$1.5 Million Added Riata Buckle Championships Held in Guthrie, Oklahoma

With $3 million plus in payoff, the event crowned champions over the weekend - with some teams taking home over $100,000

Riata Buckle logo / Riata Buckle Facebook

The Riata Buckle is a stallion incentive program for team roping. Designed to foster growth and competition in the industry, incentives offer further opportunities to compete at bigger purses. Like Pink and Ruby Buckle in the barrel horse industry, offspring by Riata stallions are eligible for the program and then those horses must have nomination payments made yearly.

In 2024, there were also seven mini-qualifiers for the Riata. The top head and heel horse in each of the qualifiers earned a full entry for the Riata Championships. This year, these events were the WSTR Heartland in Mt. Pleasant, Texas, the Patriot Team Roping in Reno, Nevada, the WSTR Big Daddy in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the WSTR Super Qualifier in Tunica, Mississippi, the WSTR Heartland in San Antonio, Texas, the WSTR Heartland in Hamilton, Texas, and the WSTR Finale in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Here are the champions in each division from the competition held at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma September 25 - 27.

Pro Futurity

The win in the Pro Futurity went to Cash Duty on Metallic Katrina by Metallic Gray and Dylin Ahlstrom on DD Denvers Badger by DD Docs Irish Badger. The team earned $72,600.

4 Year Old Futurity Incentive

The heading incentive went to Jake Smith and Intentional Dreams by Favorable Intentions for $8,000.

In the heeling incentive, John Paul Lucero and Metallic Whipplash by Metallic Cat earned the win for $8,000.

14.5 All Age Championship

Reed Boos on Yes Im Sassy by Mr Sassy Frenchman and Cord Forzano on SmartLookNCat by Bet Hesa Cet took the win for $103,680.

5 Year Old Futurity Incentive

In the heading, Tavis Walters and Rebel N Rogue by Metallic Rebel earned $8,000.

Cord Forzano and SmartLookNCat doubled up, also earning the heeling incentive for $8,000.

12.5 All Age Championship

Splitting $122,000, Tauna Alcorn rode SJR Diamond Metalica by CD Diamond and Mike Bacon rode Play Like Boon by Once In A Blu Boon.

5 Year Old Futurity Incentive

Earning $8,000 for the heading incentive was Christian Dewbre and Seven S Razmataz by Stevie Rey Von.

In the heeling, Mike Bacon added $8,000 to his win on Play Like Boon.

10.5 All Age Championship

Tauna Alcorn on SJR Diamond Metalica by CD Diamond and Taylor Pettigrew on Call Me Mr Jonez by Travelin Jonez earned the win for $109,600.

Six Year Old Futurity Incentive

Jace Hill and Metallic Katrina by Metallic Gray added $8,000 to their earnings in the heading.

Taylor Pettigrew and Call Me Mr Jonez snagged another win for $8,000 in the heeling incentive.

10.5 Junior Championship

Hogan Kelly on Wicked Smooth Guy by A Smooth Guy and Klayt Staudt earned $19,600 for the win.

9.5 All Age Championship

Earning $98,000 was Craig Moore on You Rey by Stevie Rey Von and Bobby Simmons on Sundae Rebel by Metallic Rebel.

6 Year Old Futurity Incentive

Moore and Simmons each pocketed an additional $8,000 for the heading and heeling incentives.

Cowgirl Steer Stopping

The first ever championship in this event went to Kylie McLean and DMC Rey N Playboy by ReyNShine for $10,325.

8.5 Riata Championship

Winning $25,500 was Kolton Hunter on Show Joe Duchess and Aaron Stout on Quest Two Best. Both horses are by Show Me A Song Joes.

Hunter and Stout took the head and heel bonuses for $6,000 each.

Riata Breakaway

In Tier 1, Cheyanne McCartney and CR Tuff King by Woody Be Tuff took the win for $20,160. Braylee Shepherd and Sixeys Fancy Prince by RC Chic And Sixey earned the win in Tier 2 for $20,160.

With these kinds of payouts and more and more people taking notice, the Riata is bound to grow and give team ropers another avenue to showcase their talents and their horses. Congratuations to all the winners!