Junior Nogueira is headed to the National Finals Rodeo next month as the No. 1 heeler in the world. On Saturday, Nov. 7, he headed his way to the top of the L3 Senior Dally Team Roping – Heading prelims at the 2026 AQHA World Championship Show in Oklahoma City.
Nogueira and Chica Dee Tinker, the 2017 red dun mare he calls “Juliet,” marked a 230.5 to win the 73-horse go by 1.5 points over J.D. Yates and DMC Rey Last Time. Judge Mark DeFreece had them at 79.0. Two judges placed them first and the other three had them second. The win paid $4,560.
Then he turned around and heeled on her. Juliet placed fifth in the Senior Heeling prelims with a 226.5 for $1,314, making her one of four horses back in both Senior finals.
It is not the first time Nogueira has won at the World Show from the heading box on a mare who heels for him, and Juliet is not the only one of his horses with World Show history this week.
Nogueira and the World Show
Nogueira came to the 2020 AQHA World Show for the first time and won the Senior Heading on Apache R Hali, then was reserve world champion in the Senior Heeling on the same mare, half a point behind Cade Rice and Dual Badger Cat. Chad Masters headed for him on the heel side, just as he did on Saturday.
Hali was already a legend. The gray 2007 mare, out of the Playgun-bred RA Soft Smokin, carried Kollin VonAhn to the 2013 NFR and was part of his 2014 world title before Nogueira bought her in 2016. That year, Nogueira won the all-around world title, partly on her.
“God gave me two in one,” Nogueira told The Team Roping Journal after the 2020 win. “When money is on the line, I want to be on her.”
He came back to Oklahoma City in 2025 and had a $75,862.85 week in the Junior roping. He won the Junior Heading world title on Seven Biggie, a 2019 Seven S Big Valley stallion owned by Nicks Livestock Services of Refugio, Texas, with a 226.5 for $28,093.93. He won the Junior Heeling world title on MyDiamonds R Special with a 230.5 for $26,538.29, and was reserve in the Junior Heeling on Seven Biggie for $21,230.63.
“It’s a dream come true,” he said then.
MyDiamonds R Special, whom Nogueira owns with Brazilian heeler Rafael Correa Paoliello, has moved up to the Senior division this year. She tied for sixth in the Senior Heeling prelims and is back in the finals.
Hali’s first daughter
The Hali story has a second chapter this week. JN Hosanna Hali, Apache R Hali’s first daughter, is a 2021 mare by Hashtags that Nogueira bred and owns. He was second on her in the L3 Junior Tie-Down Roping prelims with a 226.5 for $1,584, half a point behind Icingonthedeal and Cody McCartney, and is back in the finals.
In the L2 Junior Tie-Down Roping finals, Otavio Daniel Moreira Lopes of Tolar, Texas, rode her to the reserve world title with a 219.5 for $2,150.50, 1.5 points behind Badgers Bad Cat and Cort Jones.
His next great heel horse
Juliet came to Nogueira as a heel horse. Gabe Williams rode her as a young horse and showed her at the futurities, where Nogueira first watched her. Williams sold her to Denny Gentry. Nogueira asked Gentry about her at a World Series roping, sent Shawn Grant to try her and bought her last winter, The Team Roping Journal reported in August.
She went straight to work in the PRCA. Nogueira and Juliet placed second in the second round at Rodeo Austin in March for $4,589, and she has $20,782 in lifetime earnings according to QData, before this week’s checks.
Nogueira, of Lipan, Texas, and Presidente Prudente, Brazil, is a three-time world champion: the 2016 all-around title, which made him the first Brazilian world champion in PRCA history, and the 2021 and 2022 heeling titles with Kaleb Driggers. He set a regular-season earnings record of $251,887 this year and goes to Las Vegas for his 13th NFR leading the world.
A heel horse learning to head
Nogueira believes Juliet had been headed on some before he got her, but he had headed on her at only one event before the World Show, in Ardmore, Okla.
“I rode her in Ardmore once, and that was the first time,” Nogueira said. “She knew a little bit. Then I come home, just tweaking little things.”
Since then, he said, the plan has been to keep the mare fresh rather than drill her—running steers to keep her quiet, not tuning on her for the finals.
Five finals rides
Nogueira will be busy. He is back on three horses in the Senior Heading finals and two in the Senior Heeling finals, after winning $7,753 across four checks in the prelims.
Blowin In Time, a 2020 mare by One Fabulous Time owned by Kingpin Genetics of Bluff Dale, Texas—a venture of Nogueira’s PRCA partner, Kaleb Driggers, and Jeremy Barwick—placed fifth in the heading with a 226.5 for $1,368. Chic Out My Pepto, a 2018 mare by Smart Chic Olena, was seventh with a 226.0.
In the heeling, MyDiamonds R Special tied for sixth with a 226.0 for $511. A tough steer kept his third heel horse out of the finals. MyDiamonds R Special also is entered in the Senior Tie-Down Roping.
For Nogueira, the appeal is the horses.
“It’s exciting when you have good horses,” he said. “You make some good runs.”
Watch Junior Nogueira on Roping.com.
Chica Dee Tinker
TINKER WITH GUNS x WHIZ CHICA DEE x TOPSAIL WHIZ
2017 Red dun mare
Breeder: Bob Loomis, Overbrook, Okla.
Owner: Adriano Morita Borri
Lifetime earnings: $20,782 (QData, before 2026 World Show)
Prelims: Senior Heading, first, 230.5, $4,560; Senior Heeling, fifth, 226.5, $1,314.
Senior heading and heeling finals draws
L3 Senior Heading finals — working order
Prelim = prelim placing and score. Qualified: Prelim = top 14 placings with ties; *came from below the cut.
| Draw | Back | Horse | Foaled | Sire x Dam | Exhibitor | Owner | Breeder | Prelim | Prelim $ | Qualified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2844 | Chica Dee Tinker | 2017 mare | Tinker With Guns x Whiz Chica Dee | Junior Nogueira | Adriano Morita Borri | Bob Loomis, Overbrook, Okla. | 1 · 230.5 | $4,560 | Prelim |
| 2 | 1439 | Travelin For Acrez | 2020 mare | Travelin Jonez x Acres Of Merada | Dakota Kirchenschlager | Keith O. Barnes, Raymore, Mo. | Kurt & Erin Heim, Luxemburg, Wis. | T-12 · 224.0 | — | Prelim |
| 3 | 1751 | Stylish Blu Boon | 2019 mare | Once In A Blu Boon x Genuine And Stylish | Brad Lund (Pro) | Melissa Ann Miller, Belton, Texas | Melissa Ann Miller, Belton, Texas | 8 · 225.5 | — | Prelim |
| 4 | 1693 | Gittin High | 2014 gelding | Suns Highball x Miss Smantha Tiveo | J.D. Yates (Pro) | John and/or Mary Phillips, Weatherford, Texas | Frank Perkins, Flint, Texas | 3 · 228.0 | $2,736 | Prelim |
| 5 | 1632 | Leoslivnforagoodtime | 2016 gelding | Shawne Bug Leo x WSR Calico Alive | Garrett Arthur Sommer | Nichole A. Ingram, Santo, Texas | Nichole A. Ingram, Santo, Texas | T-25 · 220.0 | — | Shootout* |
| 6 | 2683 | Some Kinda Gun (RHB) | 2018 stallion | Playgun x Some Kinda Barbara | Shay D. Carroll | Brett Foster Cattle Company, Overbrook, Okla. | W.T. Waggoner Estate, Amarillo, Texas | 6 · 226.5 | $1,064 | Prelim |
| 7 | 1710 | Smart Gets A Check | 2019 gelding | Smooth As A Cat x Check To The Hearts | Casey Hicks (Pro) | Bogart Performance Horses LLC, Oologah, Okla. | Jack Bogart, Oologah, Okla. | T-9 · 224.5 | — | Prelim |
| 8 | 1757 | Call Sally | 2020 mare | Call Me Mitch x CSR Lay Down Sally | Tate D. Kirchenschlager | Kaleb Terlip, Frontenac, Kan. | Meredith Graber, Cannelburg, Ind. | T-14 · 223.0 | — | Prelim |
| 9 | 2818 | Lips Of An Angel | 2019 mare | Dual Smart Rey x Cherry Chapstik | Trevor Brazile | Monte Freeman, Broken Arrow, Okla. | Brandon Dufurrena, Marietta, Okla. | 4 · 227.5 | $1,824 | Prelim |
| 10 | 1340 | Blowin In Time | 2020 mare | One Fabulous Time x Blowing Withthe Wind | Junior Nogueira | Kingpin Genetics LLC, Bluff Dale, Texas | Flag Ranch LLC, Torrington, Wyo. | 5 · 226.5 | $1,368 | Prelim |
| 11 | 2287 | SJR Diamond Chanel | 2020 mare | CD Diamond x Natalie Rey | Dakota Kirchenschlager | Rick J. & Missie Plummer, Sand Springs, Okla. | San Juan Ranch, Weatherford, Texas | T-9 · 224.5 | — | Prelim |
| 12 | 1957 | Colour Me Sassy | 2019 stallion | Mr Sassy Frenchman x Special Hot Colors | Ty W. Spickelmier | Tomie Peterson, Parade, S.D. | Jacie Schrempp, Eagle Butte, S.D. | T-14 · 223.0 | — | Prelim |
| 13 | 2369 | Probably Smart N Nu | 2019 gelding | Smart Nu Shiner x Probably Red Buck | Daniel Reed | Chris or Michele Sutton, Ada, Okla. | Mike L. Van Egdom, Rock Valley, Iowa | T-14 · 223.0 | — | Prelim |
| 14 | 2375 | Pablos Time | 2014 gelding | One Time Pepto x Perry Shorts | Porter Rock Bryant | Porter Rock Bryant, Chandler, Ariz. | Matthews Cutting Horses LLC, Weatherford, Texas | T-12 · 224.0 | — | Prelim |
| 15 | 1933 | Show Me Klassic Duke (RHB) | 2019 stallion | Show Me Duke x Klassic Debra | Gralyn James Elkins | Paul Hostetler, Eldorado Springs, Mo. | Pitzer Ranch, Ericson, Neb. | T-28 · 219.5 | — | Shootout* |
| 16 | 2167 | Gun A Lida | 2018 stallion | Gunnatrashya x Spook A Lida | Bryce Hayden Briggs (Pro) | Cynthia Arlene Thiel, Pilot Point, Texas | David R. Schlabach, Millersburg, Ohio | T-25 · 220.0 | — | Shootout* |
| 17 | 2577 | SJR Daring Diamond | 2020 mare | CD Diamond x Playin Lil Pistol | Dustin E. Rogers (Pro) | Paul Sowers, Henderson, Iowa | San Juan Ranch, Weatherford, Texas | T-18 · 222.5 | — | Shootout* |
| 18 | 2849 | Chic Out My Pepto | 2018 mare | Smart Chic Olena x Peptos Church Mouse | Junior Nogueira | Junior Nogueira, Lipan, Texas | Future Foals LLC, Hemet, Calif. | 7 · 226.0 | — | Prelim |
| 19 | 2556 | DMC Rey Last Time | 2019 stallion | Reynshine x Diamonds On Time | J.D. Yates (Pro) | Kenneth Don Beshears, Burns, Tenn. | Jeremy Michaelis & Anita Cox, Spickard, Mo. | 2 · 229.0 | $3,648 | Prelim |
| 20 | 1399 | Jadded N Catty | 2020 gelding | Catty Hawk x Gar Bella Lena | Cade H. Rice | Cowan Ranch Inc., Ardmore, Okla. | Cowan Ranch Inc., Ardmore, Okla. | T-28 · 219.5 | — | Shootout* |
| 21 | 1886 | J Lows Fancy Glo | 2018 mare | Catty Hawk x J Lows Glo | Clay Lewis (Pro) | Bobby Lewis/Denice Bledsoe, Springer, Okla. | Bobby E. Lewis, Overbrook, Okla. | T-14 · 223.0 | — | Prelim |
| 22 | 1441 | Miss Peppys Rebel | 2020 mare | Metallic Rebel x Miss Peppys Moped | Dakota Kirchenschlager | Jared M. Crain, Gallatin, Tenn. | GCH Land & Cattle Company LLC, Millsap, Texas | T-9 · 224.5 | — | Prelim |
L3 Senior Heeling finals — working order
Prelim = prelim placing and score. Qualified: Prelim = top 14 placings with ties; *came from below the cut.
| Draw | Back | Horse | Foaled | Sire x Dam | Exhibitor | Owner | Breeder | Prelim | Prelim $ | Qualified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1467 | Sippin Patron | 2020 gelding | Dual Patron x Vahalla Foxy Shiner | Joseph Harrison (Pro) | Justin Ochs, Elk City, Okla. | Rylee Ochs, Milton, Wis. | T-11 · 224.5 | — | Prelim |
| 2 | 1437 | Smokin Stilettos | 2020 mare | Travelin Jonez x Hot Chic With A Gun | Dakota Kirchenschlager | Jordan Talley Driver, Garden City, Texas | Musacci Performance Horses, Whitesboro, Texas | T-27 · 219.5 | — | Shootout* |
| 3 | 1305 | Rush The Whizkey | 2020 mare | Dun It For Whizkey x Rush N Cat | Rafael Correa Paoliello | Sherri and/or Phil Tearney, Louisburg, Kan. | Lorenzo Lotti, Whitesboro, Texas | T-11 · 224.5 | — | Prelim |
| 4 | 2755 | Shine Like Voodoo | 2019 gelding | Shiners Voodoo Dr x Starlight Till Dawn | Rhett Nelson | Robert L. Walker, Whitesboro, Texas | Matthew Murphy, Boonsboro, Md. | T-27 · 219.5 | — | Shootout* |
| 5 | 1693 | Gittin High | 2014 gelding | Suns Highball x Miss Smantha Tiveo | Trey Yates (Pro) | John and/or Mary Phillips, Weatherford, Texas | Frank Perkins, Flint, Texas | T-9 · 225.0 | — | Prelim |
| 6 | 1902 | Rockys Fancy Freckle | 2020 mare | Rocky Fols Peppy x Browfrecklesplayboy | Ty W. Spickelmier | Brandon and/or Cody Rae Phillips, Cheyenne, Wyo. | Cy H. or Stephanie Homm, Burlington, Colo. | T-14 · 224.0 | — | Prelim |
| 7 | 2844 | Chica Dee Tinker | 2017 mare | Tinker With Guns x Whiz Chica Dee | Junior Nogueira | Adriano Morita Borri | Bob Loomis, Overbrook, Okla. | 5 · 226.5 | $1,314 | Prelim |
| 8 | 1348 | Reyzin With Grace | 2019 mare | Woody Be Tuff x Reyzin | Cade H. Rice | Diamond Dub Quarter Horses, Marietta, Okla. | Gale Force Quarter Horses, Conway, SC | T-11 · 224.5 | — | Prelim |
| 9 | 2375 | Pablos Time | 2014 gelding | One Time Pepto x Perry Shorts | Porter Rock Bryant | Porter Rock Bryant, Chandler, Ariz. | Matthews Cutting Horses LLC, Weatherford, Texas | T-14 · 224.0 | — | Prelim |
| 10 | 1078 | Seven S Kinda Sweet (RHB) | 2020 mare | Kit Kat Sugar x Seven S Wild Flower | Joseph Harrison (Pro) | Forst Ranch LLC, Waurika, Okla. | Forst Ranch LLC, Waurika, Okla. | 8 · 225.5 | — | Prelim |
| 11 | 1186 | Hangin On The Line | 2014 mare | Shine On Line x Spooks Hangten | Dakota Kirchenschlager | Armenta Quarter Horses, Gainesville, Texas | Mary A. Jansma, Tioga, Texas | 3 · 227.0 | $2,190 | Prelim |
| 12 | 1361 | Scooter Oaks | 2018 gelding | Bet N Scooter 013 x Freckleoaksfanc01ibr | Trey Yates (Pro) | Donald Tisdall, Castle Rock, Colo. | Marcio Antonio De Carvalho, Jumirim | 1 · 233.5 | $4,380 | Prelim |
| 13 | 2139 | One Time Sannman | 2019 stallion | Sannman x One Little Reygina | John M. Philipp | Charlie Porter, King City, Mo. | Greg T. Coalson, Weatherford, Texas | T-18 · 223.5 | — | Shootout* |
| 14 | 2608 | Shooter Cat Duke | 2019 stallion | Shooter Cat x Maybe Later Duke | Casey Hicks (Pro) | Brian L. and Sabina R. Haag, Newton, Kan. | Brian L. and Sabina R. Haag, Newton, Kan. | T-14 · 224.0 | — | Prelim |
| 15 | 1403 | Smokedcha | 2020 stallion | CR Gotcha Covered x Smokin Tap | Cade H. Rice | Silver Spur Operating Co LLC, Encampment, Wyo. | Ronald L. & Adrienne Pietrafeso, Elbert, Colo. | 22 · 221.5 | — | Shootout* |
| 16 | 1892 | SJR Stylish Believer | 2020 stallion | Dont Stopp Believin x SJR Stylish Diamond | Justin Curtis Johnson | Journey Partnership, Cookville, Texas | San Juan Ranch, Weatherford, Texas | T-14 · 224.0 | — | Prelim |
| 17 | 1567 | Nu One Time Blues | 2019 stallion | One Time Pepto x Nu Bay Be Blue | Joseph Harrison (Pro) | Gucci Equine LLC, Carter, Okla. | Ryan O. Sellers, Stratford, Okla. | T-9 · 225.0 | — | Prelim |
| 18 | 2847 | Mydiamonds R Special | 2020 mare | Whizkey N Diamonds x Gunnersspecialsister | Junior Nogueira | Junior Lucinei Nogueira, Lipan, Texas | Brooke M. Wharton, Fort Worth, Texas | T-6 · 226.0 | $511 | Prelim |
| 19 | 1623 | Peptos Hickory Cat | 2016 gelding | Brother Jackson x Turn Liz Loose | Trey Yates (Pro) | Tony & Kimberly Clinco, Canon City, Colo. | Ken and Ramona Wold, Wilton, Calif. | 2 · 231.5 | $3,504 | Prelim |
| 20 | 1441 | Miss Peppys Rebel | 2020 mare | Metallic Rebel x Miss Peppys Moped | Dakota Kirchenschlager | Jared M. Crain, Gallatin, Tenn. | GCH Land & Cattle Company LLC, Millsap, Texas | T-6 · 226.0 | $511 | Prelim |
| 21 | 1899 | Smoke And Glitter | 2018 mare | Big Bucks To Cash x Big Smokin Otoe | Johnryon Foster | Lisa D. Stephens, Wailuku, Hawaii | Circle Star Land & Cattle Co, Eagle, Idaho | 4 · 227.0 | $2,190 | Prelim |
| 22 | 1471 | Nics Black Boonlight | 2014 gelding | Nics Black Diamond x Boonlights Lass | Justin Ochs | Justin Ochs, Elk City, Okla. | Cowan Select Horses LLC, Havre, Mont. | T-18 · 223.5 | — | Shootout* |