Kincade Henry Edges Shane Hanchey in $15,000 12-Head Showdown

There were twelve calves and $15,000 on the line and a matchup between two generations of tie down roping. Kincade Henry came out on top Sunday at the South Texas Showdown in Uvalde, Texas, getting past Shane Hanchey in a 12-head match that came down to the final calf.Hanchey held a two second advantage heading into his last run, putting the pressure on Henry to finish strong. Hanchey's final calf got up at 5.6 seconds, leaving the door open for Henry. The 24 year old just made a solid run on his final calf to secure the match and take home the win.For Henry, the opportunity meant more than another check. Growing up, Hanchey was one of the ropers he watched and looked up to. Henry reflected on that after the match, sharing that 10 years ago he would not have believed he would be competing against Hanchey alongside Cody Ohl and Fred Whitfield, who were also featured in the South Texas Showdown's Legends match.“All three of those guys are true legends of the sport that everybody my age grew up watching and looking up to,” Henry wrote. He also thanked the South Texas Showdown, everyone who supported him and the Cavataios for letting him rope on the amazing horse, CD.Hanchey had his own perspective on how far the matchup had come. He remembered meeting Henry in March 2014 at RODEOHOUSTON, when Henry had recenetly decided to leave other sports behind and focus on calf roping.Twelve years later, the two were sharing the arena in a $15,000 match. Hanchey congratulated Henry on the win, calling it a great 12 head match, while also giving credit to his own effort and his five year-old homegrown gelding, Sam. It truly was a great match down the wire. The match came at a great time too with both ropers heading toward the 2026 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Henry sits fourth in the PRCA Tie Down Roping World Standings and is preparing for his fifth NFR qualification. After finishing third in the world in 2025, the best season finish of his career, Henry is looking to make 10 more runs in the Thomas and Mack and go after what could be his first World Championship.Kincade Henry Crosses Million Dollar Mark in Career Earnings While Chasing 5th NFRAt just 24 years old, Kincade Henry has surpassed $1 million in career earnings and continues to build on his 2026 season as one of the top contenders in tie-down roping.Hanchey is right behind him at No. 5 in the standings going into Vegas. At 37, he is preparing for his 17th consecutive NFR appearance, having qualified every year since 2010. The 2013 world champion continues to be one of the most consistent names in the event, and he will be looking for another strong finish in Las Vegas. The longevity that Hanchey has shown in his career is unbelievable. To qualify for every single finals in nearly 2 decades is a huge accomplishment and is history making. Shane could win his second gold buckle this year, over a decade since his first one. He has plenty of young guns going to make him work for it, but he has proven all year long that he has not lost a step at all.Tie-Down Roping Champ Shane Hanchey Set to Make 17th Consecutive NFR in 2026The 2013 World Champion has been in Vegas every year since 2010 and is once again putting himself in position to keep one of rodeo's longest NFR streaks alive.The South Texas Showdown brought together some of the sport's best for a day of match roping. This time, Kincade Henry got to be the one walking away with the win. Now Hanchey and Henry will head to Vegas with 10 more calves to rope where they will once again be rivals in the arena with the same ultimate goal.