This year’s NFR field features a stacked list of veteran horsepower, headlined by senior team roping horses that have nearly a century of combined ProRodeo experience between them.
Both the starting lineup and the backup horses are loaded with runs in the Thomas & Mack and in ProRodeo, and the best in the world know that there’s no replacing experience when first-place checks worth $33,000-a-night are on the line.
Full list of 2024 NFR Head Horses
Full list of 2024 NFR Heel Horses
Here’s the list of Super Seniors:
Pine Time Boogie, Age 23
Ridden in 2024 by: Jake Smith
Birth Year: 2001
Bloodlines: Pine Time x Tender Moments x Tender Six
First NFR Appearance: 2013, with Trevor Brazile
Pine Time Boogie is owned by Miley Richey, Clay Smith’s sister-in-law. He’s been at the Finals since Brazile first rode him there in 2013, and Clay Smith cracked him out for the T&M in 2021 after Brazile’s retirement. He’s flat and fast and will let Smith get it on the horns fast.
Hustler Lena, Age 21
Ridden in 2024 by: Kaleb Driggers
Birth Year: 2004
Bloodlines: Jackies Hustler x Curdle Lena x Beggars Freckolena
First NFR Appearance: 2021
Rhen Richard has won most of his NFR go-round money aboard 21-year-old “Midnight”, the black horse he saved all year for Las Vegas when he was rodeoing. When Kaleb Driggers needed a good one for 2024 after retiring his old world championship mount Cuervo, he tapped Richard for his veteran talent.
WSR Hesa Alive, Age 20
Ridden in 2024 by: Clint Summers
Bloodlines: Hesa Sonfa Dun x Smokes Alive x Smokin 45
First NFR Appearance: 2022
“Transmission” might only have two NFRs under his belt, BUT the long, flat dun horse has been on the rodeo road since 2011 when he won California Rodeo Salinas at just 7 under Jason Adams, whose family raised the horse. In 2023, he carried Summers to $182,517 in NFR earnings.
WSR Hesa Dunofa Lena, Age 20
Ridden in 2024 by: Levi Lord
Bloodlines: Hesa Sonofa Dun x Paulena x Doc Olena
First NFR Appearance: 2011
“Rooster” is rope horse industry lore at this point. First won on by Randon Adams, whose late father Wes Adams raised the horse in his Western States Ranches program, Rooster is now owned by 1957 Quarter Horses and stands at the Lazy E. He competed at the Riata Championships in 2024 with his new owners—including making runs on the head side in the lower numbered ropings—and Lord picked him up last week and jackpotted on him in Arizona to get ready just in case he needs him this year. Lord will start on his trusty mount Birdie, but Rooster is waiting in the wings to play backup.
In addition to these four, Tyler Wade’s Horse of the Year Espuela Bro is 17 and has been Wade’s NFR mount since 2019. Smart Little Cab, the horse backing up Hunter Koch’s main-man Cantebury Cherrey, is also 17 and has been at the Finals with Paul Eaves before as well.
