Rhen Richard and SJR Diamond Bond have been a force in the rope horse futurity game since the horse’s 4-year-old year, and he ended his aged-event career with a bang, winning the Gold Buckle Futurities 6-and-Under Heading Nov. 16 in Abilene, Texas.
The son of CD Diamond out of ARC Its Go Time by One Time Pepto won the average by 10 full points with a 919.35 for $11,000, and he picked up another $19,000 for first in the Elite Stallion Incentive—of which $9,500 will go to Richard’s A&C Racing and Roping and $9,500 will go to CD Diamond’s owners at San Juan Ranches. The horse won another $9,000 in the Elite Breeder’s Incentive, of which $4,500 will go to Richard and $4,500 will go to San Juan Ranches, too.
We caught up with Richard after his final big win in the show business on SJR Diamond Bond.
TRJ: Was this your first time at a Gold Buckle Futurity?
Rhen Richard: Yep.
TRJ: Now that you’re a full-time futurity trainer, do you have time for futurities all over the country, or what finally made you come to this one?
RR: We came because we knew it was a good event. Before, we just didn’t have the right horses. It’s not that we didn’t want to come, you know what I mean? I’ve been a bit horse poor all year, and I just got a couple horses back this fall, so it made sense to come now. It doesn’t make sense to drive here when you only have two horses to show. That’s why we missed the first ones.
TRJ: I asked you this yesterday, but you didn’t really have an answer. The yellow horse, he’s six, right? Going to be seven. What do you want his future to be?
RR: I don’t know. He has the potential to be a rodeo horse, but it’s hard to say. I’ve got a couple of guys interested in him, but it has to fit, you know what I mean? He’s a lot of horse but a good one. I’m not planning on rodeoing, but I’m not ruling it out either. If someone has to have him, I’ll sell him. If not, I’ll keep him and try to do him right.
TRJ: Does Chad (Richard’s dad) put much pressure on you when it comes to those decisions?
RR: Not really. When you have a good horse, it’s not hard to sell. I’ve never tried to sell that horse. When it’s time, I think he’ll sell easily.
TRJ: What did he do well this week? What did the judges like about him yesterday?
RR: He was flashy and worked great yesterday. He scored well, ran hard, and was physical pulling. It would take something really good to beat him. He’s tough when he puts a day together. He was solid everywhere.
TRJ: He’s one of the few you didn’t raise. How does he fit into your program with those bred to run?
RR: When he puts his run together, it feels good. But I’m used to horses with a lot of run who don’t have to give everything in the tank. With him, sometimes I’m asking for everything he has, which is tough mentally for a young horse. Managing a horse like that is harder than managing one like Kenny’s Brookstone, who doesn’t have to give everything to perform well.
TRJ: What about the rest of your program? Is it more winter’s version-centered or racehorse-centered for the next couple of years?
RR: We’ve got a lot of crosses. Our coming 2-year-olds include four or six from racehorse lines by Reys Smokin Dually out of running mares. We’re starting to see the lines we like on the bottom side, especially since I’ve been home riding two-year-olds all summer. Horses from certain lines are really promising.
TRJ: For everyone who doesn’t know, what is that line?
Rhen Richard: It goes back to a mare named Runninn Brook Gal who won the All-American Futurity, out of a mare called RJK Runaway. We bred multiple studs to that mare and now have about ten mares going back to that line. It’s working well on the cross, producing good horses like Kynis Brookstone and Shes Mischievous.
TRJ: Shes Mischievous was a horse Kaden trained and showed. But you’ve been riding her lately?
Rhen Richard: Yes, I took her to Cody Johnson. She had a chance to win but broke a barrier once. She’s proving that futurity horses can make rodeo horses. She’s always been a standout.
TRJ: What’s her lineage?
Rhen Richard: She’s Winners Version out of a mare called Miss Mischievous, who goes back to that Runnnin Brook Gal line. We plan to flush her this spring for some cool stuff.
TRJ: What about your rodeo horses? Did Deets get sold?
Rhen Richard: Deets got hurt last year right before the NFR, which is what I planned on riding. We never figured out what it was, but he’s just started coming back. It’s hard to say I won’t rodeo because he’s a horse you can win on anywhere. I sold Rich, the horse I rode at the NFR last year, to Wyatt Bray. My old horse is 23 and done. The yellow horse and the black mare are situational. If I wanted to rodeo, I could.
TRJ: And, before we go, Kaden just kicked your butt in the 4-and-under heading, right?
Rhen Richard: Yes, he does a great job. I can get on any of his horses and feel like I can win. He needs to know he’s that good. The horse he just won on is nice, with the potential to be a top rodeo horse. Caden’s always got horses that can win at any level. It’s great to see him succeed.
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