By Bonnie Wheatley Photos by Primo Morales – Courtesy of the Reined Cow Horse News
J.D. yates and Joseph Harrison notched major victories at the $110,000- added World Championship Rope Horse Futurity held during the NRCHA snaffle bit Futurity.
The second annual $110,000-add- ed World Championship Rope Horse Futurity produced by American Rope Horse Futurity Association (ARHFA) owners Jay and Lindsay Wadhams drew elite ropers and their talented equine athletes to John Justin Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 18-19. Four-, 5- and 6-year- old head and heel horses shown by some of the best in the business all battled for a piece of the $362,000 total payout. In addition to Open Heading and Open Heeling, a $28,000 guaranteed 4-year-old Incentive and Limited Open division for #6 and lower headers and #7 and lower heelers offered more ways to win.
In the ARHFA scores are tallied accord- ing to the judges’ evaluation in specific areas, including performance in the box and at the barrier, run, rate, and other factors, which are combined with points
from the time accrued on the run. A 10-point penalty is assessed for a bro- ken barrier and a five-point penalty for roping only one leg. Three-time world champion team roper Tee Woolman and two-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier Nick Sarchett judged the roping.
OPEN HEADING
Beating a tough field of 96 in the Open Heading, it was the veteran J.D. Yates riding return champion DT Air Jordan for owner Greg Hause with a total on four runs of 929.54 points to earn the championship. Bred by Dean Tuftin, DT Air Jordan is a 2012 sorrel gelding sired by Shiners Lena Chex and out of Margies Lil Jessie by RC Command.
After three go-rounds of Open Heading, “Jordan” and Yates were the second-high call back to the top-20 finals in what proved to be a nail biter. With intercollegiate champion and NFR-bound Trey Yates heeling, J.D. knew there was a lot of pressure on his son to make a solid run, especially after roping a costly leg behind Jordan’s full sister DT Juno Shines just a couple of runs prior.
“If there was anybody that was gonna screw up on the team it was gonna be me, but you know, that’s what makes you a better person and a better roper is when you can reach down deep and make it happen,” said an emotional J.D. following the win, adding that Jordan performed better with each run he made at the futurity. “I thought he was good last year but this year he just kept getting better, that showed me the determination and the heart of the horse. I just feel fortunate to be the one chosen to ride him. You know, you get a lot of credit for horse training, but I really just had to stay out of his way and go do my job and he did most of the work.”
As for the growth and success of the futurity itself, Yates was quick to thank the National Reined Cow Horse Association for welcoming the event, as well as Dean Tuftin and Jay Wadhams, both instrumental in its benefited the NRCHA, but I also think they’ve benefited us because we’re start- ing to see some crossover, we’ve got some guys that do both the roping and the cow horse. There’s another outlet for the horses. We can take a reined cow horse that might have a little bobble in its turnaround in the reining, and well, he might be an outstanding rope horse.”
J.D. is optimistic about the future of the rope horse futurity and hopes to see the event continue.
“I see a lot of great things coming from it and for it. It’s just like anything,” he said. “You try something new and there’s bumps along the road but I think it’s been a big enough success for the NRCHA and the ARHFA that this thing will keep going and keep growing and get bigger and bigger.
OPEN HEELING
The 2013 stallion Dual Patron (Dual Spark x Look At Her Glo x CD O Cody) was ridden by two-time NFR qualifier Joseph Harrison, who put on a clinic on the heel side on October 19 in John Justin Arena, roping behind Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) World Champion Chad Masters.
Owned by Bobby Lewis and bred by Circle Star Land & Cattle, Dual Patron won the World Championship Rope Horse Futurity 4-year-old Incentive in 2017 with Lewis riding and returned this year to win second in round one and first in round two and the average for total earnings of $25,000. Scores of 83 from both judges combined with a time of 7.32 for a 238.66 in the short go and overall composite of 941.29 points to edge reserve champion Lillys Bugatti (A Shiner Named Sioux x RS Lilly Starlight x Grays Starlight) ridden by Trey Yates for Fulton Quien Sabe Ranches.
Harrison, who rodeos aboard PRCA Horse of the Year runner up Lula Dual— also sired by Dual Spark—had high praise for Dual Patron’s performance in Fort Worth.
“I was fortunate to draw a couple hard steers that really allowed him to show what he can do,” said Harrison. “The first steer we had was pretty strong and we were second in the round, then the second steer was also pretty strong and the judges liked how he handled it. We won that round, so by the third go I was thinking just don’t fall off and we’ll have a chance!”
Harrison has worked with and shown rope horses at Bobby Lewis Quarter Horses for the past 15 years. He even helped prepare Dual Patron’s sire, the great Dual Spark, for NRCHA World’s Greatest Horseman steer stopping duties when Lewis showed the stallion.
“I’d like to thank Bobby for letting me ride Dual Patron, he’s such a great horse and I’ve had a chance to ride a lot of great horses, thanks to Bobby. He’s got a great breeding pro- gram and great training facility. I’ve also got to thank Chad Masters—he’s a lousy header, but I guess I’m pretty lucky to have him,” Harrison joked. “I’m very fortunate to have all those guys on my team.”
When asked for his thoughts on the Snaffle Bit Futurity hosting the roping futurity, Harrison praised organizers for making it happen.
“I think it’s awesome and the rope horse industry needs it. When you have that much money added and that many spectators, the money and so much publicity, it’s all just great for the industry,” he said.