Reata, the legendary tie-down roping horse who helped define Shane Hanchey’s rodeo career, passed away peacefully beneath an oak tree at Jason Hanchey’s place.
He was 26 years old. Fittingly, the “once-in-a-lifetime” horse is now buried beneath that same tree—a quiet resting place for a true icon.
Registered as Smokin Reata and affectionately known as “Mr. Buck’s colt,” Reata was bred by Buck Daniel’s Lake Cattle Company in Okeechobee, Florida. His surprise lineage—a late-in-life pairing of a 26-year-old mare and a 28-year-old Gunsmoke-bred stud—was as unlikely as it was legendary.
Reata proved to be an early standout, making his way from Daniel’s ranch to the hands of Jason Hanchey, who quickly recognized the colt’s instinct and heart.
By the time Shane Hanchey, then a high school baseball player, swung a leg over Reata at a jackpot in Florida, the trajectory of both their lives changed.
“If it weren’t for this horse, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Shane said.
That bond would eventually carry Hanchey to the 2013 Tie-Down Roping World Championship.
Reata’s talents became evident early. As a four-year-old, he was already winning ProRodeos. Steady, intelligent, and almost unfazed by the chaos of the arena, Reata was the kind of horse every roper dreams of. He backed in the box the same way every time—calm, collected, and ready to win. He even carried Tuf Cooper to a blazing 6.7-second run at the Wrangler NFR and helped Cooper earn an average title in 2010.
“He’s meant everything and more,” Shane told the Team Roping Journal in 2010. “If it wasn’t for this horse, I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in today, and in life, really. This horse makes me a better person, not just a better roper. The way I’ve come about getting him—I didn’t just go write a check for six figures. I don’t know what the word is, but he’s so calm and collected and humble. I think that’s the reason I win so much on him. He’s just relaxed and prepared to win.”
From the Florida sawgrass to the grandest stages in rodeo, Reata was not just a champion, but a partner, a teacher, and a friend. His legacy lives on in every run he made, every title earned, and every memory.
“There’s just no other like him,” Jason said. “I’ve trained hundreds of horses, but Reata was an accident—an irreplaceable one.”
The impact he made on the rodeo community has echoed throughout social media and tack rooms in the wake of his passing, too.
“He was a winner,” four-time World Champion Caleb Smidt said. “He scored. He caught up fast and he did the same thing every time. A lot of people won on that horse because he just knew how to win.”
Rest easy, Reata. You were truly one of a kind.
