live-streamed pay-per-view event at WSTRoping.com. This service is included with all current Key Card and Key Card Max memberships. For Ropers with standard WSTR memberships who do not wish to upgrade, the Finale Pay-Per-View can be purchased at WSTRoping.com. We encourage all members to watch and share this information with your family members and friends who aren't making the trip to Vegas, for a minimal fee anyone can watch the action right at home on their cell phones or computers.

Run Delivery

Every run at the Finale is professionally videoed, in all three arenas, clipped down for each individual roper, and prepared to deliver to every single roper at the Finale. In order to unlock this feature at no charge, ropers must either be a Key Card or Key Card Max member. Ropers with standard memberships can elect to purchase this service al-a-carte at WSTRoping.com or on the Global Roping app once logged in.

Note: If you are not a Key Card or Key Card Max member and/or you forget to upgrade or purchase Run Delivery, we have you covered! Even if you make the decision to upgrade after you have roped, once you sign up all of your runs will be available right on your phone!

2025 Key Card & Key Card Max memberships are on-sale NOW! Get current for next year take advantage and access your run delivery and live-stream for the 2024 Finale.

Time Tracker

Any member will be able to follow his/her runs or any other roper's runs on their smart phone via TimeTracker accessed on the Global Roping app, or at Globalhandicaps.com.

NO Personal Video Posting

We can't police the ropers who use their cell phones to film their own individual runs, however, none of these videos will be allowed to be posted on Facebook/Instagram Live. Recording of short rounds is not permitted. Social media makes identifying unauthorized use easy to locate and therefore easily identified and penalized.

General Information

Pre-reserved stalls are available to WSTR contestants only. While available, drive-up $60 nightly stall rentals are available at the "Celebrity" Lot about 1 mile south of the South Point. If it looks like you're going to be late beyond operating hours, please consider finding alternatives, or stopping and overnighting at the Celebrity Lot or staying at another location.

We will be handling over 2800 stalls for this event, so please be courteous to our stall crew and park where directed. One of the main concerns for most ropers, when they hit South Point concerns stalls and parking. After 17 years we have a good system guiding ropers to one of the 2800 stalls and multiple parking lots. Logistically speaking, this process can be easy and painless as long as you help us by following the traffic flows and check points. There is also a very helpful video posted on our Facebook page as well as on the homepage of WSTRoping.com in the Finale Box that walks you through all of the ins and outs of stalls, parking, check-in stations, and entrances into the property.

Entry Point

The entrance route for access to ALL stalls, will be from Las Vegas Boulevard (headed south) entering the property on W. Pyle. W. Pyle is a right turn on the second street south of the Grandview Hotel from Las Vegas Blvd. There will be multiple check stations and staff to direct you. DO NOT ENTER WITH YOUR TRAILER ON LA BARON AS WE WILL HAVE TO TRY TO TURN YOU AROUND. Please refer to the map on the back of the contestant draw positions letter.

Stall Refunds

Because of the cost of stalls, which are paid for in advance of this event, NO REFUNDS will be paid on cancelled stalls after November 14th. Stalls are sold by the week. Regardless of what day you rope, you have the flexibility to arrive before your scheduled roping day and stay longer - NO SUBLETTING is permitted. Partial refunds for early departure or late arrivals are not available.

Stall Thieves - Zero Tolerance

If you are new to the Finale, we have over the years developed a zero tolerance for the stall thieves. Please note that the barn has a monitored video camera system. The zero tolerance-when we catch a squatter or borrower, the entire team will be drawn out and the offending roper will be drawn out of all divisions of the Finale with all partners and entry fees refunded less a $350 stall fee. Any roper who has already roped and is discovered stealing stalls will be ineligible to enter the following year.

Shavings

All horse stalls are priced to include the equivalent of four standard bags of shavings and if you have pre-purchased additional bags they will be in your stall before you arrive. If needed, shavings are available for purchase from the South Point Tractor Supply feed store in Barn A and at the NRS Tack Shack feed store next to the Outside Qualifier arena as well as at the Celebrity lot location. Shavings disposal is very costly and highly regulated by Clark County, therefore, NO outside shavings allowed.

Day Trippers

You are considered a day-tripper if you have your horse stalled anywhere other than inside or outside at South Point and the Centex lot.

Where to Enter: W. Pyle Ave., which is two streets south of Grandview. We are asking day-trippers to please proceed directly to the Grandview parking lot.

How to get to South Point: You can lead or ride your horse to the Equestrian Center from this parking area, please follow the designated path DO NOT ride thru the Grand View parking lot. If you want to ride to the arena, ride your horse west on W. Pyle Avenue toward the freeway, and hang a right on Team Roping Blvd to the arena.

Need to Know: Grandview Hotel allows us the use of this big parking lot because quite a few ropers stay in their property. We want to keep them happy since their big parking lot is essential to this roping. There are NO horses allowed in the Grandview Hotel parking lot, and by saying that, that means leading or riding a horse through the Grandview Hotel parking lot toward the arena.

NEW in 2024: South Point Hotel & Casino will be enforcing a small Day Tripper Parking Fee

Centex Stalls

The Centex stalls are at the far south parking lot next to the jackpot arena.

Where to Enter: Turn east on W. Pyle. Turn left (south) off W. Pyle on Parvin Street into the Centex Lot. There is a checkpoint trailer at this location. Please stop at this checkpoint so that your stall can be assigned.

How to get to South Point: There will be a horse path to the South Point as well as the jackpot arenas.

Need to Know: Outside stalls are not preassigned; so, if you want to stall with your partner who is also assigned to this stall section, arrive with your partner. We will do our best to accommodate stalling close to each other until we get close to filling up, at that point, you may not be able to stall together. Security will let you have a little time to saddle your horses, however, they won't let any horses stand tied to a trailer anywhere on the property. There are no tack stalls in the Outdoor Stall lot; you will have access to your trailer, please do not attempt to share a tack stall with a roper assigned Indoors. There is no other event grounds parking for those of you assigned in the Centex Lot. If you unhook, you will have to park your truck in a hotel parking lot.

Farnam Stalls

These outside stalls are located at the west side of the main arena and on the south edge of the Farnam arena.

Where to Enter: Turn East on W. Pyle Ave, drive to the Team Roping Blvd and turn right. Please stop at this checkpoint so that your stall can be assigned.

Need to Know: We will do our best to accommodate stalling close to each other until we get close to filling up, at that point, you may not be able to stall together. There are no tack stalls in the Outdoor Stall lot; you will have access to your trailer, please do not attempt to share a tack stall with a roper assigned Indoors. The stalls will be arranged in three rows. With this layout, it is very important that you observe the directional signage "ONE WAY" in between the stalls and make sure to park where you are directed. You should be close enough to feed your horses, saddle at your trailer, and ride to the arena. Security will let you have a little time to saddle your horses, however, they won't let any horses stand tied to a trailer anywhere on the property.

Indoor Stalls Barn A & Barn B

Where to Enter: Turn East on W. Pyle Ave, drive to the Team Roping Blvd and turn right. Please stop at this checkpoint to receive the correct parking pass. Then you will proceed to either Barn A or Barn B for unloading.

Barn A: If in Barn A, after you unload indoors, security will direct you to park on the big 15-acre lot along the east side of I-15 by turning right on LeBaron and proceeding to the parking area entrance at Team Roping Blvd and LeBaron Blvd.

Barn B: If in Barn B, exit onto Silverado, right on Las Vegas Blvd, and then proceed the way you came in, right on W. Pyle, right on Team Roping Blvd, and enter the parking area to the left at Team Roping Blvd and LeBaron.

Need to Know: Our parking staff will direct you to park in this lot. Please comply with these parking instructions as we have to fit a lot of trailers in this lot. Having your parking pass displayed will speed you through the checkpoints.

Tack Stalls

Every year we have a few ropers assigned a tack stall who decide to share with partners not listed with their group or who are outside the barn. Since we provide the tack stalls and those stalls are assigned to multiple ropers in the stall block, please don't do this. It isn't fair to the others sharing the tack stall and frankly these tack stalls can't hold more than about six. To contact ropers listed in your tack stall, call WSTR 505-898-1755 for phone #s or check at the Stall Office when you arrive.

Locked Tack Stalls

If you are sharing with a roper who you don't know and you arrive first, please give your tack stall combination to one of the WSTR team members in the stall office so that your stall mates can access the tack stall and we won't have to cut your lock. We won't mediate disputes or deal with the locked tack stall issues. We do not accept "locked tack stall" as an excuse to override turnouts in the roping.

Indoor Stalls Barn A & B HOTEL CHECK-IN

If you are in Barn A or Barn B, hotel check-in services will be in the stall office in Barn A (next to the Tractor Supply feed Store). While you are placing horses in stalls, a South Point reservation team member will be in the stall office to assist you with check-in. Bell staff will be available to take your bags to your room, so hopefully by the time you feed and park your trailer your clothes will be in your room. The special accommodation hours for Hotel Check-In in the barn will be 10 am to 6 pm PST beginning Friday, Dec 8th through Wednesday, Dec 13th. This is meant to speed up the process and to be more convenient for you. If you are by yourself in the vehicle, please don't use this service as it blocks the unload alley too long, please place your horse in the stall and then check-in at the front desk, the old-fashioned way.

Celebrity Stalls

There are panel stalls set up on the Celebrity Ranch property (one mile south of SP), available on a first come basis to WSTR members at $50/night who didn't reserve a stall, needing a 2nd stall or wanting to ride in solitude or dry camp, however, there are no RV plug ins or water to hook up to on this property. A water truck will be on-site to fill up horse buckets. Please note as a result of the two new highways between South Point and Celebrity, it is not possible to ride that one mile as in the past.

Open: 7AM

Close: Close at the end of the event each day. Any horses left tied in any arena 30 minutes past the end of the short round will be moved by security and locked in a stall.

Warm-Up Arena Locations

• Priefert Warm Up Arena
• Warm up arena south of the Farnam stalls
• Warm up arena next to the qualification arenas at the far end of the South Point property

Priefert Warm Up arena: The only ropers who will be allowed into the inside Priefert warm-up area will be those in the rotation currently roping in both arenas. Ropers in the "NEXT" rotation will be permitted to enter the Priefert warm-up arena 30 minutes prior to the start of their rotation.

What NOT to do

As a multi-day major roping event with multiple stall locations involves thousands of horses and we understand that ropers want to bring their horses to the facility and "hang out." We also understand that those horses need to come out of the stalls a couple of times each day. There are many team ropers entered and even with plenty of warmup space, it doesn't allow for a few thousand horses to be tied the majority of the day inside the facilities.

So please assist us and please don't camp your saddled horse at the South Point facility. We sincerely request warm-up pen etiquette, walk on the inside of the circle, lope on the outside. Please don't ride more than two abreast, and if you're walking your horse, ride to the inside of the circle and leave the outside for galloping.

• Tractor Supply
  • Open daily 7AM - 5PM
  • Located next to the stall office in Barn A.
  • Delivery available to Indoor stall locations.
• NRS Feed Store
  • Open daily 8AM-5PM
  • Located on the Southwest end of CENTEX Lot, close to the Outside Arenas.
  • Pickup service only.

The Nevada Livestock Board requires proof of ownership, Coggins within the last year and current health inspection (30 days). If you are from a non-brand state, you may purchase permanent hauling papers from the Nevada Livestock Board if you like. Generally, there is very small fee. The most common diagnosis that shows up at the Finale each year is the Equine Influenza. It shows up at every location and whether it is caused by the haul or just time of year, it is highly contagious. Fever will get high, and you hear of lots of ropers on borrowed horses. Our event veterinarian, Dr. Ellis Farstvedt from Performance Equine Specialists would like to remind all the contestants to vaccinate horses for Equine Influenza at least 5 days prior to travel. The vaccines seem to be highly effective for approximately 6 months.

Horse Papers: Make sure you have all of your horse paperwork done ahead of time including your Coggins and Health papers.