The Business of Horses with Solo Select

The exact same day the LBR Hangem Syndicate was announced, every single available share was officially spoken for. The momentum behind him is massive. A lot of people hear "syndication" but don't actually know what it entails. In this short episode of The Business of Horses, we break down the tangible benefits for the listeners. Melanie Smith and Don Ham discussed other matters: -LBR Hangem will s...

At 13 years old, Trystan Crow has already earned more than $360,000 in the cutting pen. But this episode isn't really about the money. It's about the people behind it, the lessons learned along the way, and what it takes to raise a young horseman with both talent and work ethic. Trystan Crow, Mary Crow, and Don Ham join us for a conversation every young cutter and every horse parent needs to hear.

Join host Melanie Smith as she sits down with seasoned fitters Dustin Price and Evan Moffitt to take you behind the scenes of Solo Select’s premier full-service fitting programs. Whether prepping elite racing Quarter Horses or top-tier western performance horses, Dustin and Evan break down the exact science and daily dedication required to maximize a horse's sale value. -Discover Dustin and Evan's...

Entrevista en Español - Hoy, el agente de Fastrack, Freddy Carmona, conversó con Miguel Vargas y Christopher Villatoros, dueños de Fall Classic, ganador del Heritage Place Futurity G1 de $1,158,940 en Remington Park el sábado 30 de mayo de 2026. En esta entrevista platican sobre su gran victoria y también comparten lo que piensan sobre las subastas de Fastrack. Respondieron a preguntas como: ¿Qué...

In this episode, Melanie Smith sits down with Australian agent Tish Healey to dive into the intricacies of international breeding, breaking down the logistics and regulations involved in exporting semen from the Solo Select stallion roster to Australia. They explore the rapidly expanding Australian Western performance horse market, discussing the massive growth in cutting, campdrafting, and roping...

¿Quieres saber más sobre Fastrack, la nueva plataforma 100% en línea para comprar y vender caballos Cuarto de Milla de carreras? Freddy Carmona, Bloodstock Agent y Fastrack Agent, recibe a Sammy Mendoza de invitado para platicar sobre su experiencia comprando un caballo en la plataforma durante la venta del 11 de abril de 2026. • ¿Qué le gustó a Sammy y qué no le gustó? • ¿Cómo fue el proceso de c...

"I wanted to be a winner." It all starts with a powerful mindset, but what does it really take to reach the top of the Western performance industry—and more importantly, stay there? If you think you can't make it in the cutting horse world because you don't come from money, or because you weren't born into a performance horse dynasty... you are WRONG. Kenny Platt and his family’s story is living p...

“We won’t see another horse like that in a long time. Whether he belongs to me or someone else is irrelevant, this horse is a generational horse, he is just different”. — Ty Smith, co-owner of LBR Hangem The entire team behind LBR Hangem—Don Ham, Todd Carpenter, Melanie Smith, and Ty Smith—sat down to record this episode right after the horse won the Open 5/6 at the Super Stakes. It was a run that...

Part 2 of 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝟐-𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐱 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧 is for the owners who don’t just want to start a colt, they want to see it all the way through. Because getting a horse to the championship pen doesn’t start at three, it starts the moment you decide who you trust with your 2-year-old. In this episode, we break down what the trainer–client relationship really looks like when...

Most people only see the finished product. The futurity runs. The earnings. The champions. What they don’t see is everything that happens at the very beginning. In Part 1 of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬 - 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝟐-𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬, Ty Benson and Max Morin dive deep into the most defining—and unforgiving—stage of a horse’s career: the 2-year-old program. This is where careers are built from the...

“𝗪𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼.” In this episode, Melanie Smith of Solo Select Horses joins Recipient Farm Manager Kimberly Howard to take you behind the scenes of running a successful recipient mare program. With a herd of over 2,500 mares, every decision matters. Melanie and Kimberly break down the logistics, planning, and daily dedication required to turn a tiny embryo into a future champion. “I...

Melanie Smith recaps the 2026 AQHA Convention, explaining how AQHA is governed, how committees and directors work, and how rule changes are proposed and voted on. She encourages members to get involved, outlines practical steps (committee applications and proposal deadlines), and explains why attending the convention matters for influencing policy.

The AQHA 2-Year-Old Rule has shaped breeding, marketing, and futurity timelines for decades — but is it time for a serious conversation about change? In this episode of The Business of Horses, Melanie Smith sits down with industry leaders Tricia Aldridge, Carol Rose, and Brooke Wharton for a candid and forward-thinking discussion about how the AQHA 2-Year-Rule impacts stallion owners, mare owners,...

“𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻—𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘁?” After our first episode focused on the logistics side of Breeding 101, Melanie Smith returns—this time from a more consultative perspective—to dive into how to truly build your breeding plan. In this episode, she breaks down how to structure your program, define your goals, and identify the most effective paths to achieve them—whether you’re breed...

In the latest Solo Select Podcast, Melanie Smith pulls back the curtain on what modern breeding really looks like, answering the questions breeders ask every day… and the ones they usually don’t think to ask until it’s too late. Drawing from decades of hands-on experience, Melanie walks listeners through the full scope of Breeding Logistics 101 — from the big-picture foundation to the smallest det...

Melanie Smith of Solo Select Horses and team member Hayden Dixon host Tarleton State students for a candid Q&A covering how Solo Select grew, the importance of building the right team, branding and marketing, and practical career advice for entering the equine and reproduction industries. The episode explores internships, hands-on training, facility management, international breeding and expor...

El mundo de las carreras de Quarto de Milla se mueve rápido y Fastrack Sale Company fue creado para igualar esa velocidad. Diseñado para complementar el modelo tradicional de ventas, Fastrack hace que la compra y venta de caballos de carreras sea más accesible, más transparente y menos estresante tanto para las personas como para los caballos. Esta plataforma moderna conecta compradores y vendedor...

The world of Quarter Horse racing moves fast—and Fastrack Sale Company was built to match that speed. Designed to complement the traditional sale barn, Fastrack makes buying and selling Racing Quarter Horses more accessible, more transparent, and less stressful for both the people and the horses involved. This modern platform connects buyers and sellers from around the world, offering a premium on...

In this Episode of The Business Of Horses, Solo Select's very own Melanie Smith sits down with  ADM Animal Nutrition's Dr. James Lattimer to discuss what it takes to feed your horse to its genetic potential. Whether you are feeding with the goal of walking your horse into the sale ring as a yearling, or feeding to make your next champion - knowing how to feed will set your program up from success....

Join us as we dive into a exciting discussion on the incredible growth of the rope horse industry. In this episode, key figures like Trevor Brazile, Rhen Richard, Chelsea Shaffer and Lari Dee Guy share their personal journeys, reflecting on pivotal moments and the industry's transformation since 2017. Discover how the infrastructure of the team roping industry supports a variety of horses and why...

Welcome to an exciting episode from the Three String Cattle Company in Utah, where we celebrate a monumental victory at the Old West Futurity for Relentless PYC and Miles Baker. In this episode, Miles shares the exciting details of the mare’s journey, her impressive earnings of $93,000 midway through her four-year-old year, and the remarkable team effort that made this success possible. We also ex...

In Episode 6 of The Business Of Horses with Solo Select, Melanie Smith meets up with Team roping Journal's Chelsea Schaffer, and World Champion Team Roper Junior Nogueira to talk about one of the most prolific mares in rope horse industry, Apache R Hali, and her Woody Be Tuff embryo that is set to sell November 23rd in The Select Online Thanksgiving Day Sale   Junior Nogueira's Apache R Hali is on...

"To give Trevor and I some credit, we know what we have," Miles Baker said those words in an interview in May of 2023, right after announcing the syndication of the Bay Roan Stallion by the name of The Darkk Side. Baker and Trevor Brazile, a 26-time World Champion himself, never faltered in their faith in the standout rope horse. They spoke proudly about The Darkk Side. "He's a winner." Brazile sa...

In this episode of The Business Of Horses, Solo Selects' Summer Searles sits down with Melanie Smith and Ty Smith to discuss the insane past week Solo Select has had. From the American Rope Horse Futurity World Championship, where The Darkk Side, Relentless Glory and Golde Rush made it back to the finals out of 300 horses - to the Western Bloodstock NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Sale where they purch...

In this special edition episode, Solo Selects owner Melanie Smith talks with rope horse futurity trainer Miles Baker about Blackkout, a '21 black stallion that is set to sell October 5th at the Pink Buckle Select Sale. The two of them deep dive into the young stallion, his mind, genetics, and the incentive opportunities that come with him. As they continue their discussion they venture further wha...