Rodeo Roundup Firsts

by Lyn Ray

Many believe that first time wins are impossible but a team of talented ranchers and cowboys proved that statement wrong – really wrong. On November 5, 2022 a well thought out and blessed team of ranchers, breeders and cowboys showed up at the inaugural Riata Buckle Futurity and won.

As Dee Ann Littlefield said, “It was an amazing day of FIRSTS!!! Chris Littlefield and Bo Crutchfield were First Place in the First Annual Riata Buckle Futurity 12.5 roping for horses 5 years and younger.” The team split $61,000 with Littlefield riding That Bold Pepto CCL (by Bold and Beautiful) owned by Billy and Lyn Ray and Crutchfield riding Big Valleys Ms Haida (by Big Valley) owned by Mick O’Brien of O’Brien Ranches in Refugio, TX.

The Rays who are ranchers, not ropers, traveled from Albert, New Mexico to watch their FIRST roping event ever. As owners and operators of the historic Tequesquite Ranch, founded by Lyn’s great-great-grandfather in 1870s, they are no stranger to good horses.

Bo Crutchfield with the O’Brien Ranch in Texas also has a long history in horses as some of the original founding breeders in the AQHA. Combine the history of ranching and horse breeding with the unmatched talent of Littlefield who has a horse training resume to include multiple AQHA world championships, success is inevitable. This win is an excellent example of good horse programs stepping up their game to stay with the times in terms of competition ability and also raising good using ranch horses.

The team began when the Rays purchased a somewhat leggy, sorrel, two-year-old from Littlefield three years ago. Ray remembers Littlefield saying, “He will be a great rope horse.”

Littlefield, who has ridden almost every horse in That Bold Pepto CCL’s (Sketch) pedigree, has built an outstanding breeding program for generations of horses. Ray believed that Littlefield knew what he was talking about and took the chance. On a September day, Sketch, loaded up and traveled from Henrietta, TX to New Mexico to further his career as a ranch horse and pasture breeding stallion. The horse returns to Littlefield for training every year and when the chance to enter The Riata came up, Ray said, “Let’s go win it!”

To complete the team, longtime friends of Littlefield teamed up with Crutchfield. Although they have roped thousands of steers together in the practice pen and have entered a lot of ropings together, this was the FIRST check these two have ever won as a team. This historic win for them and this horse program they have been working on for the last 15 years was a pivotal point in their business as well as for Ray and the Tequesquite Ranch horse program.

The morning of the roping the team roped their first three steers picture perfect and came in at 24.6 seconds to be first in the short go. They backed in the box ready to get paid for what they have been working for so long. And it paid off! Littlefield’s kids, Levi and Laycee, were there to cheer the team on for the entire time.

The theme for the weekend was “good people attract good people.” This win is an example of what wisdom, patience, integrity, and hard work can achieve. God is so very good all the time. Glory and honor to Him.