The Score — ARHFA World Champions Dakota Kirchenschlager and Wesley Thorp

This is a special edition of The Score from the American Rope Horse Futurity Association. The ARHFA’s World Championships ran Oct. 21-23 in Fort Worth, Texas. In its fourth edition it did not disappoint.

This year it paid out over $580,000. For most of the event Trevor Brazile lead the pack aboard 5-year-old Starlights Gypsy bred gelding named American Greed, owned and trained by Lari Dee Guy. When all the flags had fallen Dakota Kirchenschlager and the 4-year-old son of Cat Ichi, named X My Ich, owned by Happy, Texas, roper Darren Johnson, was the ARHFA’s World Champion Head Horse. It was the first win for Dakota, a guy who gave up ProRodeo to train rope horses. He’s a three-time NFR heeler and he was a ball of emotion after his win.

Kirchenschlager Stuns Field on 4-Year-Old X My Ich for ARHFA Heading World Title

The heel side was a whole different ball game than in the heading. It was a knife fight in the short round between Joseph Harrison, Cade Ride and Wesley Thorp, but Wesley never faltered and he won a title aboard his horse Juiced Up Cat, whom he owns in partnership with Chris Pomeroy. This horse was unreal and Wesley showed him like a true, finished horse.