2025 Nutrena Heel Horse of the Year

Thirteen years ago, 13-year-old Coleby Payne bought a 3-year-old heel horse prospect. Fast forward, and that kid, now 26, and that horse are headed to their second-straight Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which runs December 4-13 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Cut Off My Spots – Coleby calls him “Coon” – was just voted the 2025 Nutrena Heel Horse of the Year, presented by AQHA, and Coleby could not be more happy or proud.

Coon is a 2009 bay gelding by Spots Hot and out of Miss Cuttin Wood by Doctor Wood. He was bred by Cinder Lakes Ranch of Valley View, Texas.

“I bought Coon from Rhen (Richard, who has roped at six NFRs; twice in the tie-down roping and four times as a team roping header). My dad (Mikel) had talked to somebody, and we got in touch with Rhen. Conformationally, he was as good of a 3-year-old as you could find. He was high strung, but I just used him and roped a lot on him,” says Coleby, who’ll turn 27 on January 29, and is again heeling for two-time world champion header Clay Smith at the NFR.

When Coon was 6, Coleby sold him to fellow Texas heeler Dustin Davis.

“‘Double D’ was looking for something to ride and season, so I sold him,” Coleby says. “I knew he was a dang good horse but didn’t know if he was going to be a freak. I had some good older, solid horses, and looking back, I think it was the best thing for me and Coon at the time. Double D seasoned him. He amateur rodeoed on him and took him to some pro rodeos. I bet he had him two years or so, then sold him to Rich (Skelton, the eight-time world champion heeler). Double D and Rich both do such a good job, and they did all the seasoning.”

In full-circle fashion, Coleby bought Coon back from Rich three years ago. Given their history together and all that quality seasoning, the two hit the ground running.

“It’s pretty cool. Sometimes when you buy a horse, it takes time to trust him, and you don’t fully know what you’re getting right off the bat. Getting Coon back was total peace of mind. I knew I could put him in the trailer and go, and that it was going to work,” says Coleby, who calls Stephenville, Texas, home.

Coon was the 2024 reserve heel horse of the year, second only to Kadabra King, aka “Turbo,” the three-time heel horse of the year Coleby bought last year from two-time world champ Patrick Smith. A testament to Coleby’s belief and dedication to having the best possible horses, the two horses voted best by the top 25 heelers in the world the past four years both sleep in Coleby’s barn now.

“For me, horsepower is everything,” he says. “I’m only as good as what I’m riding, so my No. 1 priority at all times is what I’m riding, and to make sure I have the best horses I can have. Ever since I was little, we’ve tried to make sure I was on the best horses I could be on. I feel like we have two of them now, and we take a lot of pride in that. From Day 1, my dad has been my biggest supporter and felt strongly that I was mounted on the best he could provide me with. It’s a team effort, for sure.”

Several other heelers swung a leg over Coon during the 2025 regular season, including Paden Bray, Levi Lord, Wesley Thorp, Kaden Profili, J.C. Flake and Travis Graves, who won ProRodeo’s team roping mecca rodeo in Salinas aboard Coon in July. Coleby plans to ride Coon at the NFR, while three-time world champ Wesley Thorp is expected to ride Turbo for 10 nights in Vegas.

Coleby certainly grasps how much Coon means to him, and it’s extra sweet for him to be recognized by the best in the world.

“It’s very special,” he says. “It’s one of those deals where as long as you like what you’re riding, it doesn’t really matter, but for other competitors to think of him the way I do and think enough of him to vote for him is super special. Coon’s a great horse. I think his biggest thing is his speed and his ability to be forgiving in any setup. He’s not hard to ride, and dang near anything could happen and he’ll give you a chance to win. He’s totally on my team to let me rope two feet every time.”j

Nate and Missy Osentowski’s stallion, Oz Ona Hot Streak, “Oz,” who has been ridden by Lane Mitchell this 2025 season, was voted reserve heel horse of the year. Jade Corkill’s Bodak Yello finished third in the voting. All three horses will be banked on at the Super Bowl of Rodeo in Vegas.