Team roping has never been a bigger business—or a bigger opportunity. The rise of the Riata, the explosion of the futurity space and the steady drumbeat of major events have reshaped what breeders can justify, what trainers can demand and what customers are willing to pay. The new baseline is simple: producers must perform early, hold up late and stay honest enough in the middle to make a living for the people swinging a leg over them.

That shift is why today’s stallions matter more than ever. They’re no longer just pedigrees on paper; they’re the blueprint for the next generation of rope horses—and the economics behind them—from stud fees to sale rings to incentive programs that reward a good one long after the first check clears.

The next wave of ropers is already on its way. The stallions in this guide, and the programs standing behind them, are building the horses they’ll depend on. Oz Ona Hot Streak, featured on the cover and on p.154, is one of the ones proving the future can still be built the right way: one good-minded, long-lasting rope horse at a time.