Jordan Allyn and Tuff Little Flash walked away from the 2026 Old West World Championships in Amarillo, Texas, with two Futurity Heeling titles and $25,370 in earnings after winning both the Limited and Intermediate finals Oct. 17.

The Brock, Texas, man rode the gelding to an 896.94 on four head in the Limited for $9,720, then returned to win the Intermediate with an 895.99 for another $15,650.

Tuff Little Flash, by Woody Be Tuff out of Bubble Wrapped Deal, was bred by Chris and Mitch Carey and is owned by Allyn.

The horse’s ability to handle the pressure of two big runs was particularly rewarding for Allyn, who was the first person to rope on him after purchasing him as a 4-year-old.

The Limited

Allyn and Tuff Little Flash entered the Limited finals with a 672.16 on three head after posting scores of 223.99, 223.20 and 224.97 in the long rounds.

Although Tuff Little Flash had been consistent throughout the week, Allyn admitted his own positioning hadn’t always been where he wanted it.

“The first round, he was pretty strong. I was maybe a little further back than I needed to, but other than that, he hasn’t really made a bobble all week,” Allyn said. “He’s been very good.”

With a comfortable lead entering the Limited short round, Allyn knew he didn’t have to ask anything extra of Tuff Little Flash. Having made a mistake on his previous run, he focused on slowing himself down and giving his horse an opportunity to work.

“I just screwed up the one before—I knew not to do that,” Allyn said. “This horse just lets me do whatever I want to do. I just backed off just a little bit, let everything happen and swing over his back. Did what he always does.”

The pair answered with a 224.78 in the finals, giving them an 896.94 aggregate and a 12.06-point advantage over J.D. McGuire and Rocko, who finished second with an 884.88 for $7,290. Cody Castodio and Soda Pop Cat finished third with an 881.02 for $4,860.

The Intermediate

Allyn returned for the Intermediate finals with another opportunity to capitalize on the gelding’s consistency, although this title came down to a much tighter race.

Allyn drew a tougher steer than he’d had in the Limited finals, making it a good day to have Chad Masters helping on the head side.

“Man, a little bit of a tougher steer—Chad Masters did an outstanding job,” Allyn said. “Laying it up for me, and I can’t be happier.”

Allyn and Tuff Little Flash finished with a 223.83 in the Intermediate finals, bringing their four-head total to 895.99 and securing the championship by just 0.20 points over Clyde Bolejack and Dun Jonezing, who finished second with an 895.79 for $12,520.

Cade Rice and Metallic Blueprint followed in third with an 895.72 for $9,390.

With several horses and multiple runs throughout finals day, Allyn credited trusting his preparation rather than trying to change too much in the moment.

“You just got to trust what you’ve been doing, practicing and to get here,” Allyn said. “We actually have been breaking in a ton of steers lately, and I haven’t been roping as good as I should have been, and I felt like I’ve worked at it and it’s starting to come together again.”

Part of that work has involved improving his position and getting himself into a better spot.

“I’m a little bad to hang back a little bit too far and make sure and get there and catch it,” Allyn said. “I’m trying to get myself up there without screwing up is the hardest thing for me.”

While Allyn continued working on his own roping, Tuff Little Flash remained consistent, giving him the confidence to make adjustments without worrying about the horse underneath him.

From Too Small to Two-Time Champion

Allyn first saw Tuff Little Flash as a 3-year-old when a fellow horse trainer sent him a video.

He had been shown at the Snaffle Bit Futurity, and although Allyn liked what he saw, he wasn’t convinced the little horse would be big enough for him.

“They showed him at the Snaffle Bit when he was a 3-year-old, and he sent me a video of him and looked really good, but he was tiny, little bitty horse,” Allyn said. “Man, he’s a nice horse, but I’m a big guy.”

A year later, the gelding had changed hands, and Debbie Crafton contacted Allyn about him. Despite initially having the same reservations about his size, Allyn agreed to take another look.

“I said, ‘I know that horse—there’s no way he’s big enough for me,'” Allyn said. “She said, ‘No, trust me. He’s big enough.'”

Allyn went to Fort Worth during the Snaffle Bit Futurity, looked at him and bought him on the spot.

“He was a no-brainer,” Allyn said. “He’d grown a lot by the time he was 3 and 4.”

The size that once concerned Allyn has since become an asset. Tuff Little Flash has the presence, movement and willingness that Allyn believes make him particularly competitive.

“He’s big and pretty and drags his butt and quiet in the box,” Allyn said. “I mean, he’s just a good horse. He really is.”

Although Tuff Little Flash has primarily competed in the heeling, Allyn believes he has the chance to make a head horse, too.

“I need to head on him because he’s so big, but I can’t quit heeling him long enough to really get him very far along with it,” Allyn said. “Maybe next year.”

Having been the first to rope on Tuff Little Flash, Allyn is particularly pleased with the gelding’s ability to handle the pressure of a setting like Amarillo.

“I was the first one to rope on him—I think they ranched on him a little bit, but never any team roping,” Allyn said.

With two Old West World Championships behind him, Allyn already has plans for the gelding’s next major outing.

“I mean, he’s going to Vegas, I can tell you that,” Allyn said.