Article & photos by Nancy Brannon
The third and last in the 2021 Ruby Buckle Barrel Race regional races came to the Show Place Arena in Memphis, TN on November 3-6, 2021, offering $730,000 guaranteed payout, and totaling $2.3 million guaranteed payout for the year. This is their second year coming to the Show Place Arena, and this show offered 4D and Futurity races with two go rounds & average. There were 277 entries in the Futurity and 291 entries in the Open 4D. There was also a $10,000 Youth Incentive.
Founder Chad Beus explained how the Ruby Buckle got started. Beus and his wife Tiffany, along with Lance and Trevor Robinson founded the Breeders Halters Futurity 12 years ago as a stallion incentive competition. Stallion owners pay an annual fee to keep their stallions in the program, which makes all of their offspring eligible for entry into the annual futurity. The Breeders Halter Futurity continues, hosting the show in Des Moines, Iowa in September. “It’s the richest halter horse event in the world,” Beus said. “We took the model and moved it into barrel racing.”
The Ruby Buckle Regional Barrel Races are a 4D & 2D Futurity. They are designed to increase the number and quality of barrel racing performance horses by promoting the Ruby Buckle stallions and their offspring. As with the Breeders Halter Futurity, stallion owners pay a yearly enrollment fee to keep their stallions in the program, and all their offspring are eligible to compete. All horses must be nominated every year to remain eligible and nomination fees of $200 are due every year by August 1 (or $300 by December 1). There are 150 stallions in the Ruby Buckle program, with a separate subset of 50 stallions in the Pink Buckle category. The program is the same for both Ruby Buckle and Pink Buckle stallions.
This year Ruby Buckle held three regional shows, and next year the plan is to offer four shows. These regional events are held throughout the U.S. The July race was held in Salina, Utah and the April show was held in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Thus, people come from all over the U.S. to participate, as was obvious when perusing the riders and horses in the race draws. In addition, the Ruby Buckle barrel races attract more male riders than one usually sees at local barrel races.
The awards in the 4D are paid out equally for each D in order to encourage more non pro and amateur competitors. Awards in the Futurity are for 1D, 2d, and Average. Youth Incentive is a single pay. All levels of riders and horses are welcome.
Kelli Kissack is the in-house reporter for Ruby Buckle and she interviews the winners of every category, which are then posted on their facebook page. She said they do this to highlight the competitors, to share the backstory of the horses, and to highlight the stallions who sired the horses they are competing on.
Beus commented on the success of the Ruby Buckle program: “This is a good time to be in the horse business.” The stallion owners in the program see their income from stud fees increase as well as the sale price of their offspring. “It’s a program to give stallion owners a marketing advantage,” he explained.
Official photographer for this show was Lexi Smith and photos from the show can be viewed at her website: lexismithmedia.com.
The Ruby Buckle Futurity Champions are LaTricia Mundorf, of Three Rivers, Texas, and her home-raised DM High Roller, that she owns with her husband Dillon.
Futurity First Go 1D winner was Vegas Slashndash, ridden by Cody Bauserman of Baton Rouge, LA. Futurity Round 2 1D winner was Sharin Hall of Pilot Point, TX with Hello Stella.
The Open 1D and 1D Average Champion was Dustin Angelle of Robert, LA on VF Born Famous. Open 1D Round 2 winner was Sharin Hall of Pilot Point, TX with Hello Stella.
Youth Incentive Round 1 and Average winner was Brynn Hinton of Corsicana, TX riding Legsgonewild. Youth Incentive Round 2 winner was Sibyl Bass of Edgewood, TX on Go SweetEddie.
Race results of the Futurity, Open 4D, and Youth Incentive are all posted at: https://www.therubybuckle.com/race-results/
Read more about the Breeders Halter Futurity at: https://www.breedershalterfuturity.com/
Find more information about Ruby Buckle at: https://www.therubybuckle.com/
The third and last in the 2021 Ruby Buckle Barrel Race regional races came to the Show Place Arena in Memphis, TN on November 3-6, 2021, offering $730,000 guaranteed payout, and totaling $2.3 million guaranteed payout for the year. This is their second year coming to the Show Place Arena, and this show offered 4D and Futurity races with two go rounds & average. There were 277 entries in the Futurity and 291 entries in the Open 4D. There was also a $10,000 Youth Incentive.
Founder Chad Beus explained how the Ruby Buckle got started. Beus and his wife Tiffany, along with Lance and Trevor Robinson founded the Breeders Halters Futurity 12 years ago as a stallion incentive competition. Stallion owners pay an annual fee to keep their stallions in the program, which makes all of their offspring eligible for entry into the annual futurity. The Breeders Halter Futurity continues, hosting the show in Des Moines, Iowa in September. “It’s the richest halter horse event in the world,” Beus said. “We took the model and moved it into barrel racing.”
The Ruby Buckle Regional Barrel Races are a 4D & 2D Futurity. They are designed to increase the number and quality of barrel racing performance horses by promoting the Ruby Buckle stallions and their offspring. As with the Breeders Halter Futurity, stallion owners pay a yearly enrollment fee to keep their stallions in the program, and all their offspring are eligible to compete. All horses must be nominated every year to remain eligible and nomination fees of $200 are due every year by August 1 (or $300 by December 1). There are 150 stallions in the Ruby Buckle program, with a separate subset of 50 stallions in the Pink Buckle category. The program is the same for both Ruby Buckle and Pink Buckle stallions.
This year Ruby Buckle held three regional shows, and next year the plan is to offer four shows. These regional events are held throughout the U.S. The July race was held in Salina, Utah and the April show was held in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Thus, people come from all over the U.S. to participate, as was obvious when perusing the riders and horses in the race draws. In addition, the Ruby Buckle barrel races attract more male riders than one usually sees at local barrel races.
The awards in the 4D are paid out equally for each D in order to encourage more non pro and amateur competitors. Awards in the Futurity are for 1D, 2d, and Average. Youth Incentive is a single pay. All levels of riders and horses are welcome.
Kelli Kissack is the in-house reporter for Ruby Buckle and she interviews the winners of every category, which are then posted on their facebook page. She said they do this to highlight the competitors, to share the backstory of the horses, and to highlight the stallions who sired the horses they are competing on.
Beus commented on the success of the Ruby Buckle program: “This is a good time to be in the horse business.” The stallion owners in the program see their income from stud fees increase as well as the sale price of their offspring. “It’s a program to give stallion owners a marketing advantage,” he explained.
Official photographer for this show was Lexi Smith and photos from the show can be viewed at her website: lexismithmedia.com.
The Ruby Buckle Futurity Champions are LaTricia Mundorf, of Three Rivers, Texas, and her home-raised DM High Roller, that she owns with her husband Dillon.
Futurity First Go 1D winner was Vegas Slashndash, ridden by Cody Bauserman of Baton Rouge, LA. Futurity Round 2 1D winner was Sharin Hall of Pilot Point, TX with Hello Stella.
The Open 1D and 1D Average Champion was Dustin Angelle of Robert, LA on VF Born Famous. Open 1D Round 2 winner was Sharin Hall of Pilot Point, TX with Hello Stella.
Youth Incentive Round 1 and Average winner was Brynn Hinton of Corsicana, TX riding Legsgonewild. Youth Incentive Round 2 winner was Sibyl Bass of Edgewood, TX on Go SweetEddie.
Race results of the Futurity, Open 4D, and Youth Incentive are all posted at: https://www.therubybuckle.com/race-results/
Read more about the Breeders Halter Futurity at: https://www.breedershalterfuturity.com/
Find more information about Ruby Buckle at: https://www.therubybuckle.com/
