Why would a 7-year-old finished rope horse be for sale if it doesn’t have a hole? Who’s mostly selling futurity horses? What are the latest opportunities for lower-numbered ropers? We talked to insiders to get the futurity scoop.
In the old days, if a “finished” young rope horse were for sale, you’d wonder what was wrong with it. Now, more and more 7-year-olds that aged out of futurities are on the market so the owner can start over with more—much like cutting or barrel racing.
“Here’s the thing about buying a horse out of futurities,” said rope-horse trainer Steve Orth. “They’re great horses to buy because they have a good foundation. They all score, run in there and rate, and let you catch. They’re going to be broke. They’ve had so much time spent with them, they’re super gentle.”
And they’re super patterned. Orth had 4-year-old A Genuine Whizkey in his barn this winter
