2026 Old West Futurity by the Numbers: Hickory Holly Time, Rhen Richard Cash In; the Million Goes Unclaimed

$1.3 million changed hands in the arena in Heber City.

• June 21, 2026 ⎯ Chelsea Shaffer, The Team Roping Journal

DT Hickorys Evita was the top-earning horse of the 2026 Old West Futurity at Heber City, banking $88,000 — a $80,000 win in the 6-&-under heeling for Jeremy Buhler, plus go-round money along the way. Sammis Big Gal, the 6-&-under heading champion for Rhen Richard, was next at $84,000. They headlined nearly $1.33 million paid across the week.

Behind them, the numbers tell the story of the week.

Top horse: DT Hickorys Evita

DT Hickorys Evita’s $88,000 edged Sammis Big Gal’s $84,000 for the show’s biggest haul. Reys Version was third at $62,472 — a third-place open check plus the $50,000 heading Graduate Sale side pot — and the top sale graduate of the week. The breakaway long-shot Reyzin Royals was fourth overall at $50,000, all of it from the Pre-Futurity Breakaway Graduate Sale side pot, while Watch The Lane stacked $45,046 across the Futurity Heading and the Pro-Am Non-Pro to round out the top five.

Complete Old West Heber City week earnings — go-rounds, division averages, Pro-Am, Age-50 and Graduate Sale side pots, plus the Pre-Futurity Breakaway. Source: Old West official results.

Complete Old West Heber City week earnings — go-rounds, division averages, Pro-Am, Age-50 and Graduate Sale side pots, plus the Pre-Futurity Breakaway. Source: Old West official results.

Top sire: Hickory Holly Time

Hickory Holly Time was the highest-earning sire of the week at $119,215 on six head, led by DT Hickorys Evita’s $88,000 and backed by DT Holly Time Ruby, Hollytime Boon, Wishin One Time, No Messing Around, and DT Hickorys Stinger. He was already the most-represented stallion at the roping; the money made him the top earner, too — no other sire cleared $84,000.

Complete Old West Heber City week earnings — go-rounds, division averages, Pro-Am, Age-50 and Graduate Sale side pots, plus the Pre-Futurity Breakaway. Source: Old West official results.

Top rider: Rhen Richard

Rhen Richard ran off with the roper money, $186,488 on five head — well clear of the field. He won the 6-&-under heading aboard Sammis Big Gal and stacked sale-graduate money on Reys Version and Winners Fire. Andy Holcomb was next at $110,824 on six head, with Jeremy Buhler third at $107,211.

Complete Old West Heber City week earnings — go-rounds, division averages, Pro-Am, Age-50, and Graduate Sale side pots, plus the Pre-Futurity Breakaway. Source: Old West official results.

Top owner and breeder

DT Horses, LLC led owners at $99,681 on three head, edging A&C Racing And Roping ($93,027, three head including Sammis Big Gal). Chad Richard was the top breeder at $151,311 on three head — Sammis Big Gal, Reys Version and Marias Version.

Complete Old West Heber City week earnings — go-rounds, division averages, Pro-Am, Age-50 and Graduate Sale side pots, plus the Pre-Futurity Breakaway. Source: Old West official results.

Complete Old West Heber City week earnings — go-rounds, division averages, Pro-Am, Age-50 and Graduate Sale side pots, plus the Pre-Futurity Breakaway. Source: Old West official results.

The dam connection

One dam produced two money-earners at the show: Picks Petie, dam of One Time Pick (by One Time Honor) and First Prize Petie (by First Prize Diver). Both cashed, by different sires — the lone repeat producer in the pay window, and a name TRJ readers have seen before on the 2026 heading charts.

The million

No Old West Sale graduate won a futurity outright, so the headline $1 million bonus went unclaimed. The graduates still split serious side-pot money. Reys Version was the top sale graduate at $62,472, winning the $50,000 heading Graduate Sale side pot on top of a third-place open check. And the week’s best long-shot story: Reyzin Royals, who finished eighth of nine in the Pre-Futurity Breakaway, collected the $50,000 breakaway Graduate Sale side pot as the only sale graduate in the field.

— Earnings reflect complete Old West Heber City week payouts — go-rounds, division averages (Open/Intermediate/Limited), Pro-Am, Age-50 and Graduate Sale side pots, plus the Pre-Futurity Breakaway, per Old West official results. Figures reconcile to competitor tallies. Futurity/Open Breakaway finals not included.