Reys Of Pep, the American Rope Horse Futurity Association’s 2023 Head Horse of the Year, won the Old West Rope Horse Futurity’s Non-Pro Heading with Texas’s Halie Richey July 27 to the tune of $9,450.
Full Results: ARHFA’s Old West Futurity
The 2017 stallion is by Dual Rey out of Peppys Stylish Lena by Docs Stylish Oak, and he’s owned by NFR header Jake Cooper. Reys Of Pep earned $114,599 in his futurity career under the guidance of Colby Lovell, Kaleb Driggers and Kollin VonAhn, and he’s been in the breeding barn most of 2024. Richey, Cooper’s girlfriend, just started riding the stud a few weeks ago after a long hiatus from the roping pen.
“We heard about this show, and I just started practicing on him, and was hoping to do good,” Richey said. “I kind of retired for six years, and I’ve come back to two ropings now.”
Richey is in Texas Tech’s School of Veterinary Medicine, so while her family owns Premier Rope Horses championed by her brother-in-law Clay Smith (and headlined by their $100,000 Old West Champ Lead On), she’s been focused on academics. But Reys Of Pep is the perfect gentleman for a woman returning to the arena—just like he’s a fierce competitor at the Open level.
“He’s super gentle and super sweet,” Richey said. “I feel like a pro guy could go ride him, and then I can ride him, and he’s just the same. “
Reys Of Pep bred a diverse book of mares in 2024 in his first year standing full-time, fitting in drives to the breeding barn for collections between practice reps with Cooper. He bred NFR mares like Highpoint Performance Horses‘ Docs Gunslinger Chic and great dams like Miss N Frost, dam to Erich Rogers’ Salinas champ 5-year-old gelding, ER Miss N The Casino.
In 2025, Cooper plans to further limit Reys Of Peps’ books while he competes on the stallion at the ProRodeos and Open ropings, and while Richey competes on him at World Series of Team Ropings and judged competitions.
