Multiple pro rodeo champion Cheyenne Allan uses a custom handmade Rocky Staples bit with a smooth three-piece and floating port to achieve balance on sensitive, broke horses that don’t need much bridle.
About the Bit
“We have a guy up in our state (Washing), Rocky Staples, who builds bits and is a really good bit maker. He does a lot of silver work. I used this bit on RS Mollys Honor (“Molly”), who won Pendleton in 2018, and then came back the following year and won Pendleton again in 2019 on Streaking Honor Kid (“Good One”) in the same bit. This is the same bit I’m using on [2022 NFR Open champion] RCA Royal Flush (“Three”) right now.”
Shank: Medium, Locked
“It’s a medium shank — Rocky put our initials and brand on it. It’s very well-balanced. I’ve used this bit on three horses and they work really well in it, but they’re old, mature horses; they’re not young horses. Our trainer, Josh Auman, can put this bit on colts and loves it, but I’m kind of heavy-handed, so I have to mature them into it.”
Mouthpiece: Smooth Three-Piece with Floating Port and Copper Rollers
“It’s a three-piece with a little port and copper rollers in the port. We’ve gone to a three-piece on all our horses, because it lays so well on the tongue and palate. For Three, he doesn’t need anything severe. He doesn’t like pain. This is a really comfortable-packing bit that if you need to hold them or lift them, you can. It’s a nice, balanced bit.”
Curb: Loose Leather Strap
“It’s a leather chin strap, and it’s super loose. Three doesn’t need much; he’s really a nice, sensitive, broke horse.”
This article was originally published in the September 2022 issue of Barrel Horse News.
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