I have been rodeoing my entire life but I have been getting really interested in the futurity world and all that it has to offer. What are people's experiences with both and what do you think would be better in the long run? I have always geared toward younger horses and have seasoned many myself. However, I have not had experience buying colts that are paid into incentives nor have I participated in any futurities myself. Is it worth the switch? 

It is a COMPLETELY different game. 

In my experience, you might as well take the money you would spend trying to futurity and burn it. It would be less stressful.

You make the futurity entry payments before you know if your horse is ready or not - or if it's even good enough. It puts the pressure of a timetable that may not be in the horse's best intrest. Sometimes you run just because you already spent the money - and you might get in a division.

Both can be very hard to make money at. It takes a lot of time (and money) to season a rodeo horse. Good paying rodeos are TOUGH to win. There's only 1 divsion. This side you know. I personally don't care much for rodeos. I wasn't raised in it, I don't particularly enjoy the culture of it. If I show up at one, it's because I'm hauling one that can stand up and get the money. It's business, not pleasure.

If you have the comfortable disposable income to chance- sure, futurities are fun. If you are tyring to make money at it- better have someone else paying at least part of your way. While there is always someone that owns their horse and has a great year- there is a reason most of the big name trainer trailers are filled with horses someone else owns and pays the bills on. They may have something of their own, but rarely are personal horses the only ones in the trailer.

Ask yourself how competitive your 4 year olds are. Thats a good indication of weither you may fit with the futurity world. I personally have a slower timetable with getting horses ready, so it's not a good fit for me.

I often question if I have the financial fortitude to throw down what we throw down on rodeo runs for what they pay and how many holes etc.

I know if I'm questioning those decisions then there's no way I have the proverbial financial balls to play in the futurity world.  

I have a friend who's got a colt who's going to start his career at the BFA.  She has/had several on the ground behind him.  She's selling out of young horses and broodmares.  Putting 1 on the futurity track with a trainer has sucked all the fun out of it, continually writing checks and payments etc etc. I think he's coming home after the BFA (because they're this far into it, they might as well keep going) and she'll keep him and 1 other one as her personal horses to jackpot on.  It was definitely eye opening the amount of money tossed around.

Not knocking it for those who can swing it, more power to you.  

I have never futuritied one. I currently have one that I have been toying with campaigning him beginning Dec 2020. My main concern is that he will not be ready, I'll try and rush him and then end up ruining/ blowing up/ overworking a wonderful colt when my main goal is to really have a nice horse for a long time. Personally I have started and seasoned quite a few and tend to go very slow, I've never had one ready to win a barrel race by 3, or crap even 4 now that I think about it. The horse I have now is 3, started and has a decent handle but still needs some work before I can start him on the pattern. I already feel like he is behind and I'm not even considering entering him for another year. To me, the most important thing about a horse is thier mind and work ethic. I want one that I can hop on bareback for a trail ride on Thursday and then haul to a rodeo and lay down a smoking run on Friday, and then take to jackpot on Saturday with the occasional 3 day show thrown in the mix. I know there are great horses out there that were futuritied and are still running well later in life, but to me I just feel like it's a lot of pressure to put on such a young one. 

I futuritied one in 2009. My mare ran the third fastest time of the weekend in her debut. However, she was not really mentally ready to run that hard consistently and we slowed her down and made a nice sum in 2D money. I found the futurity experience not much fun. The people were generally not friendly. I remember at Memphis that year all of two or three people spoke to me even with me trying to be friendly. Maybe it was the trainer I was with, I don't know, but why the heck would you spend all that money to have no fun??  

I now have two more that MAY be heading to a few futurities. They won't be going to OK City, Lazy E or Ft Smith, but I may go to some of the east coast futurities where I now know more peeps and will have a better time than 10 years ago. 

I rodeo'd when I grew up. Back in the 70's there was no 4D racing. I have never understood how rodeo has kept going in competition with the 4D format since there are only so many places paid out and the competition is so tough. How is it that 100+ girls can have so much hope for a check in a format paying out 15 or so slots?? And the culture of rodeo and 4D (or futurity) is way different. I do think that the people are friendlier at the normal 4D's, less friendly at the futurities, and almost unapproachable at the rodeos. But it may just be the east coast like that and the mid-west rodeos are more friendly than out here.

I would try and spend some time with a couple different futurity trainers and see if it ends up being something you would enjoy. Coming from a rodeo background as well, running in futurities is a completely different ballgame. Kassie Mowry is a great example of someone who has made the switch, and has done very well for herself. Hailey Kinsel does both, so I would be on the lookout for any interviews they have done, blog posts, videos, etc. 

Thank you so much for your input! I appreciate all of the advice!