HEBER CITY, Utah — Fendiii, a 4-year-old mare owned by Zito Equine and Cracklin J, became the only head horse to reach the finals of both open heading classes at the Old West Rope Horse Futurity, going up against horses up to two years older.
Fendiii and Miles Baker in the Pre-Futurity Heading. | Photo Credits - Team Roping Journal
Ridden by Miles Baker, the Valiant Hero mare out of First Prize Shaunda placed second in the second round of the $46,250 added open Pre-Futurity Heading with a 226.91 to earn $2,000, then made the finals and finished third on the aggregate with a 670.84 three-round total. In the $121,250 added open Futurity Heading, she made the finals and finished sixth on the aggregate with a 674.20 three-round total.
“I generally wouldn’t enter a 4-year-old against the best 6-year-olds in the game, but she is just that good,” said Miles Baker, who rides her. “With her mind and ability, I had no doubt she was capable of being in this position, coming back to the finals in both open heading classes.”
The double-back capped a plan years in the making. Ty Smith bought the mare as a yearling when conventional wisdom said she belonged on the track, then had her started and made into a head horse from the beginning.
“She had everything I look for when I first saw her. Classy, strong, pretty necked, uphill. She was built to be a head horse, so that’s what we made her. The game’s changed. With the way the rope horse business has evolved, and events like the Old West and the Solo Futurity paying the way they do, you can buy one like her with intention from day one and keep her in this discipline the whole way. You don’t have to pull these off the track and hope anymore. We’re building them on purpose now, and she’s exactly what that looks like,” Smith said.
Fendiii and Miles Baker in the Pre-Futurity Heading. | Photo Credits - Team Roping Journal
Zito Equine bought half early, after Baker brought the mare to Miranda Zito, and later partnered with Cracklin J.
“Miles approached us when he first had her and asked if we’d buy half, ” Zito said.“Her pedigree is so interesting. She’s pure race, with no cow, and she’s a big mare. She was just an entire package.”
Zito said the partners plan to keep showing the mare and eventually cross her to Dirty Fling.
For Cracklin J’s Allan and Meleesa Jones, Fendiii is the next chapter in a program that has come on fast; the couple bought last year’s Old West high seller, a colt that went on to win the spring Old West Futurity.
“We wanted to add a mare, and when we asked Ty Smith, the word was the best one available was Fendiii, ” Allan Jones said. “So we went with it, in partnership with Zito.”
Fendiii and Miles Baker in the Pre-Futurity Heading. | Photo Credits - Team Roping Journal
Fendiii and Baker return for both finals Saturday, June 20, in Heber City, Utah, streamed live on Performance Horse Central.
