Breakaway Info

Riata/Pink/Ruby Collaborate

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Riata Buckle Logo
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The Buckle Breakaway Bonanza

The Pink, Ruby and Riata Buckles will combine their breakaway roping efforts into one mega-event for the progeny of stallions across all three programs, doubling the number of available horses and doubling the payout for fall 2024. This collaboration will guarantee a $200,000 purse, with a $50,000 guarantee for 5-and-under breakaway horses. These changes will make this contest one of the largest in the world, if not the largest breakaway purse offered this season.

The 2023 Riata Buckle breakaway transitioned from the "seconds-off D approach" format the Ruby Buckle used and into a split short round approach at the Riata Buckle in 2023. Although the total number of breakaway ropers did not increase, Riata Buckle was able to double the 2022 payoff for the first-tier ropers, duplicate that payoff for the second-tier of ropers and triple the 2022 amount paid to breakaway 5-and-under horses. As a result, the feedback was outstanding, and everyone is anxious to see if that will equate into momentum for the 2024 contest.

"Everyone" included the barrel racing incentive programs of Pink Buckle and Ruby Buckle. Their breakaway programs have become stale over the past few seasons. Beyond the debate over formats, there were increasing concerns that breakaway may not be sustainable within stallion incentive programs because of the filter on total number of breakaway horses available, particularly with fewer cow-bred stallions in those run-heavy incentives. That limit on growth would prevent the Pink and Ruby Buckle programs from continuing at past levels. With that thought in mind, the potential with the Riata Buckle format did not escape anyone’s attention—leading to the new Pink-Ruby-Riata breakaway partnership.

This season, breakaway ropers will be invited into the mega-event riding progeny from the Riata, Pink and Ruby Buckle programs combined. If you have a nominated Pink, Ruby or Riata Buckle breakaway horse, we hope you will make plans to join us this fall.

Rules and Explanation

The Riata Buckle Breakaway is a single division event, women contestants only. Entry fees are $800 per entry. Entries close September 15th.

Entries:

  • Women Only
  • Riata, Pink, and Ruby horses only.
  • Horses may be any age offspring from nominated Riata Buckle, Ruby Buckle and Pink Buckle horses.
  • Futurity incentive age is 5YO and younger. The 5YO Futurity is an incentive within the roping. The All-Age and 5YO Futurity incentive run together. Ropers entered in the Futurity rope for the incentive pot, and additionally may DOUBLE DIP the All-Age short round.
  • Ropers may enter twice as all-age and once as Futurity, or twice as Futurity and once All-Age.

Roping Format

This contest will be a THREE head aggregate. Two full rounds and a short round. At the end of the second round, all ropers who have caught two calves will be separated equally into two short rounds based on time.

  • Tier 1: Fastest Top half - run slow to fast
  • Tier 2: Bottom half - run slow to fast
  • If total number of ropers catching two is an odd number resulting in an uneven split, the extra roper will run with Tier 2

Futurity entries may double dip the pot within their respective short round.

Go-round money will be paid in the second round to allow ropers who missed the first calf an earnings opportunity.

Fast time in the short round will be paid to the fastest time not placing in the aggregate.

Barrier

  • A rope barrier & electric eye will be used. All score lengths will be subject to breakaway committee's approval.
  • Two Timekeepers, a Field Judge, a Barrier Judge, and Spotter will be in the arena at all times.

Rules

  • Bell Collar Catch only. Bell collar catch is defined as any loop passing over the calf's head and slack is drawn around neck only. No other appendages of calf (i.e., front leg, tail, etc.) can be in loop when rope breaks from saddle horn.
  • Ropes must be tied to the saddle horn of contestant's saddle with nylon string at the VERY end of the rope. A cloth no shorter than six inches (6") must be tied to the end of the rope.
  • Only one (1) loop can be carried. A dropped loop counts as a contestant's thrown loop.
  • Rope must be released from the contestant's hand to qualify for catch.
  • Contestant must pass thru barrier before loop is released.
  • Contestant must be horseback when time is taken.
  • Times are taken to the hundredths.
  • It is at the judges' discretion to give a rerun.