Old Friends win #9.5, $55K at BFI Week

A team of New Mexico natives won the #9.5 Over 40 roping on March 16 at Wrangler BFI Week presented by Yeti to split $54,500.

Anchored by the 44th Annual Bob Feist Invitational for professionals on March 14, BFI Week includes eight affiliated amateur ropings and was held because of pandemic restrictions for the second time in Guthrie, Oklahoma’s Lazy E Arena.

Andreas Sanchez, a 43-year-old air traffic controller who grew up in New Mexico but lives now in Boyd, Texas, and his old friend Lee Knox, a rancher from Costilla, made $27,250 per man for roping four steers in 40.29 seconds. All 21 teams who caught three steers made the short round and earned at least their fees back.

“It was our first time to get to see the Cinch Timed Event Championships,” said Knox, 46. “Eighteen of us came up here together and got tickets, and stayed the night so we got to see the BFI. That’s probably one of the coolest ropings I’ve ever gotten to watch. I’ve seen it on TV, but that doesn’t do it justice.”

Two days after the esteemed BFI and roping at second callback in the #9.5 Over 40, Sanchez and Knox needed just a 14.85-second run to take the lead. They ran one down in 11.30 smooth, after which the high team missed. Just six teams of the 21 caught a steer clean.

“Lee came and stayed with me and we went to get lessons at [NFR header] Kevin Stewart’s house yesterday,” said Sanchez. “He noticed I was missing because I was running too tight and told me to stay in my lane, and it really helped here today.”

Sanchez only began roping about 12 years ago when a cousin talked him into it, so their grandfather could watch them both rope before he died. Knox grew up roping and ranching. He’s foreman of Top of the World Ranch, which is part of Rancho Milagro – a group that grows organic hay for dairies, operates a mother cow calf operation and heavily sponsors both team roping and the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) of open-wheel dirt modified racecars.

All events during Wrangler BFI Week are streamed live on www.WranglerNetwork.com and wrap up on March 18 with the Hooey Jr. BFI Championships.

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Complete Results from the #9.5 Over 40 on March 16:

First Round: 1. Randy Cross and Jasper Winn, 7.67 seconds, $3,500; 2. Ricky Schultz and Mike Booth, 8.07, $3,000; 3. Jimmy Garcia and Monte Anderson, 8.08, $2,500.

Second Round: 1. Richard Nolen and Doug Miller, 6.87 seconds, $3,500; 2. Ricky Jones and Kyle Pullen, 7.05, $3,000; 3. John Johnson and J.W. Baucom, 7.40, $2,500.

Average: 1. Andreas Sanchez and Lee Knox, 40.29 seconds on four steers, $54,500; 2. Kent Latta and Mike Goad, 43.84, $39,000; 3. Lynn Dale Toon and Richard Hughes, 46.64, $29,000; 4. Jerry Bailey and Trenton Tucker, 47.43, $22,000; 5. Dale Detten and Jim Neal, 47.71, $11,700; 6. Jack Foster and Tony Lee, 47.88, $10,000; 7. Nicky Delgado and Shannon Killingsworth, 48.39, $9,000; 8. John Johnson and William Evans, 51.33, $8,000; 9. Russ Cook and Ricky Oliver, 52.04, $7,000; 10. Scott Burleson and Blane Chapman, 53.16, $5,000; 11. Belo Wiley and Sal Dominguez, 53.27, $5,000; 12. Tony Chance and Joe Cavin, 58.19, $4,000; 13. Dawn Murrell and Goose Cummings, 62.22, $3,000; 14. Ricky Schultz and Mike Booth, 25.13 seconds on three steers, $2,500; 15. Belo Wiley and Russell Hind, 33.97, $2,500; 16. Jimmy Garcia and John Garcia, 34.25, $2,500; 17. Sherry Ellis and Cory Clark, 36.03, $2,500; 18. Cas Salley and Patrick McCormick, 37.22, $2,500; 19. Lynn Dale Toon and Travis Sargent, 38.25, $2,500; 20. Ronny Riley and Darren Duvall, 38.52, $2,500; 21. Mike Booth and Ricky Bolin, 41.08, $2,500.

See more at Bfiweek.com.