Joel Braden Harris rode 4-year-old mare Dont Quote Me to a 17.53 on two head to win the average and $10,000 at the 2026 Shane Hanchey Invitational Tie-Down Slot Roping, finishing second in both rounds inside the Extraco Events Center in Waco, Texas, March 27–29. 

It’s worth mentioning that Harris had never seen the mare before the day of the roping. 

“No, I’d never seen her or anything before,” Harris said. “Cody (McCartney) gave me a call, and I’m sure happy he did.” 

The original plan was for the mare to be jockeyed by Marty Yates, but after an unexpected changeup, the ride fell to Harris. 

“Oh, he pretty much just said go do what you do,” Harris said of he and McCartney’s pre-run plan. “He said that horse will take whatever you want to do. He gave me a little tip on riding her in the box, and other than that, it was ‘just go do your deal.’” 

Harris stopped the clock at 8.97 seconds in the first round and 8.56 in the second – good enough to be second in both rounds and secure the average win. 

“She was amazing,” Harris said. “I was definitely shocked running the first one. You just don’t expect that from a horse that age.” 

“No adjustments,” Harris said of his plan going into Round 2. “I tried to see the same start. I had a little slower calf in the second round, and I knew when I caught, I just needed time done to have a really good chance to win it. So that’s what I did.” 

Two Times for Muffin 

Just one day earlier, Dont Quote Me – known as “Muffin” – won the breakaway slot roping with Cheyanne McCartney. 

“She’s obviously pretty special to win both of them like that,” Harris said. 

Owned by Bailey and Tia Moore, the mare is the product of a program years in the making. 

“It takes a lot of planning,” Tia Moore said after the win. “You start from deciding what stud you’re going to breed to. And to watch it all come to light, it’s really special.” 

Built to Do It 

Dont Quote Me is the 2022 red roan mare by Taggline and out of BCR Popular Scotti – “Poppy” – a proven rodeo mare that carried multiple cowboys at the National Finals Rodeo, including Ryan Jarrett, Blane Cox and Tyler Milligan. 

Bailey and Tia Moore purchased Poppy from Cimarron Boardman before partnering with Cody McCartney, who rode her for several years. 

But even with that kind of résumé, breeding her wasn’t a sure thing. 

“The boys didn’t want to breed her, and I insisted that we had to,” Moore said. 

Now, that decision is paying off. 

A Winning Weekend 

For Harris, who was up later that same night of the slot roping at Rodeo Austin, the call to ride Muffin was welcomed. 

“I think I just got a little lucky, to be honest,” Harris said. 

The owners didn’t see it that way. 

“They were pretty happy,” Harris said. “I was pretty happy, too.” 

For co-owner Cheyanne McCartney, the Shane Hanchey Invitational is more than just another roping – it’s part of a bigger plan. 

“It’s huge,” she said. “For Shane and Taylor to take this over and give us somewhere to rope with these young horses – good calves, good money – it’s huge for the trainers, the ropers and the owners that are paying to have them somewhere to go.” 

And it’s not just about winning now – it’s about what comes next. 

“I’ve had the privilege of watching and riding horses that we’re cracked out at this 4-year-old slot roping that went on to be pro rodeo horses and horses we see at the NFR,” McCartney said. “It’s pretty special when a young horse is set up for success and being a part of their process through the futurities then going on to be rodeo horses.” 

Full Shane Hanchey Invitational Slot Calf Roping Results

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3