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
Placing | Rider Name | Owner | Horse Name | Sire x Dam (Dam Sire) | Breeder | Average Score |
Platinum Short Round | ||||||
1 | JOSEPH HARRISON | COX AND MOORE PARTNERSHIP | COPPERTON | SPOTS HOT x COPPERISH (METALLIC CAT) 2019 STALLION | JIMMIE MILLER SMITH | 874.46 |
2 | MILES BAKER | RELENTLESS REMUDA LLC | LITTLE RUF GUNNER | NOT RUF AT ALL x GUNNERS EASTER LILLY (COLONELS SMOKING GUN) 2019 GELDING | VAUGHN C ZIMMERMAN | 872.78 |
3 | JOSEPH HARRISON | PREMIER ROPE HORSES LLC | NU ONE TIME BLUES | ONE TIME PEPTO x NU BAY BE BLUE (NU CASH) 2019 STALLION | RYAN O SELLERS | 872.55 |
4 | DAKOTA KIRCHENSCHLAGER | KALEB DRIGGERS | CR PEPTO TUFF LENA | WOODY BE TUFF x CR CATALENA CAT (HIGH BROW CAT) 2019 GELDING | CENTER RANCH | 871.33 |
5 | TREVOR BRAZILE | SOLO SELECT/RELENTLESS REMUDA | PRIDE AND JOYY | STEVIE REY VON x FUN N FANCY FREE (PEPTOBOONSMAL) 2019 STALLION | TY M SMITH | 868.74 |
6 | COLE DAVISON | MICHELLE CANNON | A LIL STYLISH | DOCS STYLISH OAK x LIL LENA LONG LEGS (SMART LITTL LENA) 2019 MARE | MICHELLE CANNON | 866.33 |
7 | BILLIE JACK SAEBENS | SOUTHERN RANCHES | HELLUVA TIME | HICKORY HOLLY TIME x JEST A SPARKNSHINE (SHINING SPARK) 2019 MARE | DONALD J MURPHY | 865.22 |
8 | BILLIE JACK SAEBENS | SOUTHERN RANCHES | THE NOTORIOUS BIG | CD LIGHTS x DT SUGAR CHEX WHIZ (SHINERS LENA CHEX) 2018 STALLION | DIXON FLOWERS QUARTER HORSES | 864.52 |
Gold Short Round | ||||||
9 | DANIEL REED | CHRIS OR MICHELLE SUTTON | PROBABLY SMART N NU | SMART NU SHINER x PROBABLY RED BUCK (TOW EYED RED BUCK) 2019 GELDING | MIKE IVAN EGDOM | 863.77 |
10 | COLE DAVISON | JB6 LLC | PARA MI BOON | BOON TOO SUEN x PARA MI AMOR (CATS MERADA) 2019 MARE | REED GRAFF | 863.13 |
11 | JOSEPH HARRISON | BOBBY E LEWIS | TIME TO GLO | HICKORY HOLLY TIME x LOOK AT HER GLO (CD O CODY) 2019 STALLION | BOBBY E LEWIS | 861.96 |
12 | BILLIE JACK SAEBENS | PATRICK GIDEON | D-F BET HESA LEGEND | BET HESA CAT x GUNNA BE A LEGEND (LITTLE LENAS LEGEND) 2018 GELDING | DIXON FLOWERS QUARTER HORSES | 859.55 |
13 | JACE NIELSEN | JACE NIELSEN | MIDNIGHT CAT | MAGNETICAT x NIGHT STAR ANGEL (STARLIGHT MIDNIGHT) 2019 MARE | RODNEY & MIDGE WARD | 859.12 |
14 | MILES BAKER | RELENTLESS REMUDA LLC | GUNNERS NITE TRAIN | GUNNERS SPECIAL NITE x BELLE STARR DUN IT (HOLLYWOOD DUN IT) 2018 GELDING | TURNABOUT FARMS INC | 854.81 |
15 | JACE NIELSEN | SHAWN WHITTEN | EYES ON A DIVA | DUKES N DIVAS x REDS BLONDIE (EYES ON RED) 2018 STALLION | PITZER RANCH | 853.79 |
16 | COLE DAVISON | STEVE & MONICA ZIMARIK | THE LONE STAR | A SPARKLING VINTAGE x NEXT STEP TO CASH (WIMPYS LITTLE STEP) 2019 GELDING | SILVER SPURS EQUINE | 849.35 |
Silver Short Round | ||||||
17 | DAKOTA KIRCHENSCHLAGER | EXCLUSIVE EQUINE | DT HICKORYS MISTYCAT | HICKORY HOLLY TIME x CAT MIST (HIGH BROW CAT) 2017 MARE | DT HORSES LLC | 848.11 |
18 | BILLIE JACK SAEBENS | SLICK ROBISON | TUFF DESIRES | WOODY BE TUFF x DESIRES NU CATILLAC (HIGH BROW CAT) 2017 GELDING | BLAKLEY COLGROVE | 847.76 |
19 | SLICK ROBISON | SLICK ROBISON | BAMA MONTANA | BAMACAT x SHORT CANDY (SHORTY LENA) 2018 GELDING | KELLY SCHAAR | 847.54 |
20 | NICK PULLARA | WENDY S AND CARL C CHRISTIAN | SHINEY NU RESORT | NU N SHINEY x MEXICAN RESORT (POPULAR RESORTFIGURE) 2019 MARE | MATTHEW K & ROBIN N WIKUM | 846.79 |
21 | ZANE BRUCE | LLOYD BURGESS | TWENTYFOURCARATGUNS | HOLLYWOOD COOL GUN x MISS RAZZ BERRIES (DUALIN RAZZ) 2018 MARE | MARK WILCHER | 841.85 |
22 | NICK PULLARA | KEVIN & WANDA MCINTOSH | J P BLU METALLIC | ONCE IN A BLU BOON x MATALLIC MAGIC (METALLIC CAT) 2018 STALLION | JASON PARKER | 839.59 |
23 | DAKOTA KIRCHENSCHLAGER | DT HORSES LLC | DT HICKORYS PLAYTIME | HICKORY HOLLY TIME x PLAY LIKE CLAY (FRECKLES PLAYBOY) 2017 MARE | DT HORSES LLC | 839.3 |
24 | BILLIE JACK SAEBENS | SEAN LEHANE | DF AMERICAN STARLIGHT | SHADY LIL STARLIGHT x DT AMERICAN HONEY (SHINERS LENA CHEX) 2018 MARE | DIXON FLOWERS QUARTER HORSES | 838.89 |
Platinum Medal Sidepot results
Placing | Rider Name | Owner | Horse Name | Sire x Dam (Dam Sire) | Breeder | Average Score | Owner Pay | Program Pay |
1 | TREVOR BRAZILE | SOLO SELECT/RELENTLESS REMUDA | PRIDE AND JOYY | STEVIE REY VON x FUN N FANCY FREE (PEPTOBOONSMAL) 2019 STALLION | TY M SMITH | 868.74 | $3,652.00 | $3,652.00 |
2 | BILLIE JACK SAEBENS | PATRICK GIDEON | D-F BET HESA LEGEND | BET HESA CAT x GUNNA BE A LEGEND (LITTLE LENAS LEGEND) 2018 GELDING | DIXON FLOWERS QUARTER HORSES | 859.55 | $2,175.00 | $2,175.00 |
3 | BILLIE JACK SAEBENS | SEAN LEHANE | DF AMERICAN STARLIGHT | SHADY LIL STARLIGHT x DT AMERICAN HONEY (SHINERS LENA CHEX) 2018 MARE | DIXON FLOWERS QUARTER HORSES | 838.39 | $1,450.00 | $1,450.00 |
Owner/Rider Sidepot results
Placing | Rider Name | Owner | Horse Name | Sire x Dam (Dam Sire) | Breeder | Average Score | Owner Pay |
1 | BILLIE JACK SAEBENS | SOUTHERN RANCHES | HELLUVA TIME | HICKORY HOLLY TIME x JEST A SPARKNSHINE (SHINING SPARK) 2019 MARE | DONALD J MURPHY | 865.22 | $648.00 |
2 | BILLIE JACK SAEBENS | SOUTHERN RANCHES | THE NOTORIOUS BIG | CD LIGHTS x DT SUGAR CHEX WHIZ (SHINERS LENA CHEX) 2018 STALLION | DIXON FLOWERS QUARTER HORSES | 864.52 | $432.00 |
Royal Crown Sidepot results
Placing | Rider Name | Horse Name | Sire x Dam (Dam Sire) | Breeder | Average Score | Owner Pay | Stallion Pay | Breeder Pay | |
1 | JOSEPH HARRISON | COPPERTON | SPOTS HOT x COPPERISH (METALLIC CAT) 2019 STALLION | JIMMIE MILLER SMITH | 874.46 | $2,838.00 | $608.00 | $608.00 | |
2 | MILES BAKER | LITTLE RUF GUNNER | NOT RUF AT ALL x GUNNERS EASTER LILLY (COLONELS SMOKING GUN) 2019 GELDING | VAUGHN C ZIMMERMAN | 872.78 | $1,703.00 | $365.00 | $365.00 | |
3 | JOSEPH HARRISON | NU ONE TIME BLUES | ONE TIME PEPTO x NU BAY BE BLUE (NU CASH) 2019 STALLION | RYAN O SELLERS | 872.55 | $1,135.00 | $243.00 | $243.00 |