Hunter Koch and Rockk Star dominated the 4-and-Under Futurity, while Kollin VonAhn and SS Platinum Cat won the 6-and-Under Maturity.
ARDMORE, OKLAHOMA, May 12, 2024 – Hunter Koch’s Rockk Star and Kollin VonAhn’s SS Platinum Cat distanced themselves from the pack at the Gold Buckle Futurities 2024 Spring Event, winning the 4-and-Under Futurity Heeling and 6-and- Under Maturity Heeling, respectively.
Hunter Koch & Rockk Star
Koch and Rockk Star, a 4-year-old son of Peptoboonsmal out of Aristrocratic Star by High Brow Cat, scored a 906.58 on four head, with the help of National Finals Rodeo average champion header Cody Snow. That paid $16,500 for the average win, and the horse won two rounds in that roping for another $2,000. Koch showed the horse in the Maturity the next day, too, winning another two rounds for $2,000 more.
“This was a pretty real setup,” Koch said. “They were strong, fresh Mexican steers. They dang sure weren’t going to let you get by on something that wasn’t a real-deal jackpot horse. They were strong on the end of the rope, and he felt like a more full- contact, rodeo horse.”
Koch also jump-rode Gunna Wanna, the 4-year-old mare by Gunnatrashya out of Chics Vintage Flare by Smart Chic Olena, to win second in the main average with a 895.74 on four, worth $5,500. He also won the Elite Stallion Incentive for another $10,000 payday.
VonAhn piloted SS Platinum Cat, a 5-year-old son of Platinum Vintage out of Cat Can Boom by Boomernic, to the 6-and-Under Maturity title, winning $30,000 on the horse mostly ridden by VonAhn’s 7-year-old daughter, Steele.
Kollin Vonahn & SS Platinum Cat
SS Platinum Cat scored a 912.39 on four head, worth $20,000—plus $9,000 for the Elite Stallion Incentive (split $4,500 each with the owners of the horse’s sire, Platinum Vintage) win and another $1,000 for a go-round win. VonAhn also won second on WDP Rey Jay and fifth on Rack City—his two other futurity horses—worth another $19,000 for their efforts.
“I want my horses to be rodeo horses someday,” VonAhn said. “The way they put on the Gold Buckle Futurities, I can make the kind of runs these horses need to be great horses in the long run and get paid for it.”
Christian Dewbre won the Intermediate Incentive in the 4-and-Under on Seven S Razmataz, worth $2,040 for a score of 863.50. Billie Jack Saebens rode the Dixon Flowers Quarter Horses-bred DF Probablytheticket to the Elite Stallion Incentive win, worth $12,500.
Johnryon Foster rode Smoke And Glitter to the Gold Buckle Intermediate Maturity title, worth $2,040, while DF Bet Hesa Legend and Saebens got another Elite Breeder Incentive title, in the Maturity, worth $7,500.
