only Weast’s confidence in the program but Sigman’s as well. “That first year we got a really good taste in our mouth for Bucks Hancock Dude. It was like there was never going to be another poor day and we really knew what we were doing,” Weast said with a laugh. “Of course, that’s not always how it works, and we had our downsides of it too.” As with any breeding program or training venture, there are uptimes and down times. For the still-young breeding career of the son of Watch Me Dude To and out of San Tip Hancock by Leon JP Hancock, his legacy is already shining in the barrel pen through his offspring. Marking His Offspring Bucks Hancock Dude’s trainability and personality mark his colts as winners, and finding the perfect mare combination is what led his offspring to the top of the barrel industry. “For Dude, it’s his brain [that makes him a great outcross], because his teach-ability and his ability to give his calm demeanor and wise eye to the mare is absolutely amazing,” said Naia Graham, long-time friend of Sigman and barrel
horse manager at Southwest Stallion Station where Dude stands at stud. “He has that old-time horse mentality and passes it on.” Naia has been a part of Dude’s life for many years and holds him close to her heart. She cares for him as one of her own and holds his success on the same level. As the barrel horse manager at Southwest Stallion Station, she handles the day-to-day operations and breeding and has witnessed Dude’s calm demeanor in every situation. “Anybody can go see Dude, they can lead him and do whatever they want,” Naia said of Dude’s personable attitude, adding that even her 3-year-old daughter rides him. “That’s probably the biggest thing that’s not in his job description and wouldn’t be expected from a stallion - I trust him. I trust him more than I trust any of the other horses here on the ranch with the kids.” With his composed manner and foundation breeding, Naia says Dude makes a perfect outcross for running-bred mares, and those types of characteristics are heavily involved in breeding decisions.
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