The $580K Wake-Up Call: Jackie Crawford, Hope Thompson and Melanie Smith on the Breakaway Futurity Boom

We had $35,000 added to our fraternity. We paid out $46,000 with nine entries. Like if we had a rodeo like that, there would be 900 degrees. Oh my gosh. If girls only knew how much money they're trying to give away at these things and how much money is coming down the pipe. Like I caught the girl at the back of the box and I said, get off of him because he was reared straight up. And that's to me, that's not that's not that shouldn't be rewarded. There's also never been more opportunity. Oh my gosh. Just for somebody to just come in and just absolutely dominate. Don't wait on it because there's so much it's gonna head straight up and you can either sit on the sidelines and watch and then have to jump in or you can get in right now and like hi everyone this is melanie smith with solo select we are very excited today we have two awesome girls here hope thompson jack crawford.

I don't need to introduce them they are a household name the you i didn't tell you guys this but downstairs my girls are completely fangirling down there My accountants are like, oh, my gosh, they're here. We love them. They love watching you guys. It's so cool. And so you two and, you know, and I know it's a long line of breakaway ropers. Y'all have really molded this industry in the breakaway roping and grown it. I mean, over the last five, 10 years, it's two totally different worlds. And we just see it continuing to just like got this rocket fuel on it. And we see more and more young girls getting into this. And I think that is, very much because of all the work you guys put in to make the sport grow and and everybody that came before you guys.

And so today what we're going to talk about is as we see this growth in the rodeo world and all the different breakaway roping events, we are not seeing the same growth in the breakaway faturity world. And we want to kind of talk about why we think that is and, you know, how this is in still so much of its infancy, but it hasn't taken off quite like the team roping part has. And I think just the conversations we've had a little bit about it, I think we have a good idea of why. And I think it's going to continue to grow. But how can we get the rocket fuel behind the faturity world that we have behind the rest of the breakaway roping industry? And we want to make sure we do that. I know for me, I've never the last couple of years, I I've never seen as many breakaway ropers getting into breeding horses.

And I think that's a really good sign that this is coming. Right. So they're breeding them now. And over the next couple of years, they'll have these horses to start bringing. And they know and are starting to understand how much money can be won. And what else can we do, both as solo and you guys and producers, and to make sure that we continue to nurse this part of the industry and get it to, you know, continue to take off. So that's kind of what we're going to talk about today. I'm going to start off. I'll start with you, Jackie. Tell us a little bit. I just want you to introduce yourself. Like I said, I know everybody knows, you know, you're a 24-time world champion. Everybody sees breakaway roping. They see you and all the success you've had.

But give us a little idea of how you got to this point in your career. Just dumb luck, honestly. Being at the right place at the right time in your career, I guess. But no, I actually grew up on the racetrack in Illinois. So Northern Girl. And my mom and I moved to Oklahoma when I was about 12. And down there is where I really saw a lot of kids roping. And so being a natural tomboy, I just kind of wanted to be part of the boys and the girls rope together at the junior rodeos. I just thought that was so cool. And so I kind of transitioned to that a little bit and just kept growing in the sport in Oklahoma. And my mom finally let me high school rodeo when I was a sophomore. And I turned this ratty little barrel horse I had. She was crazy as she could be into my first rope horse. And she was crazy.

Ended up winning Oklahoma State my junior year and just kind of, I'd always had that desire to go where the best was. And as I went to Shawnee and saw all these kids that came up from Texas, I just thought, man, they're all tough. You know what I mean? To just have that aura about them. So I went to college in Texas and as I went to graduate from college, there was just kind of this, you know, there wasn't, it was nothing like it is now, but it was like, could I make this work as a career? If I implemented a lot of different things, lessons, training horses, school, all the things that I could gather up. I got a lot of different I got to go work for Larry D and learn so much about the horses and stuff my mom was a great influence on the horsemanship side but then I got to go work for Larry D and and learn so much more and learn a lot from Trevor and so, kind of hit this crossroads of do you you know are you going to go have a career are you going to try to make this thing work and I had a friend of mine then that was very successful and he's like man you got a niche things are going to come your way.

Stay doing what you're doing. And so I did. And doors just kept opening and kept hustling. I mean, I think the biggest thing is kept hustling. Yeah. And doors just kept opening up and people kept seeing the value in women's roping in the industry. And so here we are. That's awesome. And so Hope, you're a world champion breakaway roper. Have a great set of young horses coming up. You've been going to faturities for the last couple years. Let's talk a little bit about how you got here. We could talk for a long time about how I got here, but I didn't grow up in like round horses or anything. My parents owned a pawn shop and my mom was listening to like the trading post in the pawn shop and rescued these sort of things.

And so she bought the truck, the trailer and the horses. And I remember. I remember pulling up in the pawn shop with this in my pants. And so she's like, we got to build one. Like we have horses now. And so you just get around horse people and their support. Like when they'd taken me to a play day and just getting to watch everyone do that and compete. I don't know. It just grew in me. I was just from that day on, I was like, this is what I want to do. I remember my dad buying me my first like play day horse. I ran barrels and pulls. And I remember the pawn shop being in him. he's like trying to do this guy down on this horse. I'm like, dad, are you going to pay the man or not? Let's go. Let's get this horse home. So yeah, it just grew from there. I was fortunate enough.

I grew up like 30 miles from the Josie ranch, Martha and Ari Josie. They were influential in my career. Ari and I are like, we're big buddies and it just took off from there. You meet the right people. You get around the right people. At one time, what I thought was an unfortunate circumstance turned into one of the biggest blessings in my life. And I ended up in Abilene when Jackie was still working with Larry D. And I talked to them and I'm like, man, this is if I don't do this, like, I don't know what I'm going to do. Like, I just I grew a passion for it. I wanted to do it. I wanted to train horses. Sure. And I'm like, yeah, you know, and I mean, they were the only women in the industry at that time that made a living with their rope.

And I was like I want to do that like I don't know what else I would do and so yeah I mean they've. You bragged on us and put me in that category and I still feel like that little girl looking up to them and trying to follow in into what they're doing and so that's that's what I still I that's what I want to do that's what I'm going to do and like you said the fraternities and the horses just broke through this last year of, rodeoing and and trying to draw that line of do I still want to fully do that. And when there's a show, go show these horses that I've put a little time into or, you know, go all into that. And this year has been a year that I feel like I went. I put all my time into that and it's been the most rewarding fun that I've had in a long time.

And so I hope it, the breakaway ropers catch on in this maturity world for us does grow because it could be a really good thing for us. Yeah, absolutely. Well, I think as somebody that is helping to produce the events, Like, I, you know, I am behind the scenes of one in a very small way with Clay and Shane really putting on their maturity. And I always tell them, like, I want you guys to produce the vet. I will bring the added money. But, you know, I think we see from our standpoint the investment that breakaway ropers are making into breeding horses. And I think when you think of, you know, on my end, like products, like I have a lot of breakaway ropers that buy slinkies and products. And so, like, you guys are very involved in the industry. So I think that there's people that are behind the maturity world that see that and recognize it and want to put that money in and bring that opportunity.

But I think we're almost like we were when I think of 2020, 2019, 2020 of the team roping maturity times where, like, people saw it was coming. And the guys that were rodeoing were just, like, watching out of the corner of their eye. And we saw Trevor win. And, you know, Miles started coming onto the scene. And I was kind of the same way, just like watching like, oh, they have these team roping deals. But really, then it was more about AQHA points, you know. So we saw it transition from where everybody, if you were a show horse guy, you went to AQHA shows. And there was such a big divide between like, oh, rodeo horses can't show at AQHA shows and vice versa. Like I think, but we weren't at that time, I think in the team roping world.

We weren't focusing on young horses as much. It was like, oh, are they a senior world champion? You know, they could be 10. It was like, it wasn't like, oh, we have a four-year-old that's a junior world champion. Of course, there were ones, but I just don't think they were as focused on young horses. So all that to come back and say, I almost feel like that's kind of where we're at in the breakaway world. It's like people are watching it and they see it and they see what you do and, you know. Not only you do, but obviously there's a lot of great girls that are roping in the breakaway that are very talented, very talented horsemen and doing a great job of training these young horses. But I think that this is like right on the tip of starting to take off and really do big things.

So I guess what I'd like to start with with you girls, and I'll let you, whoever wants to start can, you know, when was your first faturity and how have you seen it change to now, I think? I don't know. I think we go back a little bit on that subject like. We got to rope high school college amateur rodeo we didn't really for a while see a future in the pro rodeos as a breakaway roper, and so you had a lot of people like get out of it at a at a certain level and and like i know like we would team rope a lot like we were breakaway ropers and then. It's like, man, we can ride headhorses, train headhorses, World Series, team rope. Those people are who are buying the horses and selling them for a lot of money.

You can rope for a lot more money. And then here comes, it's not new, but now we're going to get money added in these pro rodeos and we get to go to those. And so everything's kind of transitioned back and you see people that have gotten out of it coming back into the breakaway. And then now the faturity in the breakaway is new again, you know? And so it's just got to catch on. I feel like, and everything be done the right way. But my first faturity, I'm going to say, was when they started the RFA, the slot. Oh, yeah. I forgot about those. And yeah, it was just timed, time only, but had to be a four-year-old, yeah, slot race, 50 entries and sold the slots. And so that's going to be the first time where I say I competed in a faturity.

And then it wasn't until this this year that I started entering the judged events like at the gold buckles and stuff. I would say first because I don't we're going to go way off your timeline you have. Yeah that's okay yeah. Where you touched on the fact that you're seeing the boom of breakaway ropers breeding horses and stuff. Yeah uh-huh. And talking about the money in the industry. And so I think that everyone has to, whether you're a fan of Breakaway or a fan of Breakaway being added into the rodeos or, you know, a fan of another women's event coming along, there's not a person inside this industry that can deny the benefit that I think of having another women's event. If you look at. Billy Bray has done some unbelievable stats on what one girl would spend with one horse. Yep.

And from the time she starts roping till she's going to pro rodeos, and it is astronomical compared to even a men's event. Yep. We are consumers, right? We like to buy things. We like all the extra things for our horses. So it doesn't matter when you're bringing that influx of people into an industry, you're going to see the trickle down effect everywhere. It doesn't matter if it's the horse industry. We've seen the change in the horse industry. You know, a reject calf horse is no longer a reject calf horse. He's a breakaway horse, right? You're seeing the need for more trainers. You're seeing the need. It doesn't matter if it's boots, if it's blankets, trucks, trailers, anything. Spread it out all over the industry. We're bringing in a lot of money and that is in total good for our entire, for everyone, right?

And so I think as a whole, we all need to remember that in the big picture that it might take a while for this to catch on because in my opinion you know the reason that it's, that it is still slow and like you were just talking about how like 2020 I think was the first kind of like when we were kind of seeing all this probably started a little before that but that's when I started paying attention to it, same right so the first year, back of the year this is gonna run two different things but my first maternity was the first year of the RFA because I took that same horse that I break on at the rfa in february and entered him, in fort worth at the american rope horse faturity and the headache okay yeah so that was my first year and had good success on that horse was that was that it's around 2021 i think so 21 so right around then yeah something like that something like that, so those were the first ones that that i entered because i was like man i'm gonna do the team roping too you know i want to be a part of all of it and so but i think that.

Then you could see the numbers of that and who was involved with the team roping. But you say it was so new. I think that because the women getting to rodeo is still in its almost infancy stage, there's not enough girls that have gotten it out of their system. Yeah, that's a really good point. Where when you look at the team roping and the calf roping, those guys got the rodeo out of their system from the time they were, you know, I'm not going to state my age, but, you know, I probably could have, if I'd have got to do this when they were getting to, if I'd have got to buy my card when I was 18, I'd have probably said, all right, I've filled my cup on that area and I'd be into that just like the team ropers are now.

But right now, when you have girls that are still, that is the fire in their belly right now. You know, that's the stuff they haven't got to experience. That's where it's still at. But I think as we wait and you see these girls that even though they're not coming to the fraternities yet, they're breeding horses with the thoughts of being there. And so I think when all that kind of plays its course, then you're still going to have, just like we have our team ropers now and our calf ropers now, you're going to have that influx of girls coming over into the fraternity side. So I'd say I think that patience on the producer's side is going to be a huge key and just know that they are coming and it just might take a few years for those girls to catch on. That's a really good point.

And one thing I want to touch on, because I think for me, this has always been a big deal, and I'm really interested to hear y'all's input on this, is timed. I have my opinions on it for the team roping side of things, but timed versus judged for faturities for four-year-olds, five- and six-year-olds. I think that's a whole can of worms. We could have a whole podcast about it and probably make a lot of people unhappy talking about it. But I do think it's important. And from my point of view, I have always been more of a fan of the judged ones that have a timed component to the score, just because I think in the end, it is still a timed event, but we have to reward people for having a horse that.

Is quite in the box and does everything correct because the goal just like the team roping horses is we're creating really great horses whether it's for the level of the young girls that are going to get their first higher level horse when they're seven eight or nine or a pro radio girl or whoever it is we've got to create horses for all those different levels and we can't do that if we just, in my opinion if we just have these horses that are only timed as four-year-olds and That's the only way they can win. I don't know that you have as trained of a horse at the end of their seven-year-old year. Trained may be the right word. It's solid. It's like you've been able to get rewarded for putting the foundation on them. That's my opinion.

But what do you guys think about the timed versus straight timed versus straight judged? I want judged to be incorporated into it for sure. For the faturities. But, I mean, that's what I said. We've entered on. Where they're straight timed to going back to the rfa because that's the first ones that we got to compete in as a breakaway roper just straight timed and i don't want to say the wrong thing here because everyone ropes good so, it just it was a jackpot and this horse that you put a lot of time and effort and pride into might just straight up get beat because a gamey roper just went and blasted right and so for for me personally as a horse trainer being able to yeah you still want to go compete and it's a timed event and be fast but to take pride in in what you've done with that horse and then get rewarded because someone thought you had a really good product I think yeah is is what makes it for me personally, fun to do and and you it's it's rewarding, the same in the sense that, I think we have plenty of places to go on time we have plenty of slinging matches we have plenty of things where we don't have to worry about the horse personally.

I I think that no matter what the love of the horse needs to come first and I think that creating that horse for longevity I don't, I don't want to be worried about just no matter what it's doing just it's all right let's just rock and roll here and for longevity for longevity I want that horse to have a good long life and you know I mean might not want to but like talking about back then, one of the horses that won the breakaway and the cat they literally well i caught her i caught the girl, at the back of the box and i said get off of him because he was reared straight up and, that's to me that's not that's not that shouldn't be rewarded does that make sense and we're trying to grow an event getting into the box during the second one like it was like everyone had to clear out came in a run and just turn around not and it all worked and it looks to me that's not that's not a that's not what we're going for we're trying to elevate our industry and make our industry better.

And we do need horsemanship to get better in our industry. We see it all the time. And I think that the more that horsemanship is rewarded, I think that the better our entire industry gets. And so I'm a fan of when those horses are young. To have the judging component. I'm with you. I like the timing component of it because then that, I think it should be part of it. I think it's important, you know, they got it. I just think, and that is not in any way, like, I would also like to say the RFA put, they stepped out there and put that money up and did that. And they, you know, and they did that slot idea and that was thinking outside the box. And it was a very, like, it was really important and very beneficial.

And you know I think when I've talked to some rodeo people like rodeo guys especially a couple years ago you're seeing it different now but like well it's a timed event we don't need judges it's time to vent you know and I'm like well, yeah but you need horses whenever they're 8 9 10 and 11 that still want to be good horses that we didn't blow up and they're how in the pasture somewhere as five and six year olds because we won, yeah you won 150,000 as a four-year-old but they're gone And so I think the rodeo guys, at least, I don't talk to as many of the breakaway girls, but I think that, you know, maybe they were like, oh, we need only fast horses. And now they're seeing like, oh, we're creating horses for longevity.

And I think that's really the key for the faturities. And that's why I like the judged component with a small or portion of the time component. The other thing I want to talk about a little bit is judging. And this is also one that you could probably... Hurt lots of feelings on. And my goal isn't to do that. I just want to talk about, you know, we have NCHA and NRCHA, and we have a judging rulebook. And you're still going to get opinions, right? Like even with very. Structured videos, teaching, coaching, certification, or, you know, I don't know if that's what you want to call it, classes that these judges go to, you still see, you know, it's still a judged event. So it's still somebody's opinion.

But I feel like we don't really have, well, we don't have that for either the calf roping, team roping, or the tie down yet, where we have one association that's governing it that is writing a rule book and saying like, this is the run. This is what we, when I say we, this is what hopefully I have to be able to say, where when we get them as eight-year-olds, this is how we want them to have worked as four-year-olds so that we can have the right horse. That's, you know, you get a lot of different opinions of what that's supposed to look like. But I know that I've I heard Reggie say a couple times, you know, they were wanting to put something like that in place for the rope horse maturity. And I think it is so needed. And I think they're kind of, but I want to talk a little bit about that. Like what judging wise, what do you guys want to see?

Because I have y'all judge any yet? Any paturities yet? You have? Yeah. And so what do you want to see? And do you feel like it changes amongst who's judging that day what they do want to see? Well, I think it changes. I know like. I'm going to have a different thought on what I want a horse to score like and how I want that horse to leave. I like a horse to leave off your hand and be waiting for you to tell it how hard to leave, right? Where some people want it rocked back in there dead still. And then the second you wiggle, they want it like blasting. Like for me, that's not as easy for me to score when it's time to go for just time only. And so there's different things I think that you're going to see.

But that's where I think it's so important to have several judges at one show so that all that at the end of the day is is is mixed in, you know, like it all kind of evens out a little bit on the differences. And it's not just I'm going to one show and that person was judging, so they're not going to like my horse. But if I go to the next show, this person is judging. And do you see right now a pretty big like, do you think that there is quite a few differences like whenever depending on who is judging what what they're going to mark? And to use, I mean, I know that there is a difference, but is it a wide difference? Like if a horse is pattering in the box, does some judges say that's fine and some don't as long as your horse scores and leaves good? And I guess what, what do you call scores good, right? Is pattering in the box, but standing still fine or not, you know?

See, that's where, and that's where I feel, like you said, the opinions, but I feel the biggest thing on judging. And I learned this when I did judge because you get to see everyone, what they put in and they drop one or drop behind a lobe, I felt the biggest thing because it was hard. Like, I cared. Does that make sense? Like, every category on there that you judge, like, I cared. And I wanted the best horse that day to win. And I wanted my score to matter, if that makes sense. And I feel that that was the biggest thing. Like, watching... I think if you just get a judge or someone in there that's getting their paycheck for that day and doesn't actually care what they're looking at and just putting numbers in, like, that's where I think it gets iffy.

But I don't know. I think, like you said, having a good panel across the fraternities would be a... I think you guys need to know, and I don't rope, obviously, but this is just from an outsider looking in, like, okay, you two are training. Let's just say you get your three-year-olds that you're ready to get started on, okay? And so to me, y'all need to know, like, okay, every single judge in that box is going to be looking for me to have one scored that they're, to say this incorrectly, but like you said, like you've got contact with their mouth, you're right there, and then whenever that gate goes, your hand moves. That's what they want to see it take off from. Is that what they want or not like because I think you're going to get if you two are judging and both of y'all leave the box different ways you're going to want it your way unless there is a very specific and I know they have meetings before that they say this is what we're looking for but I think we need to make sure that relatively soon we get a very clean cut this is how we are judging breakaway horses I just don't know if they're ever going to be like the same.

But with your guys always i don't i mean maybe the same like scoring for me like, obviously i don't care if a horse moves a little bit i don't want to look panicked or scared or mad, but like it doesn't it doesn't stop there just how well the horse stood there because like it might get plus or whatever for standing good but then it's going to go back to even or minus if it doesn't leave good. Sure. And then you might have a horse kind of like moving a little bit or like, maybe anticipating, but like. Did exactly what the rider told it to do like like it stood in the brattle and it went off his hand like, I don't know like it's just it's more than just how they stand there to me so I don't know how you get in and I know it is and I'm just ignorant enough on, no like that's what I'm saying is like do they stand I know there's way more steps to how all you would judge one in the box too but I think that we really need a I want to see a checklist of like hey if my horse does not move his two feet as an owner.

I want to see a checklist that says if my horse's two feet both stay on the ground the whole time that they're in there when their rear end hits the box, I got plus one. Yeah. If they stood there with their ears up the whole time and didn't shake their head, I got whatever. Plus one. If my horse left good, I got plus one. But if my horse patterned in the box, I got minus one. And if he wiggled in the box, she's okay with it. But the judge's sheet says that they get a zero in the box or, you know, no, no extra point. You're wanting a universal guideline that we know for a fact that. I mean, the best you can when I watch four breakaway videos next to each other, I want to be able to have one of you to tell me exactly why the plus and minus was on here. Not like, well, I like one to not wiggle in the box, but I don't.

But the other one says like, no, I think a breakaway horse needs to stand there. I, you know, I don't know. And so I think until we, I think that is a big part of, And look, we know everybody's doing all they can to make this as good as we can, as quick as we can. But I think we really need a governing body of the rope horse maturity industry as a whole to really get that in writing, put some example videos up. You know, this is what we think as a industry, a four-year-old breakaway horse should work like. This is as close to the perfect run as you can get. Because I know too, when we think, when you think of it. I think that's really important for the growth of it because several years ago, I know I'm going to go back to 2020 again.

I just remember people being like, oh, in the quarter horse shows, like, oh yeah, that horse does really cool things and it does that fancy deal where they drag their hawk on the head horse side and it looks cool. And they're like, but that's not a reasonable thing to do for a horse that's for real, they call it, right? Like that's not a for real horse. That horse will never be a for real horse. He just does cool things in the show pin. And I think it's important if we're going to get, everybody to subscribe to this whether we're talking about breakaway ropers or team ropers we have to make real horses not just show horses and I want I hope that what we're, putting together now and judging is what you guys as trainers or Cody McCartney or any of these people that are training horses look at and say yes if a four-year-old does that whenever, you guys do get them to be seven and they ask them for their lives they're going to have all the foundation they need Not a show horse foundation. Yeah.

A foundation to be a real horse. So how do we do that? Like, do you think, how do you even decide? Like, who... That's such a loaded question, probably, isn't it? For sure. You guys will all have different opinions, but I feel like we have to have that. Yeah, I guess we just all do it based on our own opinion. We do. And, you know, I think it's funny because, like, I remember the first fraternity in Fort Worth. And the big thing was, is that it's not going to be judged like an AQHA show. Right. But I actually think it was judged a little bit like an AQHA show because it was so hard for those guys to get away from that. Where I think it's I think it has progressed now. I think it they really do look more like how in control is that horse are you having to hold them up are they staying you know I know the old west two years ago those steers were fresh those horses were strong and they were going to AQHA move they were pancaking those steers and so it really showed out the control that some of those horses had and so, and I think the judging showed it yeah you know I think it has gotten better so I don't know how how are they doing it in the team roping how are they getting because honestly as a brake wire roper I still am yet to look at a judging sheet, I still couldn't tell you what I've gotten in because you know by the time you do it I can't remember what run was what and then it's like well why'd this horse do that I can't remember somebody else's run you know so I really can't tell you how all of it has gotten judged besides you're just going off of, make them stand quiet straight to the calf right hope they stop it.

I think to grow it, we've got to get some structure in there for that. And that way, you guys, when you have a new customer come in, you know, that says, well, I don't know why my horse didn't win. You know, they looked good and they're pretty and you can say like, well, look, this is my video versus what we're saying is, you know, a picture perfect breakaway run, which doesn't exist. But, you know, here's five that are as close as we can get. And do you see how your mare, you know, did do did it track quite as well as me? Whatever, whatever you guys tell them. And so that's one thing that for me as an owner, that's not a roper that, you know, that's one thing I would really like is I don't really understand when I watch a breakaway horse. I'm like, I besides time, those runs looked exactly the same to me.

You know, like, I don't know why they judged one three points less than the other when you take the time component out. Yeah. And there's no rules to really see where they came up with that, you know. And I think it's important, too, because, yeah, we drop the high and the low. But if you guys don't know what you're training for, then we're all wasting our time. Yeah. And there's not enough to, like you said, separate two great runs. No. Like that's the thing is that it's just unless you have that. Not enough variables in a breakaway run. And so I think we've got that's in my opinion as an owner. That's one thing that I think we really need to get into place. And we've talked to Reggie. I've known Reggie and then we're working on it. And this is not an ode to gripe.

It's like, I think, you know, it's as important as ever that we get a rule book that's very clear, like this is what we think. And I also think it's important to say a rule book that's very clear that probably needs to be changed annually as this changes and we continue to see things that like, OK, we need to put a little more emphasis on this, you know, or whatever. And plus, I think if you have that, you have your girls that are maybe just getting into it that. In a way, feel like, well, there's not enough of a judging system that I'm going to go up against. That's exactly right. Cheyenne McCartney or whoever's winning, you know, you're Macy Reward, like these girls that are winning and they're like, well, I'm not going to, well, if you have a guideline, you do have it because this is exactly how they get those points, how they did.

And so I think it'll help that girl that's wanting to come into the industry, have more confidence that. It's not just about how one girl can make one look you know i think that's a really good point and and also that being too that i think that you guys are so athletic and talented there are so many girls that can rope around a bad horse and so like they can have a horse that's not really that correct or good and get around them and get one roped in two seconds where it takes the other girl that maybe isn't as it doesn't have as much raw talent to be able to rope so quick but can get one to score good go out there and have a whatever three three five second run but their horse was so much more solid that they won the faturity that day and right now i'm not sure that they have enough confidence going out there that they know exactly what they can do to get the extra points even though they can't rope at the level of somebody that like you said can get on a ratty calf and just like make it look good well there's always going to be those riders that are more cosmetic on a horse and they just are and there there is but if there's a definitive guideline that.

You can have that confidence and And if you know, like, hey, I can't rope as quick, so I'm not going to, but if my horse is really good in the box and da, da, da, da, da, then I've got two points on him. So that gives me my extra time, you know, to have a chance to be able to go. And then, like you say, it gives them a little more confidence to want to show up and show against those girls. And the other thing that we talked about a little bit before we got on here that I think is interesting, too, is, you know, there's not that many people training breakaway horses. So it's like most people are bringing their own to the table. Like you said, like you have your own and I don't know how many outside horses you're riding hope, but if a lot of them are your own, I don't know. Like, For me, the only person I really know that's taking a bunch of them is Cody McCartney, you know, is riding and taking a lot of outside horses and riding them for customers and things like that.

But I think that it's hard for those girls, to your point, and I'll let you speak a little more on this, Jackie, to be on the road all year and then have four months off. They're on the road anyways, pretty much all year. And then all summer, they're hitting it really hard. So those horses aren't getting that much training. And so... They're not necessarily going to have these four-year-olds that are just ready to rumble like the team roping guys. Like you said, they've gotten some of the rodeo out of their systems that they're home all year. Those horses are trained like some of Miles' horses could go be shown, you know, summer of their three-year-old year. Like they have been in training from a two-year-old year to be ready to go and show.

So how do you battle that as a breakaway roper that's out there rodeoing wanting to do this? Yeah, I think that is the challenge, too, that we talked about that almost as it's set up right now, you know we're spending so much money to be on the road rodeoing, and different than like the guys with the big payout at the end to where you can maybe if you're winning you can afford to have somebody riding them at home or you can afford to have send one to Cody or you know Sarah whoever it may be and. So you're spending that money and so you're really just going and you're you have to be very selective you're not going to have a bunch of outside horses that it's like oh you know five of them might not be great but this one's going to be really good and that's that one that shines out or whatever, you got one.

You know, you have one that you invested in. And now it's not like we're going and finding these, you know, $5,000 investments. You know what I mean? When you bite off and say, okay, this is the one that I'm going to try to go and show, but I'm only going to be home X amount of days a week. And then it's going to get to be fresh. And then I'm going to have to bring it back up. And then I got to leave for the summer and rodeo. You got to decide, is it worth sending it to someone to try to keep it going? Or, you know, there's just so many more variables than, say, your people that have already done the rodeo thing. Now they're at home. They might be taking outside horses. It's hard for a rodeo person when you're gone that many days to charge somebody riding an outside horse.

You just can't. You can't do it. Yeah. It's not really, it's not great. And so. Yeah, I think that you have all your eggs in that in that one horse and you're going to have to take your time and just build that horse as your time allows you. Yeah. And maybe that means it's not you don't go to the maturities till the end of its four year old year or whatever it is, you know, but. But then that gets hard because you're like, man, now my horse is going to enter the six and under. And then you have girls whose rodeo horses at this time are still in the six and under, that your green coming five-year-old's gonna and so that that gets tough too because well and talking a little bit about that too i think set up at these is really important and so when we think of whether it's our fraternity or where, riata and ruby buckle was producing fraterities Any anywhere you go, you know, right now, breakaway.

To be blunt, is not typically the first thing that comes to their mind when they're getting the faturity set up ready. They're trying to make the team ropers happy because that's where the entries are. Right. And so then the breakaway ropers come and they get what they get. And I think, you know, as producers, we also have to make sure that we are setting you guys up for success when you come. You know, do we have the right setup? Do we have the right score? Do we have the right calves to give you guys success where it isn't just a race to the finish line? Like, oh, do you have the fastest horse that can get out? You know, we have these calves that are going to outrun at least half of the girls anyways.

And you've got that green five year old and you don't even get you don't even get to show your horse. Yeah, it's a hard ask. It is. It is because, like you said, it seems like we're demanding something for such a small pool of people and horses. But it is like... It's important in my opinion to have the setup and friendly enough calves on those young horses and then that is I think how you're going to grow it because people get to see that they get to watch a good roping, they get to watch horses be good not at this huge pressure or getting outrun they get to watch that and then it's not as scary to pull those girls in. And want to enter the next time you know and and just like you said as much as we love entering them and competing in them you want people to like watching them too sure yeah that's just as important because that's what gets the as this continues to grow and gets kind of out of this infancy stage it's going to be also about the people that want to buy a horse and put it with you guys that are never going to ride it they just you know enjoy whether they're trying to promote a mare or trying to promote a stallion or whatever as this continues to grow you know it has to be fun for them to watch and if they just see half the girls getting outrun that's not that fun.

But one thing too i think is kind of an interesting point with it is you know you get those calves that can really run and we talked a little bit about, the head horse you know i i told you guys i said well just somebody from an outsider looking in on just watching ropings like i don't see that many head horses get outrun completely at a maturity like not that often but in the breakaway or the calf roping you see a lot more are people that just have to pull up, you know, and why is that? And you guys made a really good point that I think was kind of interesting. Like those head horses, a lot of times are bred to run, like they're running bred horses. And so they, that is one reason they don't get outrun as often as you have a horse that is literally bred run. You're not going to take very often a really good head horse that especially that's half running bred and go and break away on them because they can't stop enough.

So we're asking a horse that can stop like a cutting horse and a reigning horse, but can run like a head horse or a race horse and combining those into two. And right now... In the infancy of this, we're just starting to breed for those horses. We've been just getting everybody else's horses. Like whether it is, you know, not that many people have bred, you don't really hear people say like, I'm breeding for a breakaway horse, like maybe for a rope horse now, but not for a breakaway horse. So as we start to breed for these horses, I think we'll see more of these horses that do have the entire package. They can really run and really stop, but it's like a genetic design to make these. They're different animals than a head horse or a heel horse or, you know, maybe calf horses and breakaway horses go hand in hand.

But to be able to run like they need to run like a head horse and be able to stop is. There's not a lot that can do that. No, no, there's not. And so I think as breeders, like we're going to see more of them. But all of this to tie back into, we have to make sure during the infancy stage that we have calves that can, people can show those horses that maybe can't, maybe are going to get outrun as four-year-olds because y'all aren't going to ask them for their lives yet. Maybe those horses can run enough, but we don't need to ask them for that until they're seven, you know. So it's hard. Yeah, I mean, you made a good point on it, on how they're made and what they're supposed to do. and you're pushing a little reject cutter or cow bred horse, you're having to ask that horse on those type of calves for 110%.

Whereas you take a running bred horse or half and you're asking them for 75%. You know what I mean? And so then their minds, I mean. Well, I've talked to Miles and them about that. And I think because I've been like, you know, the stigma is that, oh, race horses, running bred horses are hot, right? And and Miles and Trevor have explained it to me like, well, yes, they could be. But a lot of times in the heading, those horses aren't because it's not hard for them to catch up. So they never really get like nervous because that's just, you know, if they're the right kind of horse, it's easy for them. And so but then you say, you know, we have these little horses that are 14 hands, 14 one that are being asked for their entire lives. And then some, you know, and they're trying their guts out to get caught up for you guys.

It's just hard to balance it. Well, yeah. And like growing up on the track, I got my first rope horses were reject horses off the track. Like my first head horse was some of the, best-minded horses I've had and actually cowiest as far as wanting to get to a cow have been the horses, the running blood horses off the track. And, you know, I think that my mom always said, you know, you take those horses that sit in a box stall on the racetrack, get fed what they get fed. They want to come out of their skin and you put them in a gate and you run them side by side. She's like, do the same thing to a cut and bread horse. See what they would act like. You know what I mean? And it's true. And that's basically what we're asking them to do in the box is to stay quiet and calm, but then go run your guts out.

Well, it's a lot easier for that running horse to do that. And so, yeah, I think that there's a lot to all that. And, you know, right now we are still a little bit at the bottom of the barrel. Now there's some people that are super fortunate and great, but right now, because the breakaway is kind of like that, the last one kind of coming up, you've got the team roving world has already moved into kind of like how many of those guys that are riding those horses own those horses. It's moved into a bigger game. And they were bred to do it. Well, yeah, but they become more expensive. Sure. Right? Yeah. They are more expensive. They're a more valuable asset. There's more money to run at. They're worth more. And so a lot of times a person, just your average person that's a horse trainer, probably doesn't get to jump off and buy those horses that it's like, okay, that one's got the whole package.

Right? Sure. So now you're getting down into the breakaway ropers are still kind of shopping from that pool of, the horses that haven't made it that are just cutting horses that we know how they're bred. Now, of course, there's going to be those freaks. One of my best horses, straight run, the hottest. You know what I mean? He's crazy, but he can haul butt. There are those freaks, but for the most part, when you look at this big thing, that's what they're working with. And so they have to protect those horses. And so for me, when you go somewhere, what you want to see that that four-year-old knows how to do is not jump and go with the gates, right? We'll sit there through the gates. They'll break a straight line.

They will run to that calf. They'll rate. I think that when the setup isn't, it doesn't get to show those things. And I think that when you take, yes, those few freaks can show out at that, but you want to be able to have, let everybody at least be able to show how the horse is trained. Maybe not necessarily. Yeah. Your, your athletes that are just phenomenal are going to win first, second, you know what I mean? But I think there needs to be a place for those other horses that maybe not, but they're trained well and they do their job well, but they haven't just been run out. Well, and honestly, there's more, there's more buyers for that second set of horses. 110%. I mean, there's more buyers and more people that need that second set of horses because that's what they can ride because they don't do this six days a week.

They have a day job and they need something that is simple to ride. That's going to take them to the same spot every time that's trained. And all of that goes back to a horse that has had a lot of runs that it gained a lot of confidence on, that it was able to go out there and, you know, not have to run its guts out. And we made a really confident horse. And that way, when they're seven, eight, nine, and we do have those runs that hopefully aren't every run, but, you know, every couple runs that they do have to run their guts out, it's not a big deal because they know they have all the foundation to come right back in there and back in and just... So... I think, too, though, it's cool. This is kind of back to what you said earlier, Hopper, you said, like, I feel like maybe a disadvantage was an advantage for me growing up, you know, things.

And I always say that to people a lot. Like, they're like, well, what do you think that not having horse parents was a disadvantage? Or do you think being a woman in the industry is a disadvantage? And I'm like, no, I like to turn it around. Like, for me, it's always been an advantage. Like, for me, not having coming from the industry, it was always really easy for me to talk to people that don't know anything. Like our customers that are just getting into this, it's really easy for me to explain it to them because I'm like, I was there not that long ago. I had no idea what any of this was, you know. So for me, it's an advantage. Kind of the same thing with this. Like when you're a breakaway roper looking at this, you're like, oh, well, you know, you can turn it around like, well, we have a disadvantage. There's not horses bred for this yet.

There's also never been more opportunity. Oh, my God. Just for somebody to just come in and just absolutely dominate, you know, and. This is the time where these girls can come in and if they'll become players or what I call students of the game, like if they'll really study what those great horses are and learn how to go pick out those two year olds that can be great horses and all of that. But there's not, I mean, in the way that I mean this is respectfully to everybody that is, there's not that much competition in it right now. You know, like somebody can rise to the top of it or be able to compete if they want to stay home and train these horses and find the right ones and become a student of the game and learn how to train them right.

And, you know, there's an opportunity for somebody to step in and be the person that trains them for you girls that are rodeo and to come home and be able to have them, you know. And whether that's hope or whoever it is, like to to cater to these rodeo people, there's not like it's wide open. It is. I mean, there's a lot. And that's not to say there's a lot of very talented. I mean that in the way of like there's a lot of very talented people that are training rope horses and training breakaway horses and all of that. But I just think there's so much opportunity right now. And because it's going to grow. Like, I think if we have this podcast again in five years, it's a totally different conversation, you know.

And in 10 years, I think it's like, oh, yeah, this horse that's not, it wasn't a cutting horse. It wasn't. It is a breakaway roping sire. Like, that is what I think we will have in the next 10 years. We will have one that could really run, really do this. And, like, no longer are we like, well, we think we can breed some cutters and get this horse. It's like, no, we have this great breakaway roping mare. We have this great breakaway roping stallion. And they were both successful in that or the tie-down roping. We put them together. And now we have a tie-down breakaway stallion. Are you getting, like, super pumped right now? It's like it's coming, you know. And so, like, I think it's really, it's going to happen.

But I would also tell the people listening to this, like, don't wait on it because there's so much. It's going to head straight up and you can either sit on the sidelines and watch and then have to jump in or you can get in right now and like be part of the people that are helping get it rolling. I mean, it's just endless opportunity. Well, yeah. And every time that we're at one of those maturities, I just I look and I'm like, man, if girls only knew how much money they're trying to give away at these things and how much money is is coming down the pipe, like people would be just they I just I think they just need to limit it because it's it's crazy. And I just don't think that it's been put in front of them yet.

Sure. In that way. And I just don't I know I'm with you. I know when it catches on, just like everything else, it's going to catch on. The numbers are there. Yeah. I just don't think that they have the. It's coming. I just think it is coming. I do. I feel like whenever I was not one foot in and one foot out, like just that fear of like, I'm not there yet. There's things I want to accomplish rodeo and, you know, that deal still grow. And like all of that kept me kind of just one foot in, one foot out. And going, being home, training the horses, going to the faturities, and like, I'm on the small end of the numbers of it right now. But it was just like, almost, it hit me in the face like a ton of bricks.

This is smart yeah and fun and like the the opportunity like you talked about the money, and not being gone all the time or for sure getting to sell the horses talking about the longevity of it it's not it's not just your. Let's hurry up and get this horse going for this slot and it's blown up whatever like, you you want them to last there's money in selling them people are looking for them like it's just I don't know I get excited but I also think that not every girl or a lot of girls have really fell in love with that process yet like I think that once they ever do you know this whole new generation of girls come along that they ever get to fall in love with the process of bringing a horse along and training your own horse and doing that part I think that when they ever get a taste of it too and kind of the rodeo thing.

You know plays out plays or they get their cup filled with the rodeo park because we're all going to have that we all want to go experience all that stuff but when they get that first taste of training your own and being a part of that whole process i mean that's a whole nother love for the game right, and like we chelsea wrote some stats down for me on this we had 35 000 added to our fraternity we paid out 46 000 with nine entries. Like if we had rodeo like that there There would be 900 injuries. Oh, my gosh. And so I just don't know that they're, you know, paying attention to how much freaking money you can pay or you can drive all the way to Canada to go win $3,500 to $5,000 to $7,000. I don't know, you know, what it pays. I mean, which I understand that's part of a whole bigger process. But I think another part of this, too, is like from the woman's side of things, a faturity is a career that you can also raise a family from.

I'm like, you can futurity and raise a family and not that you can't raise a family and go rodeo, but it's no question it can be a lot harder. I mean, you know how it is to be on the road all year. And so, you know, everybody's circumstances are different on how much help they have at home or, you know, whatever it is, if they've got or having two kids or whatever. But I think, too, like some of these girls should also take a look at like, OK, I really want to stay involved in this. And where before it was like, if you were in a position that you kind of had to make a decision, like I can only either rodeo at home or have kids and a family or whatever, if that is your position, now you maybe don't have to get out of the industry and go get a day job.

My parents called it a real job. Yeah. Whatever, you know, you can, you can have both things and be able to be around home a lot more and train these young horses and have a career still that stays in the roping. And I think that's something that people should recognize as they get through their rodeo stint, you know, if that's the direction they decide to go. And like I said, that's not to say you can't do both, but I think everybody's situations are different. You know, you have school age kids, you don't have anybody at home and they need to go to school. You're out of luck, Chuck, if it's just you. And everybody's situation is different in the sense that I think that the more that the breakaway grows and everybody becomes involved, I think that girls need to really realize what the different levels that you can come into those fraternities at.

You don't just have to win in the open. It's no different for me. I think that the bigger it gets, I think we're going to get better at putting like your intermediate and your limited stuff inside that. You don't have to go beat the McCartneys and all that to win a ton of money. It's no different than me. That's how I'm justifying entering the heading against Trevor and Miles and whatever. I'm going to win just as much in the intermediate and limited because I have that opportunity in the paternities where I think like a lot of girls don't realize that in the breakaway as well. You don't have to step in there at number one level. You can step in at any level and all of it pays great. Well, and so I want to talk a little bit too about selling horses.

So these girls that aren't going to be able to be at home and train their horses or somebody that's wanting to get into this and, you know, be a part of the breakaway faturity world and no different than if they want to get in the cutting of the cow horse or whatever, and they want to own a horse and go watch and have fun and, you know, be able to, whether it's watch online or, we've got both of you guys put horses in our November sale that are ready to go to these faturities. And we've talked about it, but we have some pretty cool stats here. Over 580,000 will be paid this year just so far and just the breakaway, the gold buckle was more than $290,000 in breakaway alone. The Arum Ranch put in $125,000 for their four and under breakaway incentive.

Rural Crown's got 120,000. Ours will continue to grow, too. And so when somebody hears that and they're like, well, I don't break away rope, but I love the sport. No different than somebody that owns a cow horse or cutting horse. And I want to buy one for either you two to show or somebody to show. We've got two coming up. So y'all tell me a little bit about both of yours and both of y'all's maturity horses that we've got coming up in the November sale. Yeah, I've got the four-year-old that I've been showing all year. She's by the animal, Miss Cindy Perez's stud. And what I think so cool about it is the, the sale thing is new for me. I've, I've always liked to like train them, use them, ride them, and then someone want them. Yep.

And then, then you sell them, right? Or you don't, whatever it goes, but it's just like evolving just like anything else. Like people shop from home now. Right. And so having the opportunity, I felt that this was a perfect Merida put in a cell and let people see because she's not one that I would be afraid for anyone to have. And so I just thought it was a huge opportunity to put in the solo cell, let her get out there. She's got two more years left if people are looking for something that they want a futurity and or go on. That's what I said. I feel she's good enough minded for a girl to go high school college rodeo on go rodeo on. And still have a good product that come in five years old and put her out there for everyone to see and, well I think too what this gives people what I've seen is for example for Clinton Anderson we put a couple horses in the sale we usually do a couple a year but we started this maybe two or three years ago, and it gave people that might not have you two's phone numbers, but they've got a young daughter that looks up to you two and wants them to grow up to be just like you.

And those girls are like, I want to ride a horse that they have, but they don't maybe have the exact connection to get in and call you guys and say, I need to buy a horse. It's a really good avenue for them to buy the horse because they're also buying into the program, right? And so when you buy the horse, you buy into the program. Then it's a great way, like it's a gateway for them to get in and say like, okay, we've got this horse and it's been trained by the best. And it's done it just like we've talked about on here. Those horses have been trained to last, not to go win one fraternity and get thrown out in the pasture. They have been trained to last. That buys them into y'all's team, you know. And that's what I think in y'all's program and being able to have you guys, whether they become customers that get lessons or.

Buy more horses or put horses in training or whatever, this is people's way to start getting in with two people that are training the right kind of horses. And I think that that has, I know whenever we sold Clinton's horses, that's what happened on almost every single one of them. It was people that they've never, never talked to him, never knew how to talk to him, never watched from afar. They watched from the outside and it gave them the opportunity to get involved and get in. And now they're still customers. I think all of them are still customers of Clinton's buying horses and that have just continued to grow that relationship. And they've had a ball with it. It's been very successful for both parties.

And so I was really excited when chelsea asked me about this because i'm like yes people don't, really, I mean, that seems funny to you guys to think like, well, why would somebody not just call me, you know, and buy a horse? Like, it's not that just pick the phone and call and buy a horse, but a lot of people just don't know how that works or they're, and so for them to have the opportunity to sit at home from the comfort of their home, have their vet, look at the x-rays, watch the videos, and just bid and be like, okay, I bought one. Now I get to call and go pick it up. Like, that seems like kind of off to you guys, but I can tell you from my experience in this online sale, how often that happens.

We have the little girl that's dreaming at home in North Dakota and she's never met you guys and her parents buy her this horse and boom, you know, we're providing a horse for the next world champion in 10 years. I think it's cool too for us, like, and tell me if it's wrong, but like in the rope horse world, people are always scared of sales. Why is it in a sale and all that? And so I think it's awesome what you guys have done, and selling really good horses great horses in these sales and given us I've even bought performance horses out of a sale now like you don't have that stigma of oh something's got to be wrong or you know you're you're putting good product in these sales and letting people like you said reaching people that you might not reach otherwise and not be afraid to get a performance horse out of a sale that's a really good point and I think we've tried to be, I've had so many of our friends and ropers that are mad because they call and say, like, I want to put a horse on sale.

I'm like, no, I'm not. I can't do the rope horses because I can't ride them. So I don't I've all you know, in our sales, we've always like I ride them and I kind of know what they are. So when people call, but I'm like, I can't get on the rope. And like, are they going to flip over? I don't know if they're going to flip over in the box or not. I can't rope, you know, and like but we've we have let a couple in and it's actually all been from Cody and Cheyenne or from Miles and Trevor. That we're just good horses and that's been really successful. And so while we don't want, you know, I think for people listening that are looking at these mares, like we're not going to become a rope horse sale necessarily, but we do want to have the opportunity like with you two and with Cody and Cheyenne and.

Our really close center circle to be able to put these really nice prospects and for people to know, like you said, with confidence they can buy them. They're not buying one that you guys are like, ah, this one is, you know, it's got this, this, this wrong. it needs to go do something else. It's done with this career. These are horses that will have success and continue to have success in their careers down the road. And I'm excited to give people the opportunity to do those. Tell us a little bit about yours, Jackie. Yeah. So she's a super pretty, classy mare. She's done really well. I got her from Abby Phillips, so she started in the cow horse program. She's a metallics masterpiece, come off four sixes. So she has been super successful.

She should actually have a lot more earnings than she does but her rider has messed. Up she actually won i guess second at the very first place i took her i placed on her at the at uh the first faturity the, shane hanshee invitational i placed on her there that was her first outing and then after that i won second behind cody and cheyenne's a thick 30, horse at the at the first old west in guthrie and then at the where else did we go ardmore she won the first round her rider figurated front leg to win the second round probably the whole thing. And then Old West, she won the first and second round. Come back, ride her figure in her tail to win the whole thing. Like I really, I really messed up on this marriage.

Just like crazy ways to do really good. And then she won the first and second round at the finals of the Old West in Amarillo and third in the average. She just, she was, she's just a good mare. She's going to know her job. She's going to be pretty dang solid as a four-year-old. You know, they're still four-year-olds, I would say, that, you know, the, just, typical that if you buy a four-year-old rope horse, they're still going to have their babies, their babies, their babies. And so to know that, like, yeah, but she's gentle. She's, you could go on and show her. I also know something that excites me is that now with the black type mares that have been in the rope horse industry already and kind of proven themselves that she does have a big value as a broodmare.

And so I know that a lot of stuff is going towards that. And so I think that somebody is going to end up with a really good product and they're gonna they're gonna just enjoy her yeah yeah and so hope i want to touch with you a little bit on yours is by the animal which is a stallion that stands here at solo that's owned by cindy prez who's one of all of our favorite people she's been so supportive of, i think you know whether we talk about solo or women or women in rodeo or you know all of the things that all of us stand for i think cindy has, been just an incredible person to have on your team. And so she owns the animal and that horse we've seen a lot of success lately in the rope horse pen, whether it's the team roping or the breakaway but talk a little bit about the ones that you have that you're riding and have ridden um i know you i think you guys sold one the other day and we did yeah he went to, iowa actually he was a six-year-old he i showed him some as a five-year-old, i felt he was, I don't know. I like to give them their best chance at what they're best at.

I didn't think he was a very showy horse. He placed, he did good, but he went on to a high school girl that is jackpotting and rodeo, amateur rodeoing and sends me videos all the time. I love that. I love him to go to good homes and be successful. And then I have Gucci, which is the four-year-old that I've shown all this year. Kind of the same as what Jackie said. She should have won a lot more. Like most of the times that she didn't win was roper mistakes. But yeah, the opportunity that Cindy has given the animal and his babies in the rope horse industry is endless. They're eligible for everything. They're getting out there. People are knowing about them. Y'all have done a great job. And one of the big things that I say about every one of them that I have is they're so trainable.

I have a three-year-old. I actually just got back from Robbie Moreland. He did a little cow horse on her, super broke. And I've only actually roped on her one time. And Larry D made the comment that she looked out the window and I was just running them. I was tracking around. I didn't come out of the box, but I mean, they just, yeah, they make it easy. They're trainable. They're great-minded. And it's so fun to train a horse like that. And it makes you look good. Yeah, that's right. That's exactly right. Well, those two horses for anybody that's listening that's interested are going to sell in our Thanksgiving sale on November 28. So we have four days of sales during Thanksgiving. And prior to that, we will have our open house next Saturday, which is crazy that it's going to be here that fast. But we'll have all the studs here for everybody to see. And we've got some really cool speakers and all of that. So.

There's a lot of exciting stuff coming up here, but we would love to talk to you guys about these breakaway horses. If anybody has any questions, I'm happy to get you guys connected with them and, you know, try to, we want to try to match the right horses to the right people and, and the right programs. And I think this is a really good opportunity to do that. But thank you guys for sitting down with us today. I, I hope that, you know, I think we've solved all the world's problems today. No question in the breakaway world, like we know exactly what to do. I say that with a giggle. It's a big, there's a lot of people that are working really hard to make this really good and I would first and foremost say thank you to all of them that are producing events that are adding the money the stallion owners that are getting behind these breakaway horses.

I you know if they're listening and I hope that they are just know that that everything we've said today too is, you know knowing that they're all doing the best they can with what they have to work with and we're seeing this grow and change and it's changing faster than anybody can keep up with and I think all of them have our best when I say are I mean me as a breeder and an owner and you guys as trainers and riders are best interests like everybody's doing the best they can to to grow this thing as fast as possible and also keep it contained and under control and I think you know we're going to repeat this, I'll have Marie put it on the calendar for in five more years we're going to repeat this and listen to it before we step in here and be like wow.

We were just little baby breakaway roping maturity girls and it has grown and it is incredible now, you know, and I think that's where it'll be. And I think that's because of you guys and what you're doing and the type of horses you're building and you guys understand inequality and the horsemanship and becoming students of the game of that. You know, like we said, I think there's a lot of people that are students of the game of rodeo now, and you two have taken it to be students of the game, of the breakaway horses, the young ones. And so as we continue to grow that, I think it's going to be cool to see what y'all do over the next five years. So thank y'all for coming today. Well, hats off to you and everybody.

Just like I said, the producers are all doing amazing jobs. I mean, there's so much that goes into it. I feel like until you produce an event, you shouldn't really have a say. Everybody should have to do it one time. You should have to do it one time. It is so much harder than what you say. And we've seen how much work goes into it. I mean, we were there the first year of the Old West and didn't even have a horse in her, which was crazy. I was so mad. I sat there. I tried to smile the whole time, but I was not happy that I didn't have a horse in her. But like trying to prepare for that and just seeing how much work that family put into doing everything. I mean, it's unbelievable. It's not just what you see when you show up and get the rope.

There's so much behind it. There's so much to it. And so, I mean, just hats off to everybody that has a hand in that. And just hopefully everyone's patient with us and wait for the girls to realize what a good thing it is. That's the biggest thing. Like, we're super thankful. I hope it doesn't come across as, you know. Absolutely. Stuff that we want or need like i hope this conversation opens up and it's encouraging for the people to be a part of it and take advantage of the opportunity writers or producers 100 you know they just love the event and want to watch i think you're like you said like we everything today is what can we do to grow it all as an industry yeah you know and we all have the same interests at heart we want this to be great for the girls, to have for all of us as women to have a place to go and rope and develop these young horses. For sure.

Okay. Well, thank you guys very much for getting on. And if you guys want to, anybody that's listening here, if you want to follow along with the online sale, you can download our app, go to our website, soloselecthorses.com and watch these two nice maturity horses sell. If you guys have listened to this, want to get into the game and get some of this money that we were talking about that's up for grabs, which is a lot of it. We would love to have you. So thanks again, guys. Thank you. Thank you.