On Sunday, December 22, champion sire and performer Firewaterontherocks (“Happy”) was laid to rest at age 22 after a long battle with arthritis.
“We always know these days are coming but never prepared and never easy,” said his owner and breeder Robyn Herring. “He’s just been so good to me.”
One of the all-time leading barrel horse sires, Happy’s offspring won more than $4.3 million in the arena even though they were in minimal incentive programs. Much like he was, Happy’s offspring were incredible rodeo horses with five helping to qualify riders to the National Finals Rodeo.
Some of his winningest offspring include NFR qualifier and multiple futurity champion Firewatermakemehappy, who still holds ownership of one of the fastest times ever run in the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas; the up-and-coming sire SR Industry Titan, a BFA World Derby Champion that later carried 2023 WPRA World Champion Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi to nearly $80,000 of her record-breaking earnings; NFR qualifier and round winer and College National Finals Rodeo qualifier Lena On The Rocks; multiple futurity champion and NFR qualifier LK Watch Me Rock and CNFR Champion and NFR qualifier Fame Fire Rocks.
- SR Industry Titan is Commanding Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi’s ProRodeo Troops in 2024
- Latricia Duke is an NFR Rookie, but She’s the Force Behind 6 NFR Horses.
- #HappyIsHerDaddy: Taycie Matthews’ Fame Fire Rocks Crowned Nutrena/WPRA Horse of the Year
FireWaterOnTheRocks was an emerging broodmare sire with grandget earning more than $2 million. In 2024, he had his first NFR qualifier with DM High Roller, an earner of $600,000 out of his AQHA World Champion daughter Happy To Run Em. Happy’s most prolific daughter, Hip Swinging Gypsy, was responsible for producing $700,000 in earners including 2022 Pink Buckle Champion Slick Swingin; 2023 Royal Crown Buckeye Futurity Champion Slick Swingin Gypsy and 2023 BFA Juvenile Champion Streak Gypsy Streak.
The burnished gold Palomino was Herring’s first foray into raising barrel horses. She had purchased his dam Rock N Roll Rona, a daughter of 1986 World Champion Racehorse Ronas Ryon, off of the track and trained her for barrels. Rock N Roll Rona was her first futurity horse. When Herring made the decision to breed the mare, she picked the greatest barrel horse sire living at the time, Fire Water Flit.
Although she had trained Happy and had exhibitioned the stallion some, Herring was unsure he needed to be left a stallion. In June of his third year, she sent him to Latricia Duke while still questioning that status. His success in the arena left no doubt.
Happy started his career winning the 2D average at the BFA Juvenile but by January he was winning futurity rounds. He ran third at the San Antonio Futurity, Victory Farms Futurity and WPRA Windy Sue Futurity and was a finalist at the BFA World Championships, Gold and Silver Cup futurities and won the Old Fort Days Futurity Consolation.
As a rodeo horse, Happy just got better. He won the Reno Rodeo in Nevada and the Dixie National in Jackson, Mississippi, as well as tough Texas rodeos in Pecos, Corpus Christi, Lufkin, Vernon, Beaumont, Belton and Mercedes.
Happy and Herring missed the National Finals Rodeo twice, finishing 26th in 2011 and 17th in 2012. Both years, Happy had to have significant breaks due to illness or injury. Their most memorable finish was at RFD-Tv’s The American in 2014 where they finished as reserve champions.
By the numbers
According to QData’s Dec. 23 report, FireWaterOnTheRocks has $4,296,134 progeny recorded earnings to date and 340 money-earners. Of those earnings, over $4.1 million came from the barrel racing arena, and roping, race and pole bending showed progeny earnings, as well. On his own, FireWaterOnTheRocks recorded nearly $250,000 in lifetime earnings of his own in the barrel pen.
