INCENTIVES: Royal Crown Roping

JR Marshall knew he would like Steviesprideandpearl before he ever swung a leg over the son of NCHA champion Stevie Rey Von.

“I rode his mom [One Time Pepto daughter One Time Pearl], his sister, an aunt,” Marshall noted. “I’ve been on the whole family and none of them were broncy, just real straight forward and easy.”

With a genetic predisposition to be good-natured, Stevie is a deliberate, calm horse for whom everything comes easy according to Marshall and co-owners, Jay and Jamie Anthony, who first glimpsed his athletic ability while tagging calves at the Anthony’s ranch.

“I had never roped on him but that’s when I realized how fast he was, the way he was going the cattle,” Marshall said.

Marshall was in the midst of a move while bringing the young horse along and said that the outstanding stallion trained by doing: day working, shipping cattle and working in a feedlot.

“I just used him and he made himself,” Marshall said. “That whole line, they are straight-legged, good-footed, fast and want to stop.”

Though he didn’t start his roping career until age five, Stevie won the Limited Heading Championship at the 2025 Royal Crown Buckeye in his first year showing.