INCENTIVES: The Diamond Classic, Riata Championship, Royal Crown Roping

WSR Hesa Dunofa Lena—raised by Wes Adams’ iconic Western States Ranches—is the winningest rope horse stallion in the history of ProRodeo. 

The sturdy-boned dun stallion called Rooster started his career under world champion Randon Adams as the backup to Adams’ four-time AQHA/PRCA Horse of the Year, Diesel. WSR Hesa Dunofa Lena carried Adams to the California Rodeo Salinas title in 2012—heeling for his paternal sibling, WSR Hesa Alive. 

When Adams stepped away from rodeo in favor of running the family business, Rooster stepped into a pinch-hitter role for the who’s who of ProRodeo’s heelers.

He helped get Dakota Kirchenschlager to his first NFR, and Russell Cardoza rode him to place at the US Open. Cesar de la Cruz got a go-round check on him at the Finals behind Derrick Begay, and Adams jumped back on him to win Logandale’s ProRodeo, too. Then, two-time world champion Patrick Smith borrowed the stud for the summer run, and he just had to have him—so Smith bought, rodeoed on and stood the horse. 

In the spring of 2024, David and Miranda Zito of 1957 Quarter Horses bought WSR Dunofa Lena from Smith to kickstart their own horse program, and they moved him to the Lazy E. But just as Rooster got comfortable in Guthrie, Levi Lord called on the stud to go back to Las Vegas for the 2024 NFR—putting the sport’s pinch-hitter back in the game for another trip to the big show.