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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 364
 
Location: Texas | Ok I know this is probably a dumb question but, if you were buying a horse to try to qualify for the NFR how would you buy that horse?? From a NFR qualifier or from someone online or what?? |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| Those caliber of horses are not usually advertised for sale, total word of mouth. They really are few and far between. Even the fastest horses at super shows etc are not all capable of the rigors of rodeos and the hauling involved. I personally know one person who decided that is what she wanted to do. Called Charmayne James and had her looking etc. One thing led to another and she flew to Oklahoma, tried the horse at a rodeo and decided to purchase. I want to say she paid just over 100,000 cash for the horse. Horse had been hauled to the NFR as a back up, competed in a few rounds, placed in those rounds, etc. She did make her circuit finals but never did make the NFR despite about 5 years of trying. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2128
| Interesting thread. Im all ears to hear what opinions are. I wouldnt have a clue other than trying to buy a horse that has already proven themselves by qualifying (assuming money is not a concern). Maybe try to buy a sucessful futurity horse. Although futurity horses are not always suitible for rodeo. Thats a gamble you take either way. |
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  Friendly horse swapper
Posts: 4122
Location: Buffalo, TX | Ha Ha....bring your checkbook!....A few years ago when I was looking for a nice horse (not to qualify for the NFR...lol), I was at the BBR and a 5 yr. old caught my eye as he was just out of the 2D money in both barns, but ran a really solid, smooth, perfect honest pattern and was quiet in the alley.....I always thought the best way to buy a good horse was to watch them all run and go ask if the horse you like is for sale.....so that's what I did, and I figured maybe around $25-30k...no way...$70k...yikes....didn't even place in the 2D either trip or make the finals....I didn't insult them by making an offer, I just said thank you and walked away with my tail between my legs.... |
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| There are a lot of good horses out there....a lot......most you will never see at the NFR because most people don't have the money to rodeo full time. Most of us need to keep our full time jobs. Plus in my opinion there are many horses running rodeo right now that would kick butt in that arena....but will never get the chance. If your looking to purchase a finished, proven pro rodeo horse.....you will spend thousands and then who knows if you will click and be able to get the same results. I like storys like Brittany Fleck and Rootie.......she was purchased as a weanling to take to college as a project.....didn't even start running barrels till she was six. Trained by Brittany........I just love that that can still happen in a world where money seems to dominate........ |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| As far as I know most of them aren't advertised and as another poster said its mainly word of mouth. The hardest thing about it is you can spend $300,000 on a horse but if you cant ride it... well then you're SOL. And nothing even to do with riding ability but those top notch horses all seem to have such a unique style.
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 Expert
Posts: 1617
Location: Oklahoma | $200,000 at least to BUY a proven winner. I'm guessing many wouldn't sell for a half million- the Louie's, Babyflo's...those kind. Stingray's value is hard to even imagine. If she never ran another day in her life, they could sell embryos out of her for $50k a piece, I'd guess, maybe more. As someone who has had a once-in-a-lifetime rodeo horse and had success at the professional level, it sounds easy to set out "and make the NFR" but there is a reason you see alot of the same names year after year! It's not about buying a half million dollar horse, its about having the BRAINS to keep the horse working and winning. No matter how much money you have, it's not a guaranteed trip to the Thomas & Mack even if you do buy an NFR horse...that's been proven time and time again! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 693
Location: Mansfield, TX | I have a close friend that made the NFR one year...she turned down a blank check for her mare. I have another friend that turned down 1/2 million for hers. The thing about the horses at the NFR is that I guarantee everyone of those girls have already turned down BIG money for their horses. Remember Mary paid $875,00.00 for Latte earlier this year. And I believe Tammy Fischer turned down a million for RoundPen back in his hayday. What it really comes down to is that most of those type horses just aren't for sale for any price. |
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10D Crack Champion
| Probably at the local sale barn. Lol |
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | I agree with Banjomia, there are more out there than show up there. I believe that it is so difficult to haul and have the money to haul and maintain a good horse that a lot of great horses and even more great riders will never make the NFR. Some don't even want to. I don't think it takes just a million dollar horse, but both a great horse and a great rider and to get that combination together with the money to haul and be on the road all year and keep maintenance up on the animal (and most have more than one horse to qualify on) it's hard to come up with a lot of winners.
So I guess I would start with blood lines I knew I liked and could ride, then look at the confirmation and pricing on those horses. Probably would not purchase a finished and proven horse because finances would rule that out, but I think that's how I would go if I ever woke up one day and decided to do that.
However since, I don't even ride. . .
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Expert
Posts: 1695
Location: Willows, CA | Back about one million years ago I played college basketball at St Mary's. Once per year we had a chance to practice with some of the Warriors. As good as we thought we were, we got killed by those pros. NFR horses are pretty much the same thing. If you ever get a chance to run against them, you might have a good run here and there, but overall they are just in a different class. And you are right, they are seldom for sale. |
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 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | banjomia - 2014-12-08 4:02 PM
There are a lot of good horses out there....a lot......most you will never see at the NFR because most people don't have the money to rodeo full time. Most of us need to keep our full time jobs. Plus in my opinion there are many horses running rodeo right now that would kick butt in that arena....but will never get the chance. If your looking to purchase a finished, proven pro rodeo horse.....you will spend thousands and then who knows if you will click and be able to get the same results. I like storys like Brittany Fleck and Rootie.......she was purchased as a weanling to take to college as a project.....didn't even start running barrels till she was six. Trained by Brittany........I just love that that can still happen in a world where money seems to dominate........
Common sense tells you that you can fork out the money to buy the #1 horse this year (whoever that turns out to be) and not be able to win a simple jackpot next year. The horse is only part of the equation. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 693
Location: Mansfield, TX | I agree Komet...finances are just part of the "puzzle" and not everyone wants to be out on the road 50 weeks a year. And just because someone might be able to write the check it does not mean that everyone can ride them or even keep the horse working. There is a woman I know of that has spent over 1 million buying horses and still hasn't been able to make the NFR. It really makes me have alot of respect all the contestants in Las Vegas. For most it's a full time job and LOTS of long hours. I think that is why we have seen such a tremendous response to"The American." It gives everyone a shot at making it big without having to give up so much. It was a brillant idea to give us average Joe's a shot to compete with the big dogs and a shot at BIG money. I remember last year when Lisa Lockhart won the Amercian she said the only thing that could have made it any better was if her family could have been there to enjoy it with her. For some reason that made me kinda sad. |
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Duct Tape Bikini Girl
Posts: 2554
| Hats off to those determined and tough enough to rodeo. Look at the number of rodeos each of those girls went to to qualify. Just seeing that wears me out. Even if I had unlimited cash, I could not do it physically or mentally. Thank goodness for those who continue to travel the hard miles!  |
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Expert
Posts: 2128
| luckyjo - 2014-12-08 8:15 PM Hats off to those determined and tough enough to rodeo. Look at the number of rodeos each of those girls went to to qualify. Just seeing that wears me out. Even if I had unlimited cash, I could not do it physically or mentally. Thank goodness for those who continue to travel the hard miles!
I agree. I don't know if I would be up to the task if someone handed me the horse, truck, trailer, and checkbook. That's a hard life out there on the road. An exhausting one at that. It takes a special kind of person. I admire those who have the grit to do it. |
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 Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
Posts: 3106
Location: Texas | I've asked this question before... And I will say now I think I have a horse that can do it, but I will tell you the girl that bought Dillion last year isn't at the NFR. I can't tell you how many other cases there are like that. A lot of times that once in a lifetime horse has a once in a lifetime human as well. I hope if I can get my butt in shape I can get my horse out there too. I've had several offers, but knowing the potential he has and how special he is, is priceless to me. A baby could ride him down time square or I can get on him and win a rodeo. I knew he was good when I bought him, but I didn't know what it felt like to really ride a horse with that much power until I figured him out. We paid the same for him as we did my solid 5D mare who has alley issues and an attitude. The buying of the horse is the least painful of the process. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 246
Location: OK | Sorta on topic---- I wonder how much the horses at the NFR now cost to begin with? I wonder if any of them got "really good deals" on horses maybe they didn't expect to make it and got great surprises. |
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I AM being nice
Posts: 4396
Location: MD | There are a few professionals in this business who have quite the reputation for matching solid horses and riders to be successful at the Pro level. You probably won't know their names unless you have an inside track, however. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| scwebster - 2014-12-08 8:21 PM luckyjo - 2014-12-08 8:15 PM Hats off to those determined and tough enough to rodeo. Look at the number of rodeos each of those girls went to to qualify. Just seeing that wears me out. Even if I had unlimited cash, I could not do it physically or mentally. Thank goodness for those who continue to travel the hard miles!
This is me for SURE. I know I would be up for it, I think all the hauling would be a nightmare. |
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 Saint Stacey
| outrundaizy - 2014-12-08 7:25 PM
I've asked this question before... And I will say now I think I have a horse that can do it, but I will tell you the girl that bought Dillion last year isn't at the NFR. I can't tell you how many other cases there are like that. A lot of times that once in a lifetime horse has a once in a lifetime human as well. I hope if I can get my butt in shape I can get my horse out there too. I've had several offers, but knowing the potential he has and how special he is, is priceless to me. A baby could ride him down time square or I can get on him and win a rodeo. I knew he was good when I bought him, but I didn't know what it felt like to really ride a horse with that much power until I figured him out. We paid the same for him as we did my solid 5D mare who has alley issues and an attitude. The buying of the horse is the least painful of the process.
This statement is a little off base. While you are right that Callie didn't make the NFR, she was in the top 25 in the world with over $44,000 won. In many past years that amount would have qualified. Thus was just the toughest year on record. Yes, Callie has an arsenal of nice horses with Dillon being one. But it isn't like she didn't accomplish anything this year and Dillon dropped off the face if the planet. I don't think many people realize how hard it is to be a WPRA Rookie and make the NFR. The cards are stacked against you at the start of the year for all the big indoor rodeos. You have to claw your way to the top by drawing checks at rodeos that you can enter before you can enter the big ones with limits. |
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