For calf roper Chance Bradley Thiessen and 4-year-old gelding Tom Cats R Popular, known as “Uzi”, the inaugural year of the Solo Select Incentive Futurity won’t soon be forgotten.
On the biggest stage of his young career, Uzi rose to the occasion and put up an impressive 298.43 in the short round to clinch the calf roping championship and a payout of $14,850.
For Thiessen, just 23 years old and carving his own path as a horse trainer in Tuttle, Oklahoma, it was a defining moment.
The undeniably athletic Uzi carries a pedigree built for success in the calf roping. Sired by Metallic Cattack and out of a daughter of AQHA Superhorse Lotta Popular Grace, he was destined for the big stage. It’s no wonder Thiessen calls him one of the most talented horses he’s ever swung a leg over - Uzi pairs natural ability with bloodlines that demand performance.
Metallic Cattack, a standout performer in the cutting pen, boasts an impressive show record and has sired multiple money-earning offspring across various disciplines with just one foal crop of show age. With Uzi’s proven success on the top side and great feel, Thiessen saw his potential when he took him on as an outside horse.
“I was actually riding him for a guy and just really liked the way he felt, so I ended up buying him as a two-year-old,” Chance explained. “He can run as fast as any horse I’ve ever ridden, and his stop is unbelievable.”
Thiessen had turned him out over the summer to give him a break, only pulling him back up two weeks before the futurity. With just three days of roping the week before the event, Uzi stepped into the pen as if he’d never missed a beat.
“It takes a really special mind in a calf horse at four years old,” Thiessen said. “For him to stay with me through four runs in one day, and then make the best run when it mattered most, it just shows the kind of horse he is.”
Breeder Randy French shares the same satisfied sentiment as the rest of the breeders that went with Metallic Cattack, describing his offspring as willing and talented with a great mind and a big motor. For French, the decision to pair Metallic Cattack with his mare Lotta Popular Grace was easy.
Tom Cats R Popular | Credit: Chelsea Schaffer
“I chose Metallic Cattack because I watched Cody McCartney rope on him one time over at Gary Wells’ house, and I was quite impressed,” French explained. “He had won the Paint World in the calf roping and placed high at the AQHA World Show, and he was just a nice horse to be around. I’ve bred to him twice, and both times, I’ve had really good luck. They’re willing, talented horses with big motors.”
Lotta Popular Grace herself brought plenty of credentials to the cross. A pro-rodeo level mare, she had the kind of heart and athleticism that made her a versatile competitor, carrying family members in calf roping, barrels, and poles. Passing along that try, she stamped Uzi with the same grit that made her so successful in the arena.
With this big win under their belts, Thiessen and Uzi's journey is only just beginning. Next on the schedule are the AQHA World Show, the Gold Buckle Futurity, and a trip to Las Vegas for team roping competition.
As for Solo Select’s Incentive, the future looks as promising as its debut. By rewarding breeders, owners, and ropers alike, it’s creating a stage where thoughtful breeding and careful development pay off.
Save $500 by purchasing an early breeding contract to Metallic Cattack - before Jan 1, 2026
