Two-time world champion heeler Paul Eaves rode a horse he calls flawless to the Texas Best 6-&-Under Heeling title and $7,000 in Decatur.
Paul Eaves won the 6-&-Under Heeling at the TX Best Rope Horse Futurity in Decatur, Texas, Sept. 4–5, riding JC Flake’s Smart Frisky Pepto to a 913.11 on four head and a $7,000 check.
The two-time PRCA world champion heeler from Millsap, Texas, was fifth in Round 1 with a 225.80, second in Round 2 with a 227.55 and won Round 3 with a 229.86 before marking a 229.90 in the short round—second-high in the final behind Clyde Bolejack’s 230.96 on Bleau—to take the average over a 26-horse field.
Bolejack, of Lipan, Texas, finished second and third on Dun Jonezing (908.61, $5,400) and Bleau (908.46, $3,100), and swept the top two spots in the Intermediate on the same two horses for another $5,800. Joseph Harrison of Marietta, Oklahoma, was fourth on Hes Got Sann at 907.15 after winning Round 1 and $1,000 with a 228.95. Eaves was also fifth in the average on DMC Reyzorcutdiamond at 902.72.
The Horse
Smart Frisky Pepto is by Psalm 91 out of Sassynfrisky. He came to Flake by way of Colton McCarley and Rich Skelton.
“JC bought him from Rich,” Eaves said. “Rich bought him from Colton.”
Eaves picked the horse up before the Old West Futurity in Heber City, Utah, in June, where he finished seventh in the 6-&-Under Heeling Open for $8,605. Before the TX Best win Smart Frisky Pepto had won $19,605.
Flake, Eaves said, bought the horse with an eye toward the jackpots and the rodeos and turned him over to Eaves for the summer.
“He’s just good horse,” Eaves, who had the heading help of Chad Masters at the TX Best, said. “JC bought him to be a rodeo horse, but he didn’t need to take him this summer. So he’s getting to just chill and finish his futurity season.”
“That horse is very fast,” owner Flake said. “And he feels like he can stop effortlessly no matter the situation he is in.”
‘Pretty Dang Flawless’
Asked what the horse is like to ride, Eaves did not hedge.
“He’s just pretty dang flawless,” Eaves said. “Like, good in the box. Can run. He’s real, real quiet. Like, in a good way. He’s real quiet, but feels like there’s nothing there. Like, honestly, you’d think he’s a dead head. But he can run, he can do everything. He literally feels like cheating a little bit to show, as far as if I catch. I mean, he’s got eye appeal. He’s easy. He’s got all of it. And so, yeah, it’s pretty dang.”
The plan from here, Eaves said, is to keep the horse going and hand him back to his owner sound.
“I’m just glad I get to show him,” Eaves said. “It just kind of works good. He’s kind of getting to go. I mean, he’s been around a lot too, but I’m saying he just gets to go a little bit and be healthy. He’s got to go a little bit and hopefully be ready for JC whenever he gets back. And then he’ll go from there.”
Texas Best 6-&-Under Heeling — Average (26 entries)
| Pl. | Horse | Rider | Score | Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smart Frisky Pepto | Paul Eaves, Millsap, Texas | 913.11 on 4 | $7,000 |
| 2 | Dun Jonezing | Clyde Bolejack, Lipan, Texas | 908.61 | $5,400 |
| 3 | Bleau | Clyde Bolejack, Lipan, Texas | 908.46 | $3,100 |
| 4 | Hes Got Sann | Joseph Harrison, Marietta, Oklahoma | 907.15 | — |
| 5 | DMC Reyzorcutdiamond | Paul Eaves, Millsap, Texas | 902.72 | — |
| 6 | Dont Stopp Trackin | Joseph Harrison, Marietta, Oklahoma | 901.98 | — |
| 7 | Whizs Little Peewee | Justin Johnson, Cookville, Texas | 898.24 | — |
| 8 | Line In The San | Ryan Motes, Weatherford, Texas | 894.78 | — |
| 9 | Hott Metallic | Ryan Motes, Weatherford, Texas | 888.13 | — |
- Round 1: Hes Got Sann (Joseph Harrison) — 228.95, $1,000
- Round 2: RR Gold Starr (Trevor Brazile) — 227.68
- Round 3: Smart Frisky Pepto (Paul Eaves) — 229.86
- Short round: Bleau (Clyde Bolejack) — 230.96
- Intermediate: 1. Dun Jonezing (Clyde Bolejack), $3,480; 2. Bleau (Clyde Bolejack), $2,320
Source: Texas Best Rope Horse Futurity official results.