WSTR was born in 2006, when South Point Hotel & Casino set out to build a marquee equestrian event to run alongside the NFR. The Gentrys, formerly of the U.S. Team Roping Championships, designed a hybrid format — high-dollar direct entries paired with low-cost qualifying events around the country that let ropers “push” their winnings to Vegas for a shot at a bigger payday. It worked: the first Finale drew over 150 teams per division and a $1.2 million purse in its debut year.
That same qualify-then-compete format still drives WSTR today, and the Finale purse has grown to more than $18 million. Equine Network acquired WSTR in 2015 and has continued investing in the qualifying series and the Finale experience, which now runs on a 20-person full-time staff plus roughly 150 event-week staff.
For the full current rulebook — entry requirements, handicap classifications, payout structure, and event conduct — see WSTR’s official rules page.