Red Rock Classic Awards First USTRC Bob’s Custom Team Roping Saddles

When Pete and Kyle Mickelson entered the No. 9 roping at the recent Red Rock Classic in Gallup, New Mexico, they were taking a step away from their typical entry pattern. The father-son duo from Flagstaff, Arizona, was focusing on making fewer, better runs, than more runs, and only entered the No. 9 that day.

“We usually enter up and Kyle said, ‘Hey, why don’t we just enter the regular 9 and try to make us some runs?’” Pete said. “That deal turned out and we won it. It’s pretty special.

After roping four head in 50.03 seconds, Kyle and Pete walked away with two brand new Bob’s Custom Saddles—the first two awarded at a USTRC event.

“It’s the first US saddle I’ve won,” Kyle said. “It’s definitely one of the more meaningful ones. We’ve been members of the USTRC for quite a while and we’ve always been trying to go after winning one of those ropings. We’ve had some success and I’ve actually won a couple of US ropings, but never one they give away a saddle at. The way this came down, it was the completion of a life-long goal that we’ve had.”

As the new Official Saddle of the USTRC, Bob’s Custom Saddles is bringing a newly designed team roping saddle to ropers. Optimal saddle fit for the horse and seat performance for the rider, combined with Bob’s Custom Saddles’ 42 years of experience gives the USTRC a saddle that ropers will want to ride.

“The USTRC has a lot of good things on the horizon and we’re excited to bring our saddle to their ropers,” Chris Weaver, Vice President of Bob’s Custom Saddles said. “We take pride when people say the first saddle they’ve ever won is a Bob’s. It really means something to the people who win, and it really does something for our brand when they can go out and ride it.”

Built by artisan craftsmen with over 30 years experience, the USTRC saddles use only Hermann Oak’s premium 13-15 ounce heavy skirting leather, half fiberglass-reinforced, rawhide-covered wood trees and 100 percent wool sheepskin lining. Designed with custom USTRC conchos and a wider deep roper covered wood stirrup, these saddles feature a hand-laid groundseat and hand-stitched cantle and seat, to award riders with a great tool that provides the foundation and fundamentals of a great run.

“We only build saddles one way,” Weaver said. “Every saddle we build, we build the same way whether it’s going to be an award or being sold to a customer. We do this so our award saddles are ridden.”

For the moment, Kyle and his father are savoring their big win and displaying their award saddles in their homes, but they can see the rideability of these saddles.

“We hauled them right inside the house and put them on display, but you know it’s one of those things where they look like they would be just dandy to ride,” Pete said. “I couldn’t be happier to win one and I feel like I could put it on my horse and ride it right now.”

The Mickelson’s are considering attending the National Finals of Team Roping this fall, but haven’t fully committed. Their success at this last event and the potential to win the first-ever National Finals Bob’s Custom Saddles is having an impact on the final decision.

“That’s kind of been our thing; we do a lot of firsts,” Kyle said. “We did the USTRC and the World Series group. When they first started out, we won the first event they had in Arizona. When Walt Eddy told us that those were the first Bob’s Custom Saddles, it just seemed like it fit, like that’s been our theme.”

ABOUT BOB’S CUSTOM SADDLES

Over 42 years of craftsmanship at Bob’s Custom Saddles has seen countless hours go into building our saddles’ unique features that deliver a superior look, fit and quality ride. Bob's Custom Saddles has carried more premier horsemen to World, Futurity and Derby Championships than any other custom saddle maker.

Our superior quality, craftsmanship and performance have made our reining, working cowhorse, silver show, ranch versatility, cutting, roping, barrel racing and trail saddles the preferred choice of premier horsemen from around the world. For more information, visit www.bobscustomsaddles.com.