My Kinda Crazee was crowned the 2025 American Rope Horse Futurity Association (ARHFA) Pre-Futurity world champion with Tate Kirchenschlager aboard.
The 4-year-old son of Catty Hawk out of Gar Bella Lena by Duals Blue Boon and Kirchenschlager scored a 228.17 on the final steer to finish with a 914.06 on four head for $21,220.
The Beginning
My Kinda Crazee, “Deuce,” came to the Kirchenschlagers by way of cow horse trainer Erin Taormino. When she decided he wasn’t going to make it in the cow horse pen, she thought he would be better suited as a rope horse. Deuce was bought shortly after they tried him by Belo Wiley and was bred by the Cowan Ranch.
“Belo bought him when he was 3, right there around February, first of March,” Kirchenschlager said. “He was kind of late maturing mentally, so I didn’t start showing him until a couple months ago.”
The Cowans raised Deuce and attributed his late blooming to his dam’s side.
“Talking to Michelle Cowan—they raised him—they’ve had some horses out of his mother, and she said a lot of them out of that mare were later maturing,” he said. “They’re a little bit hotter when they’re young. I guess that mare has always produced some pretty good horses, but she did tell me they take a while to come around.”
The Week in Amarillo
Deuce and Kirchenschlager kicked off their time in the Texas Panhandle with a 229.88 in the first round, good for a second-place check worth $1,000. They went on to win the third round with a 228.04, good for $2,000, and came back to the Pre-Futurity short round at the second high-call position.
“Honestly, I wasn’t trying to rope for first,” Kirchenschlager said of his final-round strategy. “I had a little bit of a lead over third and fourth call, and I think third had a little bit of heck. I didn’t think there was any way I’d get around Billie Jack.”
Their 228.17 run in the final round put them ahead of One Time Pick and Billie Jack Saebens for the win, ending their week with a $21,000 payday.
“That horse will let me press the gas pretty hard,” he said. “I can really count on him—when I pull my slack and dally, he’ll get on his ass and make his move.”
Kirchenschlager also had a full week of helping on the head side, adding up to plenty of steers spun in just a few days. He spun the steer that Jeremy Buhler heeled to win the Futurity heeling, good for $27,296.
“I like helping,” he said. “It’s stressful, but I like seeing people win and being a part of winning any way I can. It’s dang sure high stress at times—I get a little more stressed doing that than I do showing, probably.”
What’s Next for My Kinda Crazee
With Deuce being just 4 years old and still maturing, the plan for him includes a trip to Abilene, Texas, and then some time off.
“He’ll go to the Gold Buckle in a couple weeks, and then he’ll probably get a little time off,” Kirchenschlager said. “Then we’ll probably start showing him next spring, March or April, going into his 5-year-old year. We’ve been pushing him pretty hard these last few months, so he’ll probably get some time off after the Gold Buckle.”
