Joseph Harrison and 4-year-old gelding Copperton navigated a challenging field in the Equinety Platinum Medal Futurity Heeling preliminaries on Friday Sept. 1, 2023, emerging victorious with a composite of 874.46.

“This is one of the very best 4-year-old heel horses I’ve ever been on in my life,” Harrison, a six-time NFR qualifier said. “He is super cool. He doesn’t get worried in the box, and you’re never asking him to go. You’re always just letting him cruise.”

Copperton is sired by Spots Hot and out of Copperish, a cutting mare with more than $185,000 in lifetime earnings. He was started as a part of Lloyd Cox’s cutting program before being offered to Harrison to train for the roping futurities.

“Lloyd’s my neighbor and he had a couple of horses he wanted me to come look at, and this was the one that I picked,” Harrison said. “I’ve had success on cutting-bred horses. My old horse I rode at the NFR five times Main Street Boon. That horse was from Phil Rapp’s program.”

Copperton’s Platinum Medal Futurity Heeling sidepot checks:

3/4 Year Old Sidepot – No. 1, $2,512

Royal Crown Sidepot – No. 1, $2,838

Copperton’s talents

Harrison expects Copperton—who’s already 14.3 ‘and then some’—to continue growing and maturing as a competitor.

“To be honest, a lot of the time I’m not doing a lot up there,” Harrison said. “I’m just joy-sticking, holding the bridle reins. I hardly ever have to kick him. He’s so fast that you’re usually saying, ‘Hey buddy, it’s ok, stay right here.’”

Harrison said he usually “keeps everything in front of younger heel horses,” but with Copperton he can bump him further up with less concern about missing the turn.

“I’ve never had him miss the turn,” Harrison said. “When you put your hand down and tell him to go get in his spot, that’s where he goes. He’s real tied to the ground and butt-draggy. I am very lucky to have him and appreciative to have him.”

Harrison rode Copperton on the head side, too, but says the horse’s true talent is on the heel side.

“He always wants to look into the cow, and he doesn’t want to cow off and pull his shoulders away, which may be why he didn’t make it as a cutter,” Harrison said.

Copperton was a little looky when Harrison first got him in the barn but has settled in now. Harrison’s theory is that the gelding was so willing to please that any time there was a chance he’d get in trouble, he would get worried.

Copperton and Harrison will compete in the Equinety Platinum Medal Heeling Short Round Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023.

The competition will be streamed live for free on Roping.com.

Platinum Medal Futurity Preliminary Heeling Results

 Platinum Medal Sidepot results

Owner/Rider Sidepot results

Royal Crown Sidepot results