The first-ever Riata Stallion Incentive Showcase Horse Sale saw 53 horses walk through the the South Point Equestrian Center ring, with a 2016 Bamacat gelding Sue Bama and a 2021 Winners Version mare Runnnin Winners each dropping the gavel at $200,000.
Sue Bama was consigned by Chad and Paje Turner of Turner Performance Horses, while Runnnin Winners was consigned by A & C Racing and Roping.
Setting the Riata Horse Sale (opens in a new tab) scene
Buyers were treated to a sale preview on Saturday, where younger horses were able to stretch their legs in the arena while the finished rope horses ran steers. On Sunday, the doors opened to reveal floor-to-ceiling black curtains and VIP ringside tables.
“The stage was set,” Paje Turner said.
To make the deals even sweeter, each horse that sold through the sale on Sunday, Dec. 8 is now eligible for the $100,000 Riata Showcase Horse Sale Incentive at the 2025 Riata Championships. This Incentive will be awarded each year to the highest placing horses at the Riata Championships for horses purchased through the Showcase Sale.
“With the horses in the sale all being by one of the Riata stallions, plus the $100,000 Sale Incentive that’s only for these sale horses, there was a lot brought to the table,” Chad Turner said.
Riata Stallion Incentive Showcase Horse Sale high sellers
Hip 35 – Sue Bama consigned by Turner Performance Horses
The 2016 model gelding Sue Bama is sired by cutting horse stallion Bamacat and out of Bet On Me 498 mare named Better Sue.
Wearing the Flag Ranch brand on his left hip, “Bama” was represented as a rope horse that can adjust for any level of roper.
“Bama is a pretty special horse,” Chad said. “We got him from a million-dollar cutting horse trainer and friend of ours in Texas, and he had a really good start. Good mind, good demeanor and he’s one-of-a-kind. I think five ropers hauled him to different events and he can deliver at any level.”
The gelding is flashy to boot, too. His sale video featured him being team roped on and trail ridden bridleless. Above all, the Turners emphasized the geldings’ unflappable demeanor.
“We really like the Bamacats,” Paje said. “They have really good minds, and this horse did.”
Bama was sold to longtime client Eric Payne, who’s been buying horses from the Turners for more than 15 years. The gelding will be heading to Whitefish, Montana to be enjoyed by his daughter.
Hip 53 – Runnnin Winners consigned by A & C Racing and Roping (opens in a new tab)
The second horse to reach the $200,000 mark was A & C Racing and Roping’s 2022 black mare “Runnnin Winners,” sired by the late Winners Version (opens in a new tab) and out of Corona Cartel mare Runnning Corona.
The mare was showcased by five-time NFR Qualifier Rhen Richard, and trained by Richard and Trinity Haggard.
“She’s a good mare, and she’s special,” Richard said. “She’s good-minded, she checks all the boxes if we can get her trained.”
The mare was purchased by Bobby Taylor, and will stay in the A & C program. Taylor is currently building out a broodmare band for stallion CR Woody Be A Dual, who also came from A&C Racing and Roping.
“That was my plan the whole time—I hoped somebody bought her who would send her back,” Richard said.
Runnnin Winners will be pointed toward the heading futurities with Richard.
Full Riata Stallion Incentive Showcase Horse Sale results are being compiled and will be shared on the Team Roping Journal when available.
READ: 51 Elite Prospects & Performers to Sell at Riata Showcase 11 a.m. Dec. 8, 2024 (opens in a new tab)
