Tate Kirchenschlager and Almost LostMy Ticket pocketed the largest single check of their careers, winning the 2025 ARHFA Old West Futurity Heading for $100,000 June 20.
Kirchenschlager and the 2020 gelding by Roo Star out of Ticket Out Of Here came from second call to top the field with a 926.23 on four. While Kirchenschlager has an NFR qualification under his belt and is considered one of the top rope horse trainers in the country, winning $100,000 in one spot is lifechanging for the guy who picked up futurities as a way to pay for rodeoing.
“I don’t even have the words to describe,” Kirchenschlager said. “I’ve never won that much in one day. It really hasn’t sunk in. It’s life-changing money, I mean, for me and my wife.”
Kirchenschlager and his wife Terra bought “Jetson” from 17-time World Champion Brad Lund. Lund recommended the gelding because of his potential, and Kirchenschlager his judgement. Only having roughly 30 days of roping on him when he came to the Kirchenschlagers in Stephenville, Texas, Almost LostMy Ticket required some slow work at first. Since then, Kirchenschlager has been able to shape him into the horse he is today, but he still gives all the credit to Lund.
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“Honestly, Brad Lund sold him to us, so if it wasn’t for Brad,” Kirchenschlager said as he teared up. “He helped me train him, too.”
With Shay Carroll helping him, Kirchenschlager and Almost LostMy Ticket turned in a 232.84 in the short round. After breaking out on his run at sixth call, Kirchenschlager wanted to make sure he was clean at the line.
“I know that horse can run, so I wanted to make sure and let the steer out and not break the barrier,” Kirchenschlager said. “And the roping was falling apart. I thought just get to him and make sure I made him heelable for Shay. I mean, just more or less make sure and get him caught and let the horse show Itself.”
Prior to the Old West Rope Horse Futurity in Heber City, Utah, Almost LostMy Ticket had an LTE of $22,295, including a win in the 2024 ARHFA Cowtown Classic 4-&-Under Pre-Futurity Heading in his second out, and success at the 2024 Old West Rope Horse Futurity and the Fall Gold Buckle Futurity.
Adding $100,000 to a rope horse’s LTE in one futurity is something Kirchenschlager never saw coming. But, thanks to the crew with the Old West Futurity, the future continues to grow for rope horse trainers.
“They put on such a good event, and they put it on such a pedestal,” Kirchenschlager said. “So honestly, without the Richards, Redgie Probst and the Wadhams doing this, we don’t have a chance to do this, to put us on a pedestal to where we can make a living doing this. Without the Richards, Probsts, Wadhams and everybody doing this, we would just be at home riding jackpot horses. So at the end of the day, they’re not making money doing this; they’re trying to give back to us. If anything, they get just as much glory in this deal as anybody winning. You can’t just show up one day and think you’re going to put on something like this.”
