In a testament to the explosive growth of the rope-horse futurity and breeding industries, Colby Lovell and Dakota Kirchenschlager paired up at the 2024 Bob Feist Invitational on a team of standout, incentive-enrolled gray stallions—SEVS Judgement Day and Metallic Payday—to win fourth and $59,000 against 127 of the best teams in the world.
The 2020 PRCA World Champion Lovell was aboard the 2015 stallion SEVS Judgement Day, a son of Judge Cash out of Dancing Kaweah Jet by Gray Dancer. The horse, just purchased by NFR switchender and Reserve World Champion Clint Summers and partner Griffin Marshall, is a Royal Crown roping and barrel racing, Pink and Ruby Buckle Young Guns and Riata Buckle-enrolled stallion, now with over $50,000 in lifetime earnings.
Kirchenschlager, a three-time NFR heeler and ARHFA world champ header, rode Kaleb Driggers’ Metallic Payday—the 2023 ARHFA Reserve World Champion Heel Horse by Metallic Cat out of Another Playgirl by Freckles Playboy. Metallic Payday, a 2017 model, had won $63,294, per QData, before his BFI debut. Metallic Payday is Royal Crown roping, Riata Buckle and Gold Buckle Elite Stallions eligible.
“I think the BFI is the true testament of horsepower,” Driggers said. “The barrier is long and the cattle are strong, then mix in having to do that six times. Let the steer tail around the end of the gate then ask them for everything they have, and, while doing that, they have to be responsive to your hand and listen. Neither horse has been in that extreme a setup, and for them to back in there and take it time after time with no bobbles speaks volumes to me about their mindset. We already know they have the speed and athletic ability to do it, or we wouldn’t put them in that situation. But what they did Saturday was impressive.”
SEVS Judgement Day
The BFI was Lovell and SEVS Judgement Day’s big-stage debut. The horse had a great career with prior trainer Cody Hilzendeger, winning the Limited Open Heading at the Royal Crown in Buckeye in 2022. The stud also stood out in the barrel racing, placing at major futurities from coast to coast, including the BBR Finals and the BFA.
Previously owned by Hull Lantern Ranches, SEVS Judgement Day sold at the Barrel Futurities of American Sale in the fall of 2023 to Lovell—the same guy who, coincidentally started Metallic Payday in the heeling. Lovell took him back to the roping pen and was immediately impressed.
“I thought he was a real deal head horse from the first steer I ran on him,” Lovell said. “He can go anywhere, and I think he can be one of the best head horses at the highest level.”
Lovell took him to the Clay Logan Open, where he turned plenty of heads. Two days later, Summers tried the horse, and four days later, he and Marshall owned him.
“He looked like exactly the kind of horse I want to ride when my money is up,” Summers said. “He scores, he can really run, but he stays in control and handles the cow. He’s a freak facing. I’m ready to ride him, but I want Colby to continue to season him because it’s obvious he’s doing all the right things. I’ll just be patient, but our goal is to showcase him on all the biggest stages in the sport and offer him to select mares that will continue to elevate the rope horse game.”
Metallic Payday
Metallic Payday needs little introduction. The ARHFA Reserve World Champion has been grinding it out on the futurity trail, finishing his show career in 2023 with Kirchenschlager. He’s been doing double duty between the breeding barn at Outlaw Equine and the Open jackpots with Kirchenschlager.
“I have really enjoyed the journey with Payday, but the most exciting part is yet to come,” Driggers said. “His babies are short-backed, big-boned, clean-throat latched, good-footed colts, and 95% of them being grey doesn’t hurt anything either.”
Payday first showed as a 3-year-old at the ARHFA World Championship with Lovell, and then he went into the hands of Driggers. Driggers showed him, as did Junior Nogueira and Andy Holcomb before Kirchenschlager took the reins.
At the Feist, Kirchenschlager showcased the stud’s run and cow behind tougher draws than most, handily letting Kirchenschlager get to one that hooked left along the wall.
—TRJ—
