The stallion incentive and futurity business is all the rage in team roping in 2023. With new incentives and programs popping up annually, The Team Roping Journal is here to translate what’s going on and how to navigate it.
Riata Buckle
Eligibility/Enrollment fees:
Horses sired by Riata Buckle stallions are eligible as long as they are nominated. Horses must be nominated annually by Aug. 1 for $200 to stay enrolled in the program, starting with the year they are born, with a late enrollment fee of $300 by Dec. 1.
Format:
Time only, jackpot-style
Events:
Team roping, breakaway roping
Divisions:
Team Roping: Five divisions including Pro Futurity (5 & Under) with a 4-year-old Incentive, #14.5 Futurity (5 & Under) with #13.5 Cash Incentive, #12.5 All Age with Futurity Incentive, #10.5 All Age with 6 & Under Incentive, #9.5 All Age, #10.5 Junior with #9.5 Incentive.
Breakaway Roping: to be announced for 2023.
2023 Dates/Locations:
Nov. 2–4; Guthrie, Oklahoma
Payout:
$2.5 million for 2023
Entry Fees:
$500 per roper/horse per side on nominated horses. Teams must consist of
Riata Buckle Earnings Bonus Ropings
Eligibility/Enrollment fees:
Compete at any World Series of Team Roping qualification event, World Series PPQ, USTRC events, the NTR Finals and the NTRL and win. These earnings qualify you for the BONUS Ropings. Just notify Riata Buckle when you win!
Format:
Time only, jackpot-style
Events:
Team roping
Divisions:
#12.5 and #10.5 Bonus Ropings
2023 Dates/Locations:
Nov. 2–4; Guthrie, Oklahoma (with nominations from ropings year-round)
Payout:
$200,000 Guaranteed
Entry Fees:
$200 per nominated horse/rider, $300 per un-nominated. Teams must consist of at least one Riata Buckle-nominated horse.
Roping Futurities of America
Eligibility/Enrollment fees:
All horses 6 & Under are eligible.
Format:
Time only, jackpot-style
Events:
Team roping, breakaway, calf roping
Divisions:
Breakaway: 4-&-Under Futurity, 5- to 6-year-old Derby
Calf Roping: 4-&-Under Futurity, 5-6-year-old Derby
Team Roping: 4 & Under Heading & Heeling Futurity, 5- to 6-year-old Heading & Heeling Derby
2024 Dates/Locations:
To be announced; Abilene, Texas
Payout:
$833,000 plus prizes in 2022
(Breakaway: $346,759;
Tie-down: $260,069;
Heading & Heeling: $226,252)
Entry Fees:
$500–$750
Roping Futurities of American Stallion Incentive
Eligibility/Enrollment fees:
150 Stallions are eligible for the RFA Stallion Incentive with $5,000 stallion enrollment.
Format:
Bonus aidepot
Events:
Team roping, breakaway, calf roping
Equal payout to breakaway, tie-down, heading and heeling
2024 Dates/Locations:
To be announced; Abilene, Texas
Payout:
$810,000 projected payout for the first year
Entry Fees:
$350 Foal Nomination
Andersen/CBARC photos
Platinum Medal Futurity
Eligibility/Enrollment fees
6 & Under with a 3- & 4-Year-Old
Sidepot; No stallion
nominations or enrollments
Format
Judged, with a time factored into scoring
Events
Team roping
Divisions
Horses qualify back to designated short round based on their average score on three, with the top 15 competing in the Platinum short round, top 16–30 in the Gold short round, and top 31–45 in the Silver short round.
2023 Dates/Locations
Aug. 31–Sept. 2; Guthrie, Oklahoma
Payout
$20,000 added, 80% payback
Entry Fees
$1,000 per horse (horses may be entered twice: once with an amateur and once with a pro)
More Info
platinummedalfuturity.com
The Medal Program with Platinum Medal Futurity
Eligibility/Enrollment fees
Breeders enroll annually for $2000. Any horse that has you listed as the breeder on the papers is eligible. This is not based on the stallion!
Format
Bonus Sidepot
Events
Team roping
2023 Dates/Locations
Aug. 31–Sept 2; Guthrie, Oklahoma
Payout
Payout will be 50% to program spot holder, 50% to eligible horse owner; 30 programs = $30,000 payout
Entry Fees
No entry fee
More Info
platinummedalfuturity.com
Andersen/CBARC photos
American Rope Horse Futurity Association
Eligibility/Enrollment fees
Horses that are 3, 4, 5 and 6 years old are eligible for these events; no stallion enrollment.
Format
Judged, with a time factored into scoring
Events
Team roping, calf roping
Divisions
Open Heading and Heeling with Limited, Intermediate, Non-Pro and 3- to 4-year-old Incentives
2023 Dates/Locations
Oil Can Classic: Ardmore, Oklahoma, April 28–30; Red Bud Spectacular: June 3–4, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Cornhusker Classic: June 17–18, Lincoln, Nebraska; Cowtown Classic: July 7–9, Fort Worth, Texas; ARHFA World Championship: October in Fort Worth, Texas, dates tbd.
American Rope Horse Futurity Association Top Gun Stallion Incentive
Eligibility/Enrollment fees
Stallions can enroll annually to make offspring eligible for bonus money at ARHFA events. Annual stallion enrollament fee is $4,000, with $3,500 going to sidepot payout.
Format
Bonus Sidepot
Events
Team roping, calf roping
2023 Dates/Locations
Sidepots will be paid out at the ARHFA Redbud Specatucular June 3–4 in Oklahoma City and the ARHFA World Championship in
October 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Payout
25% sidepot will be paid back to stallion owners; 75% will be paid out to offspring.
Entry Fees
No extra fees for eligible offspring
More Info
americanropehorse.com
Payout
$1.3 million across all events in 2022
ARHFA Intermediate Trailer Race
The top-earning intermediate division competitor in the ARHFA will receive a Superior Industries Stock Trailer at the conclusion of the Intermediate Finals at Fort Worth’s ARHFA World Championship. Ropers must compete in at least three events throughout the year to be in the running, and both heading and heeling money count together. Half of the earnings at Fort Worth will count as well, given the high payout there. Earnings will be tracked from the third go-round only at each event.
Lexi Smith media PRCA/Phil Doyle
Royal Crown
Eligibility/Enrollment fees
Horses sired by Royal Crown stallions are eligible to enter with no enrollment fee if the horse is conceived or competing in the year a stallion is actively enrolled. You can guarantee a horse’s lifetime eligibility by paying an optional fee.
Format
Judged, with a time factored into scoring
Events
Team roping, breakaway, calf roping and barrel racing
Divisions
Team Roping: Open #13.5 Slide, Open Futurity, All Ages Royal Crown, Royal Crown Intermediate, 4 & Under Royal Crown and 6 & Under Royal Crown
Calf Roping: Royal Crown All Ages, 4 & Under Royal Crown, 6 & Under Royal Crown
Breakaway: Royal Crown All Ages, 4 & Under Royal Crown, 6 & Under Royal Crown
2023 Dates/Locations
Feb. 10–19, Buckeye, Arizona; May 18–28, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; August 7–16, Rock Springs, Wyoming
Payout
$1.05 million in 2022
Entry Fees
$1,050 per horse
More Info
royalcrownrace.com
Eligibility/Enrollment fees
Stallions can enroll for $7,500 annually, while offspring of enrolled sires can be enrolled for $350 (first year) and $250 for each following year.
Format
Judged and timed (two judges and a time)
Events
Team roping, breakaway and tie-down roping
Divisions
4-year-old futurity; 5- to 7-year-old maturity. All ropings are two rounds and a short with a Gold Buckle Stallion Incentive.
2023 Dates/Locations
Oct. 13–15; Sweetwater, Texas
(All team ropings will be on Oct. 13.)
Payout
$15,000 minimum added to each discipline
Entry Fees
$500 per roper for each roping, with an added $500 to enter the GBF Stallion Incentive Sidepot within the roping
More Info
goldbucklefuturities.com
