For two years in a row, Marty Yates has set–and broken–RFD-TV’s The American tie-down roping arena record at AT&T Stadium. This year, the speed king will not be competing in the arena that fit his “gun slinging” style so well.

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Yates did not finish out the PRCA season within the top 10 in the world so he was forced to qualify for the semifinals and battle it out amongst the hundreds of others that wanted their hands on the million dollar opportunity. We tracked Yates’ progress as he qualified for the semifinals with both runs, and was able to move on to the shootout with one of those calls.

The shootout round the next day wouldn’t go his way, however, so that gun slinging style will be missed at AT&T in 2019. Which raises the question: who will take his place as the fastest tie-down roper of the event? 

When looking down the list of tie-down ropers that have both qualified and have been invited to compete, there are several that can–and have–gone under the seven-second mark in their careers. 

The 6.38-second mark will be one that is hard to beat, but if we had to put our money down, we’d say this pen has some titans that can approach, if not beat that time.