Ropers Spin To Win Brand New Truck and Trailer and Over $170,000 in Prize Money at Jacksonville Equestrian Center
Top ranked team ropers from across the United States descended on the Jacksonville Equestrian Center last weekend for a chance to win a 2018 Dodge RAM 3500 4-door diesel pick-up truck and a two-horse aluminum trailer. Cash payouts totaled $172,400 and prizes, which included trophy buckles, saddles, ropes and much more, was valued at $100,000.
Each rider could enter the competition up to 20 times. The 55 fastest teams that made a clean catch of both the head and the heels of a steer qualified for a finals round. The perennially popular event includes divisions for riders of all ages including a “Looper” class for ropers as young as six.
“We’ve been having people ask us to lift the 50-team limit on the Super 7 Header roping sponsored by Smarty,” said John Johnson of JX2 Productions, the company that produces the event. “So we did and ended up having the largest one yet, with a payout of $44,000.”
The Jacksonville Equestrian Center has hosted the NTRL Rope for the Truck competition multiple times. The state-of-the-art facility is an ideal location for this popular event thanks to top-notch amenities that include 400 permanent stalls, a coliseum that includes seating for 3,700 and a 123,000 square foot arena for competition. Tim Jones the Executive Director at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center said, “The show was extremely successful and John Johnson along with JX2 events team are, as always, an absolute pleasure to work with. We look forward to their return in January 2019.”
While Johnson was in town for the NTRL Truck Roping, he participated in the Jacksonville Equestrian Center Groundbreaking ceremony on May 3. The facility’s new covered arena will be the largest clear-span covered arena in the southeast providing the necessary space to support a wider variety of activities and multiple events at the same time. “That was a really awesome deal, and I’m thankful that we got to be a part of that,” he said. “It made us really excited for the Finals next year and the fact that we will be able to have our cattle pens covered and a 300’ x 300’ covered arena.”
Equine show managers from a wide variety of disciplines choose the Jacksonville Equestrian Center for their competitive events. On May 12, the May Day Qualifier Dressage Show begins at 8 a.m. The weekend of May 19 – 20th, the Clinton Anderson Walkabout Tour will be in the indoor arena, while the Northeast Florida Dressage Association has an event scheduled in the Dixon Square outdoor ring. Later in the month the Florida Quarter Horse Association holds its three-day Memorial Day show at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center.
The facility hosts a wide range of popular, family-friendly gatherings throughout the year, such as car shows, family fun days, dog agility trials, bicycling events, and equestrian competitions for every breed and riding discipline. For nature lovers, the 80- acre property also features miles of hiking and riding trails as well as a picnic pavilion.
Known for its extensive amenities and ideal location, which is only a short drive to the city and beautiful beaches, the Jacksonville Equestrian Center is a premier facility for events of all sizes. For more information and to learn more about upcoming events, visit www.jaxequestriancenter.com or call (904)-255-4215.
