Riata News

Riata Horses Bring $4.1 Million at Old West Sale

Jun 30, 2026

Seventeen Riata-eligible prospects change hands in Heber City as demand for incentive-nominated horses climbs

HEBER CITY, Utah — Horses enrolled in the Riata stallion incentive sold for $4,069,000 across 17 head at the Old West Rope Horse Futurity Sale on June 19 — an average of nearly $240,000 — a fresh signal that buyers are paying a premium for prospects eligible for the sport's richest rope horse payouts.

The get of Show Me The Buckles led the way. The Wimpys Little Step son sired the sale's top three Riata sellers to change hands — Relentless Empire ($900,000), Show Me Relentless ($400,000) and Sunset Blvd ($400,000) — for $1.7 million from three head. Relentless Empire, a 2023 mare out of Relentless Glory, was the highest-selling Riata horse sold.

Twelve of the 17 brought six figures. Woody Be Tuff added three six-figure sellers of his own — Shiney Woody ($350,000), Brook Be Tuff ($300,000) and DF Sweet N Low ($200,000), for $850,000 — and Dual Rey son Reys Smokin Dually sold two for $450,000, led by Smokin Runninggal ($300,000).

The numbers back him up. The Riata Championships has become one of the richest ropings in the sport, and horses sired by enrolled stallions — kept eligible through a $200 annual nomination — compete for millions in added money and earnings bonuses each year. That eligibility is increasingly showing up in the sale ring, where Riata-bred prospects continue to command premium prices.

The Sires Behind the Top Sellers

Show Me The Buckles. The 2008 palomino by NRHA Open Futurity Champion Wimpys Little Step, out of Sunset Whiz, was an NRHA Open Futurity Co-Reserve Champion himself before becoming one of the rope horse world's most in-demand reining-bred sires. Owned by Reliance Ranches and standing at the Lazy E Ranch in Guthrie, Oklahoma, "Buckles" sired three sellers at Heber for a sale-best $1.7 million, topped by the $900,000 Relentless Empire.

Woody Be Tuff. The Nitas Wood son is among the leading team roping sires in the country, with progeny earnings approaching $16 million. His signature cross over cow-bred mares produced three six-figure sellers at Heber for $850,000, led by the $350,000 Shiney Woody.

Reys Smokin Dually. The 2011 Dual Rey son, owned by A&C Racing and Roping and standing at Elwood Equine in Roosevelt, Utah, is prized for adding trainability and rate to running-bred mares. He sired two sellers for $450,000; his son Reys Sunset won the ARHFA 4-Year-Old Heading World Championship in Fort Worth.

Riata Horses Sold — Old West Sale, June 19

$900,000  Relentless Empire  —  Show Me The Buckles x Relentless Glory

$400,000  Show Me Relentless  —  Show Me The Buckles x Bucks For Bullet

$400,000  Sunset Blvd  —  Show Me The Buckles x Insane For Fame

$350,000  Shiney Woody  —  Woody Be Tuff x CD Shiney Chica

$300,000  Smokin Runninggal  —  Reys Smokin Dually x Versions Runninggal

$300,000  Brook Be Tuff  —  Woody Be Tuff x Brooks Midnight

$250,000  Coronado Gypsy  —  Coronado Cartel x Gypsys Little Chick

$200,000  DF Sweet N Low  —  Woody Be Tuff x DT Sugar Chex Whiz

$200,000  Political Scandal  —  Dirty Fling x PFR Appolitical Kate

$150,000  James Is Smokin  —  Reys Smokin Dually x Sammi James Smith

$125,000  Jetta Jonez  —  Travelin Jonez x Ticket Out Of Here

$100,000  Teles Cash  —  Meteles Cat x Miss Catty Cash

$90,000  Left Hand Free  —  Irish Blu x Meradas Legend

$85,000  Post Marone  —  Dual Reyish x Claudia Kitten

$77,000  DMC Li Ta My Life  —  Hes Ta Man x SJR Sonja Lite

$75,000  PRH Red October  —  Bet Hesa Ginnin x Dashing Vickie

$67,000  Pounding Cocktails  —  Pound Sign x Xtra Needs To Shine

17 head sold for $4,069,000. (Source: official Old West Rope Horse Futurity Sale results.)

About Riata

The Riata is a stallion-incentive program and one of the richest team ropings in the sport. Horses sired by enrolled Riata stallions become eligible by annual nomination and compete for millions of dollars in added money, bonus ropings and an earnings-bonus program that rewards owners for the money their horses win across the year. The Riata Stallion Incentive has quickly established itself among the most lucrative platforms in team roping.

Lucas Gentry | 505-280-6044 | Lucas@riatabuckle.com | riatabuckle.com