The lineup of heel horses at the 2025 American Rodeo is stacked with some of team roping’s elite talents, including three-time AQHA/PRCA Heel Horse of the Year Kadabra King who returns with reigning World Champion Wesley Thorp to Globe Life Field.
How to Watch the 2025 American Rodeo
The event—which kicks off Friday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m. in Globe Life Field with the Contender Finals—will also feature former champion mount Kiehnes Frosty Pepto under Junior Nogueira, NFR aggregate champion JC Diamond Bar with Jake Long and former futurity standout TRR Freckles Holidoc and Logan Medlin.
The field is diverse when it comes to pedigree, as no stallion has two offspring in the lineup. Paul Eaves will ride the only mare in the field in PlayinMetallicaFuel, a daughter of Metallic Cat. The average age of the 2025 Amerivan heel horses is 13.2—up from the 11.9 average age we last tracked at the 2024 NFR.
| Heeler | Heel Horse | Year Born | M/G/S | Sire | Dam | Dam Sire |
| Logan Cullen | CB Flashin Wizard | 2011 | G | Boogers Cee Bar | Flashy Tycoon | Colonel Tycoon |
| Cory Petska | Western Montana | 2009 | G | Mister Montana Nic | Pretty Lil West Coast | West Coast Whiz |
| Chris Young | Fayemoso | G | Peptoboonsmal | Lil Faye Rey | Dual Rey | |
| Michael Calmelat Jr. | Chico | 2011 | G | — | — | — |
| Denton Dunning | LZM Pick Jaden | 2016 | G | LZM Whipps Jaden | LZM Vics Pick | Ima Bed Of Cash |
| Travis Graves | Golden Boy Boon | 2015 | G | Boy Boon | TS Zero Gold | Zero Badger Boy |
| Logan Moore | Twist On Line | 2012 | G | Shine On Line | Teresas Twist | Dun It With A Twist |
| Kollin VonAhn | NQH Lucys Last Cat | 2011 | G | WR This Cats Smart | Spooky Lucy | Grays Starlight |
| Paul Eaves | PlayinMetallicaFuel | 2015 | M | Metallic Cat | Playin Shorty | Playin Stylish |
| JC Flake | A Mini Brownie | 2013 | G | Playdox | Mini Mouth | Smart Mouth |
| Jonathan Torres | Bayboy Boonsmal | 2006 | G | Playboy Boonsmal | Dallas Easy MS | Dallas By Six |
| Buddy Hawkins | Undecided | — | — | — | — | — |
| Joe Mattern | Scoots Quixote | 2008 | G | Smart Lil Scoot | Quixotes Cowgirl | Docs Quixote |
| Dustin Davis | Cut Off My Spots | 2009 | G | Spots Hot | Miss Cuttin Wood | Doctor Wood |
| Douglas Rich | Seven Sun | 2010 | G | Seven From Heaven | Miss May Sun | Mr Sun Olena |
| Wesley Thorp | Kadabra King | 2010 | G | Abrakadabracre | Quixote Jessie | Holidoc |
| Jake Long | JC Bar Diamond | 2012 | G | Dun It Charlie Socks | LB Serene Joni | Serene Dude |
| Logan Medlin | TRR Freckles Holidoc | 2016 | G | Pepcid | SR Pretty Playboy | Playboy Lena Bar |
| Junior Nogueira* | Kiehnes Frosty Pepto | 2010 | G | Peptos Bluelena | Kiehnes Pretty Smart | Kiehnes Smart Olena |
| Levi Lord | San Jo Deacon | 2009 | G | San Jo Lena | Playfox | Playgun |
