The DEFINITIVE List of 2022 NFR-Qualifying Heel Horse Pedigrees

The 2022 NFR-Qualifying Heel Horse Pedigrees. 

YES. It’s that time again. Here is The Team Roping Journal’s list of the horses the top 15 heelers in the PRCA World Standings rode to make the 2022 NFR. And here’s a little bit about the list: 

12.6: The average age of an NFR-qualifying heel horse.

6: The youngest heel horses on this list—TRR Freckles Holidoc, ridden on and off by Logan Medlin, and Coronas Hickory Gun, ridden by Jonathan Torres.

$29,000: The amount of money Torres won on Coronas Hickory Gun at the 2020 ARHFA World Championship Futurity as the 4-Year-Old Champion Heel Horse and the winningest heel horse there that year. Coronas Hickory Gun tragically died this summer after helping Torres qualify for his first NFR, winning the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo along the way.

18: The age of the oldest heel horses on the list: Brady Minor’s Rey Shines On Top and Patrick Smith’s WSR Hesa Dunofa Lena.

6: The number of AQHA/PRCA Heel Horse of the Year titles held by horses on the list: Smith’s Kadabra King (2022), Medlin’s Nita Win Playboy (2020-2021) and Minor’s Leos Highbrow (2020) and Rey Shines On Top (2014-2015)

4: Peptoboonsmal is the paternal grandsire of four different horses on the list: Junior Nogueira’s Kiehnes Frosty Pepto (Pepto Blue Lena x Kiehnes Pretty Smart x Kiehnes Smart Olena); Medlin’s TRR Freckles Holidoc (Pepcid x SR Pretty Playboy x Playboy Lena Bar); Wesley Thorp’s Little Hickory Boon (NQH Mossy Boon x Gingers Hickory Prom x Gray N Smart); and BayBoy Boonsmal (Playboy Boonsmal x Dallas Easy MS x Dallas By Six). The son of Peppy San Badger is also the paternal great grandsire of Jake Long’s The Star Pepto.

0: There are no mares on this list in 2022, a first in recent years.

DT Horses: The only breeder with two horses on the list: Rey Shines On Top and Trey Yates’ DT Diamonds R King.

See the pedigrees of all the top HEAD HORSES, TOO.

1. Junior Nogueira

Kiehnes Frosty Pepto (12)

A Mini Brownie (9)

Smokin Copper King (12)

2. Jake Long

The Star Pepto (9)

3. Buddy Hawkins

X (GRADE)

JAJ Dual Rey Pete (12)

4. Jade Corkill

Sixes Posse (17)

5. Logan Medlin

Nita Win Playboy (13)

TRR Freckles Holidoc (6)

6. Patrick Smith

Kadabra King (12)

WSR Hesa Dunofa Lena (18)

7. Travis Graves

Dual Chip (13)

Mr JB 0839 (14)

8. Jeremy Buhler

Knight Robber Son (18)

9. Levi Lord

Pauly (Grade)

10. Trey Yates

Romancing The Chics (13)

In the Nic of Shine (16)

DT Diamonds R King (12)

11. Joseph Harrison

FrecklesInstantCoffee (10)

CRR Hurricane Fajita (9)

12. Wesley Thorp

Little Hickory Boon (13)

SJR Diamond Go Time (7)

13. Brady Minor

Rey Shines On Top (18)

Leos Highbrow (17)

14. Brye Crites

CT Stylish Rex (10)

Sneaky Cat Can (15)

15. Jonathan Torres

Mea Badgolena (14)

Coronas Hickory Gun (6)

Bayboy Boonsmal (16)