The Breakaway Breakdown: Rylee George and Rickie Engesser on 2026 Horse of the Year Copper

Rylee George’s gray gelding Copper is the 2026 Nutrena Horse of the Year Presented by AQHA in breakaway roping—and the two cowgirls who know him best both point to the box.

George bought Oke Colours, “Copper,” a 10-year-old gray gelding by Corona Colours, from Rickie Engesser in January after asking for two years. Engesser had roped on him since he was 4 and made the National Finals Breakaway Roping on him. Four months after the sale, George rode him to the Premier Women’s Rodeo title at Cowtown Coliseum, winning the $60,000 Championship Round with a 1.93.

The award is voted on by the top 25 WPRA breakaway ropers. Copper once finished third in the voting with Engesser. This year he was George’s No. 1 horse at every kind of setup.

We talked about how still Copper stands in the box, the barriers George broke learning to trust him, why it took two years to get him bought, what keeps him easy to haul and the plan for the NFBR on this episode of The Breakaway Breakdown.

Read more in our story, Rylee George’s “Copper” Voted 2026 Horse of the Year.

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