With gold buckles and NFR average titles on the line, the Top 15 heelers in the world are bringing out the most elite heel horses for the 2025 NFR Dec. 4-13.

The lineup of heel horses to watch inside the Thomas & Mack is stacked with some of team roping’s elite talents, including multiple PRCA Heel Horses of the Year.

• There are 14 years between the oldest and youngest horses in this year’s field. Brady Minor’s Leos Highbrow (Sug) is the oldest at 20. Jake Long’s Hezaluckysonofagun (Copper) is the youngest at 6.
• There are no mares in the field this year.
• Cow horse reigns supreme in this field. The lineup of heel horses this year is stacked with cow horse lineage.
• There are three former PRCA Heel Horses of the Year in the mix: Kadabra King, Cut Off My Spots and Leos Highbrow.
• Two horses are yet to be decided. Kaden Profili (as of Dec. 1) is leaning toward riding Cole Curry’s Liken It Tuff but also has Gunnabeanangel (Grace) with him. Jonathan Torres is also still deciding between two mounts: Wood Ya Chula (Paycheck) and Lynx Dancin Rooster (Scooter).
• Both Coleby Payne’s Kadabra King and Trey Yates’ Romancing The Chics both have NFR aggregate titles on their records.
• Oz Ona Hot Streak, the gray stud ridden by Lane Mitchell, is a son of one of the leading barrel racing sires, A Streak Of Fling, and he’s an AQHA Senior Heading World Champion. He holds the distinction of being the only AQHA World Champ to also haul all year to compete at the NFR.

** indicates undecided horses