Texas rancher Allan Jones made headlines when he purchased one of the rope horse industry’s most coveted mares—Crosby Ray Von—during a record-setting auction at the Old West Rope Horse Futurity Sale in Heber City, Utah June 20.

A newcomer to the performance horse world but no stranger to high-stakes business, Allan Jones runs a manufacturing company and manages a sprawling 11,000-acre ranch in Texas. Though he doesn’t throw a rope himself, Jones is diving into the rope horse industry with purpose and vision—starting with a mare backed by the Relentless Remuda and Solo Select’s elite program. In this conversation with The Team Roping Journal, he explains why he made the leap, what he values most in a horse, and how his wife Melessa’s eye for talent sparked it all.

TRJ: How did you hear about this mare? Give me the rundown.

Allan Jones: Well, my wife actually found her. She’s been doing a lot of research and looking around. That’s what led us into it. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad—but that’s how it started.

TRJ: What were you looking for with this purchase? What motivated you?

Jones: Our main motivation was to get into the horse business. We have a ranch—about 11,000 acres—and around 20 modest ranch horses. But we wanted to go deeper, start a real breeding program. I was looking for a foundational horse, and this one came up unexpectedly. We had to make some quick decisions, especially last night. But what really sealed it for us was the team already around her—they play an integral role in her future.

TRJ: That team really is something special. What did you know about Solo Select and the Relentless Remuda before this?

Jones: We’d done business with Solo Select before, actually bred a couple mares to The Darkk Side. One of those mares is out of a Tanquery Gin line a few generations back. As for Trevor and Miles—they’re at the top of the industry. Part of what justified the price was their involvement. Trevor even told us he didn’t want the horse to go to someone who wouldn’t keep him involved. He has a deep connection to her.

TRJ: And what did you like about her as a rope horse, personally?

Jones: She’s a winner, plain and simple. But it’s not just about her—it’s about the people behind her. Without that team, talent alone wouldn’t have been enough for us.

TRJ: Why the rope horse industry? Why not cutting, cow horse or reining?

Jones: We believe the rope horse industry is growing, and last night’s auction showed that. Team roping draws a huge crowd—it’s one of the most popular events. I bought my ranch 20 years ago, and I was 45 then. I’m in my 60s now, and I didn’t want to spend decades waiting for the right horse to come along. Some people wait 40 years and still miss out. This opportunity came up, and we decided to go all in.

TRJ: Do you rope yourself? Do you plan to?

Jones: Not at all. I learned quickly that wasn’t for me. The first branding I ever helped with, a 5-year-old was dragging calves to the fire like a pro—and I realized there wasn’t enough time left for me to get that good.

TRJ: Fair enough! So what’s your background—what did you do for a living?

Jones: I run a manufacturing business. We make heat exchange products. When I bought the ranch, I was just looking for 100 acres to mess around with. Then a buddy introduced me to someone selling a place, and next thing I know, I’m signing papers in 2008.

TRJ: That’s awesome. So with this mare, and a few bred to The Darkk Side, what are your broader goals?

Jones: This mare is our foundation. We want to develop her first, then move into breeding. That’ll be with the help of Miles, Trevor, and Solo Select. Right now, 100% of our focus is on her.

TRJ: What was your reaction last night? Trevor and Miles were speechless.

Jones: We were actually in San Antonio at a Cody Johnson concert. We missed Cody’s set because we left to watch the auction. We had a guy on the floor bidding for us. I was on the phone with him—but I think he misunderstood me. I might’ve said “stop” when I meant “go ahead and bid.”

TRJ: Oh no! So you didn’t mean to go that high?

Jones: Not exactly. But we’re not upset. We’ll make it work. We just hope for good health and a good outcome.

TRJ: Cody Johnson would love to hear you missed his show for a rope horse sale!

Jones: I almost jumped up on stage to announce it. But we’re usually low-profile people, and this kind of pushed us into the spotlight a bit.

TRJ: It’s amazing to have someone like you entering the industry. Was your wife as excited?

Jones: She was shocked. We knew it would go high, but not that high.

TRJ: Are you planning to go see her in person soon?

Jones: Yes, we’re planning a trip in the next couple weeks.

TRJ: Have you been to rope horse futurities? Will you travel to see her compete?

Jones: Yes, that’s part of the plan. We’re excited to see her in action.

TRJ: You mentioned breeding to The Darkk Side. What mares did you use?

Jones: Just one so far—a Tanquery Gin mare. We did an embryo transfer and now have a five-month-old filly on the ground. We did it mostly for the experience.

TRJ: Why Solo Select for that? There are other options out there.

Jones (with input from wife): That was my wife again. She saw The Darkk Side and spoke with Mel at Solo Select. We bred to TicTac (Metallic Cattack) and had a great experience. We’ll definitely keep working with them.

TRJ: Many folks in this space have been doing this for generations, but we’ve seen all kinds of backgrounds succeed. You’ve got the right people around you.

Jones: To me, it’s another business. You’ve got to be willing to lose what you put in. I’ve had failures, but they taught me what I needed to succeed.

TRJ: Exactly.

Jones: We’re committed to this. We probably won’t even bring her to our ranch in Texas for five or six years. She belongs with Trevor and Miles and Solo Select.