The 15 best calf ropers in the world have mostly settled on their horses for Round 1 of the 2024 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo when it kicks off Dec. 5, 2024, at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
To no surprise, Shad Mayfield, who leads the world standings heading into Round 1, will be aboard the 2024 AQHA Calf Horse of the Year, Figure To Fly, aka “Lollipop.”
The 2013 World Champion and 14-time NFR qualifier, Shane Hanchey, brought his futurity standout, Rollin On The River, aka “River,” and AMR Burning Cash, aka “Rachel,” but is still deciding which horse he will boot up for the first round.
While most of the first-time qualifiers have their horses set for Round 1, Joel Harris hasn’t quite decided yet. Joel’s older brother, Ty, will be riding Cuchara Sal, aka Sally, in the first round.
As of Tuesday, Dec. 3, the three youngest horses in the field are Shane Hanchey’s 5-year-old Rollin’ On The River, Quade Hiatt’s JJ Shimmer Cat, 6, and Haven Meged’s For Goodness Shakes, aka “Lil Punch,” 7.
| Rank | Roper | Horse | YoB | Sire | Dam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shad Mayfield | Figure To Fly (M) | 2010 | Popular Resortfigure | Fastino by Freedom Flyer |
| 2 | Haven Meged | For Goodness Shakes (G) | 2017 | Kit Kat Sugar | Goodness Reycious by Dual Rey |
| 3 | Ty Harris | Cuchara Sal (M) | 2011 | PC Oaks Sal | Cuchara Special by Tuf N Special Chex |
| 4 | Riley Webb | Marked Up Cat (G) | 2013 | Metallic Cat | Ha Gay Freckles by Steady Tradition |
| 5 | Shane Hanchey | Undecided | |||
| 6 | Marty Yates | Hughes So Pretty (M) | 2012 | Thomas E Hughes | SR Pretty Playboy by Playboy Lena Bar |
| 7 | John Douch | Peponchek Royalspade (G) | 2014 | Little Royal Paycheck | Leos Peppy Too by Les Olena Too |
| 8 | Kincade Henry | Duals Crescent Boon (G) | 2006 | Duals Blue Boon | Billy Joes Baby by Doc O’Lena |
| 9 | Dylan Hancock | Major A 2009 (G) | 2009 | JR Major Slimwood | Kipoco Shy Ann by Poco Bleukip Hancock |
| 10 | Zack Jongbloed | GM Augusta Drifter (M) | 2016 | JD Disco Drifter | FTR Tin Wood by Wily Wooddrifter |
| 11 | Tuf Cooper | Undecided | |||
| 12 | Hunter Herrin | Flash (G) | |||
| 13 | Joel Harris | Undecided | |||
| 14 | Cole Clemons | Joe (G) | |||
| 15 | Quade Hiatt | JJ Shimmer (G) | 2018 | Shiners Voodoo Dr | Big Mama Cat by High Brow Cat |
Shad Mayfield | Figure To Fly, aka “Lollipop”
Haven Meged | For Goodness Shakes, aka “Lil Punch”
Ty Harris | Cuchara Sal, aka “Sally”
Riley Webb | Marked Up Cat, aka “Rudy”
Shane Hanchey | Rollin On The River, aka “River” or AMR Burning Cash, aka “Rachel”
While Shane hasn’t decided which horse he will be on in the first round, he brought both River and Rachel and will make a game-time decision come Thursday night.
Marty Yates | Hughes So Pretty, aka “Rolex,” owned by Chisum Allen
John Douch | Peponchek Royalspade, aka “Tomcat”
Kincade Henry | Duals Crescent Boon, aka “Mario”
Dylan Hancock | Major A 2009, aka “Earl”
Zack Jongbloed | GM Augusta Drifter, aka “Gucci”
Tuf Cooper | TBD
We haven’t heard which horse Cooper will be on in Round 1, but he did bring This Fiestas Lonely, aka “Bro” and Hammer with him.
Hunter Herrin | “Flash”
Herrin will be on Flash, the sorrel gelding that qualified him for his 14th NFR in Sioux Falls earlier this year. Flash is registered, but Herrin is unsure of his registered name.
Joel Harris | TBD
Harris is currently undecided on what he will ride in the first round.
Cole Clemons | Joe
Clemons will be on his grade blue roan gelding, Joe.
Quade Hiatt | JJ Shimmer Cat, aka “Big Red”
