Two-time PRCA World Champion Kaleb Driggers and NFR header Jake Cooper have bought the 2016 mare Fine Vintage Cash, the winningest mare in rope horse futurity competition.
Bred by Robertson Ranches and owned throughout her performance career by California’s Monty and Chris Avery, Fine Vintage Cash amassed $114,461 in horse show competition under the guidance of Andy Holcomb and Fallon Avery. In the two weeks since Driggers and Cooper purchased the mare—who’s out of Miss Catty Cash by Nu Cash—Driggers has already raked in $5,265 heeling on her at the jackpots, with plans to continue her competition career in between stays at Outlaw Equine for embryo flushes under the care of Dr. Bia Casa.
“If the timing allows, Marcus Theriot and I will ride her at the Timed Event,” Driggers said. “But we want to get some babies on the ground out of her as soon as possible. Jake and I both have studs that we both really believe in, and the future of their success also lies within the marepower that we breed them to. So we went and found the best mare that we could find for sale in our industry and got her.”
Driggers owns the 2017 stallion Metallic Payday, a son of Metallic Cat out of the Freckles Playboy daughter Another Playgirl. Driggers campaigned ‘Payday’ at the futurities with the help of Dakota Kirchenschlager, Colby Lovell, Andy Holcomb, Kollin VonAhn and Junior Nogueira, winning over $60,000—including the 2023 ARHFA Reserve Heeling World Championship.
Cooper owns Reys Of Pep, the 2017 son of Dual Rey out of Peppys Stylish Lena by Docs Stylish Oak. ‘Pepper’ won $114,599 in futurity competition with the likes of Lovell and Driggers on his back, and he won the 2022 ARHFA Reserve Heeling World Championship with Lovell.
“That mare speaks for herself,” Cooper said. “She’s got more black type on her pedigree than about any horse in the business. But she’s an exceptional individual, with great bone and a great mind. She’s the kind of mare we need a lot more of in the performance industry. It was an easy decision to get involved with Kaleb on this great mare that came from Andy and Fallon.”
For Driggers, riding after his friend and ARHFA World Champion Holcomb is a no-brainer. With Holcomb, she won three straight Royal Crown All-Ages heeling events in 2023, picking up checks at World Series Qualifiers and nearly every futurity she entered since 2021.
“For her to come through Andy and Fallon’s program, she had all the proper tools to succeed,” Driggers said. “She has been won on at every level and with multiple different riders. Just to lope her around is a pleasure, she moves across the ground like you are gliding on water she is so smooth.”
While the mare they call ‘Crystal’ might be sorrel, she’s been a judges’ favorite for the presence she carries in the show pen, like so many of her fellow One Fine Vintage offspring. One Fine Vintage, owned by Robertson Ranches, showed under Corey Cushing to win the 2016 AQHA Senior Working Cow Horse World Championship. A cow horse himself, One Fine Vintage’s offspring have done most of their winning in the roping. Fine Vintage Cash is his top earner, but Holcomb’s 6-year-old gelding One Vintage Merada has won $60,814 under Holcomb and Driggers.
Driggers and Cooper know that with her standout genetics and black-type on her papers, Fine Vintage Cash is a prime candidate for selling embryos. But they aren’t concerned with that just yet.
“It’s something we’d consider, but right now, we’re ready to get babies on the ground for ourselves to ride and promote,” Driggers said.
