Working Horse Magazine Spring Issue 2020

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CONTENTS WorkingHorseMagazine.com | Spring 2020

On the cover

Flinging Dinero

2016 Palomino Roan Stallion A Streak of Fling x .......................................................................................................................................................................................................

LK Shezapeasadinero brought to you by

Cross Counrty Ranch

also standing....................

Judge Cash | Guys Pocket Coin | Best Advice | Mulberry Fame A Firewater Twist RB Judge My Class

CrossCountryRanch.com

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10 The Working Lines Sugar Bars

26 If you change nothing, nothing changes 38 The Weaver Way 43 Equine Natural 15 50 Real Estate Corral 56 Hot Products 58 Cross Counrty Ranch Review

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Jane Klingson | Sales Mike Gerbaz | Managing Partner & Sales janeklingson@yahoo.com | 515.571.2832 mikegerbaz@gmail.com | 970.948.5523

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Dottie McLeroy | Sales Carolyn Olson | Sales workinghorsegraphics@gmail.com | 405.615.3484 olsonquarterhorses@yahoo.com | 503.397.1217 .......................................................................................................................................................................................................

Working Horse Magazine has been serving the performance horse industry since 1997. Main Office | 355 Watson Divide Road, Snowmass, CO 81654. For questions regarding subscriptions and distribution call 970.948.5523. The views and/or opinions in articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect those of Working Horse Magazine and are the responsibility of the author or advertiser.

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The Working Lines | S ugar Bars

T

By Larry Thornton ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ he American Quarter Horse has always been considered a versatile breed that could be used for work or as a racehorse. Even in Colonial America the Quarter Horse as we call him today was noted for his ability to work for his owner during the week, and then be his racehorse on the weekend. The ability of the American Quarter Horse to be versatile comes from such characteristics as speed, agility and disposition.

Sugar Bars became known as one of the greatest sires of versatile performers in the Quarter Horse breed. He sired 148 halter point earners, 147 performance point earners and 324 race starters.

He was the sire of 30 AQHA champions, 93 show Register of Merit and 139 racing Register of Merit. Fourteen of his 30 AQHA Champions carry the AAA rating from the track. His foals earned 27 Superior Awards in events such as cutting western pleasure, reining, trail and halter. He is represented by such noted show horses as Sugar Leda, an AQHA Honor Roll Halter Horse; Sugar Line and Jay’s Sugar Bars, both AQHA Honor Roll Reining Horses. He sired Clink Chugie the 1974 AQHA World Champion Junior Heeling Horse. Nice N Sweet was the 1980 AQHA High Point Amateur Western

THREE BARS ch 15.3 1940 THOROUGHBRED (USA)

Riding Horse and the high Point Amateur Trail Horse. His grandson, Sugar Vaquero, is an AQHA Honor Roll Cutting Horse and an NCHA World Champion Cutting Horse that was also a noted pleasure horse.

The late Bud Warren was the man who gave Sugar Bars his opportunity to become a prominent sire. Warren lived in Perry, Oklahoma, where he stood the great sire Leo. Warren bought Sugar Bars from Roy Hittson in 1954 when the horse was a three-year-old. Hittson had purchased Sugar Bars from his breeder George Wood. Wood had originally leased Sugar Bars to Ken Fratis, a former AQHA President.

It was at Fratis’ Ranch that Warren first saw Sugar Bars. “I saw this colt out in California many years ago at Ken Fratis’...

When I first saw him, why, I knew he was the best looking conformation Three Bars I’d ever seen,” stated Warren in a 1985 interview.

He added, “I was looking for another sire to cross on Leo mares and of course Three Bars had gotten famous as a thoroughbred sire of runnin’ horses... Quarter runnin’ horses. He was a good looking, good headed horse, beautiful horse for a thoroughbred. I mean a quarter type thoroughbred, not a little chunky horse by any means but he had all the other qualities, muscling and stuff that you like in any kind of horse.”

PERCENTAGE ch 1923 THOROUGHBRED (USA)

MYRTLE DEE blk 1923 THOROUGHBRED (USA)

SUGAR BARS sor 1951 QUARTER HORSE #0042606

FRONTERA SUGAR pal 1943 QUARTER HORSE #0005731

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REY ch 1939 QUARTER HORSE #0005727

MARE BY BEN HUR dun QUARTER HORSE U0074541

MIDWAY ch 1914 THOROUGHBRED (USA) GOSSIP AVENUE ch 1918 THOROUGHBRED (USA) LUKE MCLUKE b 1911 THOROUGHBRED (USA) CIVIL MAID b 1915 THOROUGHBRED (USA) CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS ch 1928 THOROUGHBRED (USA) GOLDIE sor 1931 QUARTER HORSE #0000379 BEN HUR sor 1921 QUARTER HORSE U0068047

BALLO ch 1904 THIRTY ch 1902 BULSE ch 1913 ROSEW ch 1914 ULTIM ch 15.3 1 MIDGE blk 1902 PATRIO b 1906 CIVIL R b 1899 STIMUL ch 16.0 1 SEA DR ch 1923 RED LA ch 1925 GOLDU RAINY

NETTIE sor

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S

Sugar Bars with longtime owner Bud Warren.

Photo Courtesy Sue Larkin

BALLOT ch 1904 THIRTY-THIRD ch 1902 BULSE ch 1913 ROSEWOOD ch 1914 ULTIMUS ch 15.3 1906 MIDGE blk 1902 PATRIOT b 1906 CIVIL RULE b 1899 STIMULUS ch 16.0 1922 SEA DREAM ch 1923 RED LANTADOS ch 1925 GOLDUST

VOTER CERITO SIR DIXON HIGH DEGREE DISGUISE NETHERSOLE MAGNETO ROSE TREE COMMANDO RUNNING STREAM TRENTON SANDFLY BEN BRUSH SANDFLY CARLSBAD SEMPER VICTOIRE ULTIMUS HURAKAN LEMONORA SEAMAB LANTADOS STAR 3

ch 1894 ch 1888 b 1885 ch 1896 b 1897 b 1898 ch 1909 b 1896 b 1898 ch 1898 br 1881 br 1889 b 1893 br 1889 b 1889 b 1895 ch 15.3 1906 b 1911 ch 1918 ch 1913 br 1918 ch 1915

RAINY DAY 1

LONE STAR 2

ch 1911

NETTIE JACKET sor

YELLOW JACKET

rd dun 1908

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The Working Lines continued

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Warren saw that Three Bars was getting some runners and show horses, but Three Bars wasn’t quite the type of horse he was looking for. So Warren went looking for a son of Three Bars that would have the conformation to fit his program. He saw what he wanted that day at Fratis’ Ranch but didn’t try to buy the horse because of Fratis’ lease. But Warren let it be known that if Sugar Bars became available, he was interested in buying him. Bob Weimer and Van Smelker were asked by Warren to keep an eye on the horse.

As the story goes Weimer called Warren with the news that Sugar Bars was for sale. Hittson, who had bought Sugar Bars from Wood, needed some cash and Sugar Bars would cost $2,500. Hittson had put Sugar Bars up for sale to the first person that came up with the cash. Weimer’s call came on Saturday night and Warren would be unable to get the cash needed to buy Sugar Bars.

It just so happened that John Hazelwood, a friend of Warren’s, was close by and he offered him the cash over the phone. Hazelwood had trained Warren’s great runner Leota W, the winner of the first Oklahoma Futurity. The deal was finalized and Warren and his wife, Reba left the next day to pick up their new stud.

Warren described Sugar Bars as a “good racehorse” but not a “great one.” Sugar Bars had a AAA rating, which was the highest rating at the time. He had won seven races in 30 starts and placed in 12 others. Warren took Sugar Bars home and started breeding mares from all over the world.

Warren describes his success with the horse this way. “He got real popular, he was a Three Bars, a AAA race horse, a beautiful chestnut sorrel and everybody that would see him would fall in love with him ... That’s all there was to it, it was just having the right horse at the right time. And, of course, I had Ole Leo and the two crossed together. One of the hottest crosses in the show horse, cutting horse and running horse fields at the time. I didn’t have any trouble at all, it just rolled ... I had the best of the Quarter Horse world.”

Warren credits Sugar Bars with supplying “a speed bloodline” that was enhanced by the success of Three Bars on Quarter mares and that “he (Sugar Bars) had the good looks” for the show horse people and was a good looking horse that appealed to the cowboy that was looking for a Quarter Horse with speed.

In this day of specialization in the horse industry, Warren’s words reflect how the Quarter Horse industry has changed.

He related that “there I was right there in the middle of these two horses, Three Bars and Leo, that just dominated the industry, at least in my opinion, and I guess there’s enough successes from everybody else to prove it.

Warren pointed out that there isn’t a horse today that is “dominating the show horse, cutting horse and race horse field” like Leo and Three Bars did for him. He added this about today’s horse industry, “you’ve either got a running horse or working Quarter Horse or a show Quarter Horse.”

He sighted other examples of how the Quarter Horse has developed other specialists in areas such as youth activities and dressage.

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The pedigree of Sugar Bars was typical of the Three Bars on Quarter mares that proved so successful for the Quarter Horse industry. Three Bars was sired by Percentage, a stakes winning thoroughbred. Percentage, by Midway and out of Gossip Avenue, was a multiple stakes winner in such races as the Cincinnati Handicap. Midway was a tail male descendant of Hermit. Hermit’s sire line has all but died out in the Thoroughbred, but his influence is still seen in many female families of the thoroughbred. Gossip Avenue was sired by Disguise, a son of Domino.

Three Bars was out of Myrtle Dee, a sprint bred thoroughbred mare that set a record for 5.5 furlongs at the Coney Island Race Track. She was sired by Luke McLuke and out of Civil Maid. Luke McLuke was a son of Ultimus, a double bred Domino stallion. Civil Maid was by Patriot, a son of Ben Brush. This makes Three Bars 5 x 5 x 5 linebred to Domino.

Frontera Sugar was the dam of Sugar Bars. She was the Grand Champion mare at the Southwestern International Show in El Paso in 1945. Her breeder was Pete Reynolds and she seems to have been highly regarded in the Quarter Horse world.

Elmer Hepler, a noted Quarter Horse breeder from New Mexico was quoted by Warren in the Quarter Horse Journal story “Sugar Bars” by Sam Ed Spence (April 1969) that Frontera Sugar “was the kind of mare you’d want to be the mother of a stud.” Warren is quoted again in the story describing Frontera Sugar as having “... the most classic head I have even seen on a horse.”

Frontera Sugar’s pedigree is a very interesting aspect of this mare’s history. She is a daughter of Rey. Rey was owned for most of his life by Pete Reynolds. Rey was by a thoroughbred named Captain’s Courageous. Captain’s Courageous was the sire of the famous Quarter running mare Miss Bank. Miss Bank is found in the female family of the champion runner Rebel Cause.

Captain’s Courageous was sired by Stimulus by Ultimus.

Ultimus is found twice in Sugar Bars’ pedigree. Ultimus was the sire of Luke McLuke, the sire of Myrtle Dee, the dam of Three Bars. This makes Sugar Bars 4 X 5 linebred to Ultimus.

Rey’s dam was Goldie, a Quarter mare by Red Landados by the thoroughbred Landados. Goldie’s dam was a mare called Goldust. Goldust was spelled two ways, the other spelling was Gold Dust. Goldust was sired by Eleven Hundred by Barney Lucas. Eleven Hundred was out of a daughter of the foundation sire Traveler. Goldust’s dam was a mare named Silver by Hub by the thoroughbred Abe Frank. Silver’s dam was Sis by Serpent.

In the stud book, Frontera Sugar’s dam is listed as the Dun Mare. Ralph Eagle, a longtime friend of Pete Reynolds and owner of several sisters to Frontera Sugar, has researched and found that the Dun Mare was later registered as Palomino D.O. Eagle reported how all this came about in a 1973 Speedhorse (formerly Quarter Racing World) magazine article “Dam of Frontera Sugar” (November 1973).

According to Eagle’s story the horse color “dun” was used to describe a variety of colors by early Texas horsemen - this

....................................................................................................................................................................................................... includes the color palomino. Eagle explains that Frontera Sugar was registered before her dam.

Thus no official name was given to the “Dun Mare” that was listed in the stud book as Frontera Sugar’s dam. This is the first situation that led to the omission of Palomino D.O. as the dam of Frontera Sugar.

Palomino D.O. was registered in 1947 with the number 8353.

When a list of registered foals out of Palomino D.O. was reconciled by the AQHA to show that she was the dam of these foals, Frontera Sugar was omitted.

This problem was compounded when a gelding brother to Frontera Sugar was listed as foaled in 1943. Frontera

Three Bars the sire of Sugar Bars was the great outcross for the American Quarter Horse Photo Courtesy the American Quarter Horse Journal

Leo and Sugar Bars combined to breed versatile horses giving them both a great legacy in the industry.

Photo Courtesy Author’s Files

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Sugar was foaled in 1943 or at least she was registered as foaled in 1943. Eagle contends that these kinds of errors were common in the early stud book and that they were mistakes made because of a lack of records kept by horsemen. Eagle tells us that horsemen of this era relied on performance instead of pedigree to select their breeding stock and that this led to lapses in memory that resulted in errors in the pedigrees.

Eagle gives us the pedigree of the dun mare as follows.

The Dun Mare (Palomino D.O.) was sired by a son of Ben Hur. The stud book gives the sire of the Dun Mare as Ben Hur not a son of Ben Hur. Eagle’s research found that Reynolds never owned a direct daughter of Ben Hur but did own several granddaughters of Ben Hur. According to Eagle, there were two sons of Ben Hur that could have sired the Dun Mare. Eagle felt that the Ben Hur horse he considered the sire of the Dun Mare (Palomino DO), was a son of Ben Hur out of an Ace of Hearts mare. The other Ben Hur stud was out of a thoroughbred mare that was given away by O. C. Dowe, the breeder of the Dun Mare. Ace Of Hearts was by the Dunderstadt Horse by Old Sykes Rondo.

Ace Of Hearts’ dam was Queen by Dedier.

The Dun Mare was out of a mare called the Reynolds Brothers Mare. Her breeding was unknown, and she was owned by O.C. Dowe, the breeder of Palomino D.O. The Reynolds Brothers listed as the breeders of this mare were not related to Pete Reynolds. The Reynolds Brothers owned the X Ranch at Kent, Texas.

The success of Sugar Bars as a sire can be attributed to several factors including his conformation, bloodlines

Flit a key mare in the legacy of Sugar Bars as a sire of versatile performers.

Photo Courtesy Author’s Files

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and speed. But a discussion of Sugar Bars’ influence on the Quarter Horse would not be complete without a look at his success with the Leo mares. The Sugar Bars on Leo mare cross is noted as one of the industries greatest “nicks.”

One of Bud Warren’s all-time great mares was Leo’s daughter Flit, Flit was second to Warren’s Leota W in the first Oklahoma Futurity. (Officially Flit was disqualified from second for interference in the Oklahoma Futurity.) Her first foal was King’s Pistol by King P-234. King’s Pistol was the first stallion to earn the NCHA World Champion Cutting Horse title. Warren describes Flit as a “little bitty bulldog powerhouse” and her record as a broodmare proves his point.

Flit’s dam was Julie W. by Joe Hancock. Some pedigrees will show that the Triangle mare was the dam of Flit, but Julie W later became her registered name. The stud book corrects this problem in its list of corrections.

Warren credits Julie W as the mare that started it all. Julie W. was the first Joe Hancock mare to be bred to Leo. Warren describes Julie W. as a “rugged, stout, not very pretty mare.”

He contends that she was a prime reason why others bred their Joe Hancock mares to Leo. Flit produced several foals by Sugar Bars. She was the dam of Flit Bar the influential sire in the barrel industry. He in turn is the sire of Fire Water Flit whose foals have won in excess of $2.9 million dollars. His foals include Firewater Fiesta, the 2000/2001 AQHA/WPRA Barrel Racing Horse of the Year and the winner of over $800,000 in barrel racing.

Dr Nick Bar is another successful barrel horse sired by Flit Bar. He was a successful barrel horse as a National Finals qualifier, and he earned 90 AQHA performance points in

Colonel Freckles the 1976 NCHA Futurity Champion and leading sire.

Photo Courtesy Author’s Files

....................................................................................................................................................................................................... a variety of events. He was the sire of Sugar Moon Express (Martha) and Flos Heiress (Babyflo) both World Champion Barrel horses. Both of these mares were AQHA/PRCA Barrel Horse of the Year.

Flit’s son Sugar Leo became the sire of Sugar Vaquero and Poco Sugar Leo. Sugar Vaquero was the 1973 NCHA World Champion Cutting Horse. Sugar Vaquero was a gelding son of Sugar Leo and the great producing mare Annie Wade, a daughter of Wimpy II. He was the 1972 NCHA Reserve World Champion and a fourth place finisher in the 1974 Top Ten and a member of the NCHA Hall of Fame. He was an AQHA Champion with points in pleasure to go with his cutting points.

Poco Sugar Leo was a ¾ brother to Sugar Vaquero, being out of Annie Wade’s daughter Poco Tianna. Poco Sugar Leo was the 1972 AQHA Honor Roll Working Cow Horse.

Jim Calhoun, the 1972 NCHA President and a good friend of Warren’s, echoes Warren’s thoughts on Sugar Bars being the “best looking son of Three Bars” he had seen. Calhoun, the owner of King’s Pistol, used Sugar Bars in his breeding program. He not only purchased a Sugar Bars’ son named Bob McCoy for his program but bred his mares directly to Sugar Bars. Bob McCoy was crossed on Calhoun’s King’s Pistol mares. This is a cross of Sugar Bars’ son on mares by Flit’s son King’s Pistol.

The AQHA Honor Roll Roping Horse Sugaro Pistol demonstrates Calhoun’s faith in the Sugar Bars/King’s

Pistol cross. Sugaro Pistol is sired by Bob McCoy and out of the mare Sugaree Pistol. Sugaree Pistol was sired by King’s Pistol and out of Sugie Bar Pistol by Sugar Bars.

Sugie Bar Pistol was out of a King’s Pistol mare named Little Jinkey. Thus Sugaro Pistol was 2 X 3 inbred to Sugar Bars and his dam was 2 X 4 linebred to Flit and King P-234 through King’s Pistol. Sugaro Pistol earned Superiors in reining and tie-down roping.

Calhoun considers Otoe, a AAA AQHA Champion son of Sugar Bars, as one of the best looking “foals” he’d ever seen. Otoe went to the track to run AAA and then went into halter competition to stand Grand Champion at some of the nation’s largest Quarter Horse shows. This includes the Grand Championship at the prestigious Fort Worth Stock Show. Otoe was out of Juleo, a full sister to Flit.

Otoe became a successful sire with 22 AQHA Champions including Toe Bars, 1972 AQHA Honor Roll Calf Roping Horse; Otoe’s Wonder, who was the sire of the 1977 AQHA Honor Roll Roping Horse, Wonder Trouble; Tee Cross; Magic Toes and Hard To Beat.

Otoe wasn’t the only good race and show horse sired by Sugar Bars and out of the mare Juleo. Justice Bars was a AAA/AQHA Champion from this cross. He was the earner of 12 race points, 32 halter points and 18 working points.

He was stakes placed in the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Futurity and earned over $9,000 on the track. Other ROM runners from this cross include Peck’s Bar, AAA; My Mary Bar, AAA; Wambe, AAA and Bold Design, 51-81.

Flit Bar shows us what the Sugar Bars/Leo cross looked like.

Photo Courtesy the Author’s Files.

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Julie W. did all right when bred to Sugar Bars. She was the dam of Sugar Horn, her only AAA runner. Lena Horn by Dock, a brother to King P-234, was out of Julie W. Lena Horn was the dam of Lena Leo. Lena Leo was the dam of Dan’s Sugar Bars, Sugar Maker and Sugar Bull, all AQHA Champions by Sugar Bars. Dan’s Sugar Bars was a AAA/AQHA Champion and sire of the Supreme Champion, Sugar Sabre.

Rosa Leo was one of the greatest producing daughters of Leo and she produced two AAA runners from her two foals sired by Sugar Bars. They were Counterplay and Counterpart.

Counterplay was a AAA/AQHA Champion and a stakes winner of The Bright Eyes Stakes. He earned over $25,000 on the track before earning a ROM in the arena and a Superior at halter. Counterplay was a successful sire with several AQHA Champions including Skoshi Bit. Connie Leo, a full sister to Tiger Leo, (by Leo and out of Connie TB) was the dam of two Sugar Bars runners. Her Sugar Bars’ foals were Connie Reba, AAA, and Connie Reb, AAA. Connie Reba was a AAA/AQHA Champion.

When Sugar Bars was bred to Leo Pan by Leo, they produced Jewel’s Leo Bar or Freckles as he was called. Freckles went onto sire horses like Freckles Playboy and Colonel Freckles both leading sires. Freckles Playboy the 1977 AQHA World Champion Junior Cutting Horse is the sire of horses that have won over $28 million and most of that is in cutting. Colonel Freckles the 1976 NCHA Futurity Champion is the sire of horses that have won over $4.4 million and is an influence on working cow horse and reining as well.

An interesting fact about the Sugar Bars/Leo cross was the genetic ties to Ultimus. As we saw, Sugar Bars was a 4 X 5 linebred Ultimus. Leo was sired by Joe Reed II, who was out of Nellene. Nellene was sired by Fleeting Time by High Time by Ultimus.

So all of the Leo mares contributed a shot of Ultimus blood to the Sugar Bars/Leo cross. Connie, the dam of Connie Leo, contributed even more Ultimus blood. Her dam was Fair Lawn by Infinite, a son of Ultimus.

Mr Sugar Boy by Sugar Bars is an NCHA Bronze Award winner that was third in the 1976 NCHA Top Ten and eighth in the 1974 NCHA Top Ten. He has an interesting pedigree as a son of Sugar Bars that is out of a daughter of Leo’s good son Croton Oil. Mr Sugar Boy’s dam Croton Breaks is out of My Belle, a daughter of Rey. Rey is the sire of Frontera Sugar. This makes Mr Sugar Boy a double bred Rey horse. This makes Mr Sugar Boy 5 X 6 X 7 X 5 linebred to Ultimus.

Not all of Sugar Bars good foals were out of Leo bred mares. Sugar Leda was the 1968 AQHA Honor Roll Halter Horse. She was out of Pesky’s Peggy by Pesky Britches. Pesky Britches was sired by Leather Britches

by Cowboy H. Cowboy H was a son of Peppy P-212.

The dam of Pesky’s Peggy was Sandy Lock by Hot Shot B by Cowboy H. Thus Pesky’s Peggy was 3 X 3 linebred to Cowboy H. Niner by Sugar Bars and out of 89’er by King was a good representative of Sugar Bars when he was crossed with King

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mares. Niner was the dam of the great halter stallion Wallaby

by Croton Oil. (Wallaby was 7 X 6 X 7 linebred to Ultimus.)

Sugar Line was out of Lady Line Rider by Poco Line Rider

by Poco Bueno. Sugar Line was the 1976 AQHA Honor Roll Reining Horse and the dam of the successful cutting horse Sugar Olena by Doc O’Lena.

Bud Warren shocked the Quarter Horse world in 1968 when he sold Sugar Bars to Sid Huntley and Dean Parker.

Warren had retained several Sugar Bars fillies and felt it was time to let his great sire go on. Huntley and Parker successfully stood Sugar Bars in California until the horse’s death in 1972.

At the time of his death, Sugar Bars had more foals registered with the AQHA than any other sire. His Quarter Horse Journal obituary described Sugar Bars as a horse “that could sire horses that could do anything that a Quarter Horse is supposed to do - race, show and perform.” These words are a fitting tribute to one of the greatest sires of versatility in the Quarter Horse breed.

Freckles Playboy the 1977 AQHA World Champion Junior Cutting Horse and the 1976 NCHA Futurity Co-Reserve Champion.

Photo Courtesy the Author’s Files

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If you change nothing, nothing changes

By Donene Taylor .......................................................................................................................................................................................................

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A

....................................................................................................................................................................................................... n important part of my morning routine is to read. I read information that will help me move forward towards my Bold Goals. As I opened my current edition of Success Magazine the statistics of how many people will quit on their goals/resolutions before the end of the year jumped off the page at me.

Research conducted by the University of Scranton found that only eight percent of those who set goals on January 1 achieve them by the end of the year.

Research conducted by Strava, the social network for athletes, has identified January 12, as the day millions of people throw in the towel on their goals/ resolutions, which they set at the beginning of January.

I began reflecting on how I used to be part of those statistics. I don’t recall throwing my sucker in the dirt specifically on January 12th. However, I will admit that I have full out quit on myself, my dreams, and my goals numerous times. I have experienced many of those “January 12th Days” throughout my life. That is, until I developed the self-awareness, which helped, identify the triggers that caused me to quit on my Bold Goals.

THE HAMPSTER WHEEL… AKA “THE INSANITY LOOP” I remember hitting the ground running the first of every year being hopeful, excited, full of focus and energy. I would be thinking, “This is the year I will do it!! This is the year I will win the World!!”

Then as the year progressed, I would experience a string of obstacles, struggles and challenges. I made numerous mistakes and experienced a stack of failures. All of a sudden instead of being full of the “can do spirit,” I would join the “poor pitiful me club” or the “ain’t

it awful club.” This “feeling” would be so overwhelming that I would stop and take a break from my Bold Goals. Or heck, let’s just call it what I really did, I quit.

I had absolutely no curiosity or fascination of what may be on the other side of the adversity I was experiencing. All I knew was that I was uncomfortable, I didn’t like this “feeling” and I believed the pain I was experiencing would go away once I quit.

Then, time would pass, and I would think, “You know, it was not that bad.” The spark, the desire, in my heart would start to fire-up. I would start again, hitting the ground running on January 1st excited and full of inspiration and motivation. I would tell myself, “This is the year I will Do It! This is the year I will win the World!” Only to experience the same obstacles, struggles, challenges, mistakes, failures, and adversities. It was painful. I didn’t like it. So, I would stop, take a break….I quit, again.

MY LIGHT BULB MOMENT I continued with this pattern of stop-starting, stop-starting, stop-starting for years. That is until I went to a Lyle Sankey Bull Riding School with my oldest son, Hunter. I share this story in my book, Heart of a Champion. I knew this school would be transformational for my son and I was confident Mr. Sankey would be the coach he needed to become a champion in the arena. I did not know that this school would be a crucial turning point for me to change my life and begin my journey of becoming someone I had never been before.

The first day of the school, 8 am, Mr. Sankey has all the students sitting together on the bleachers. I am sitting on the far edge of the bleachers. I have my pen, notebook and clipboard in my lap. In my mind, my job for the next three days is to be an expert note taker and stay plugged-in. I wanted to give Hunter the best opportunity for success, so we could take all the valuable information home with us and apply it.

Mr. Sankey asked the students, “Does anyone know the definition of insanity? I write down, Definition of Insanity – and wait for the answer. None of the students raise their hand so Mr. Sankey explains, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again expecting different results.” As I finish writing the definition, the light bulb in my head lights up. I realize this is exactly

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....................................................................................................................................................................................................... how I have been approaching my Bold Goal to win the World. I have been riding the “Insanity Loop.”

After we get home from this three-day school I am reviewing all my notes, diagrams and pictures. I begin brainstorming on how I will get off my “Insanity Loop.” While doing my morning chores it comes to me, I will write and sign a three-year contract with myself.

THE THREE-YEAR CONTRACT This contract was a rock-solid agreement with myself to stay committed to my roping for three years. My contract would have a No Matter What clause in it; “No Matter What the struggle, obstacle, challenge, adversity, results or how bad it gets or embarrassment I experience I will not stop for 3 years.”

Quitting was no longer an option. At the end of the three-year contract I could stop, if I wanted too. Or, I could renegotiate my contract. But until then, my three-year contract was sacred.

I knew the contract would not guarantee I would win the World. (Though I still hoped it may be possible.) The contract was about much more than winning. It was about helping me focus on my process. It was about developing the skill sets I needed. And most of all, it was

about committing to the journey – the journey of becoming someone I had never been before.

I wrote the contract and signed it. If you have read my book, Heart of a Champion, you know what happens next. It’s a good thing I had my contract in place, because I had no idea the obstacles – and heartbreak – that lay ahead.

If you are interested in what my three-year contract looked like you can go to my website; DoneneTaylor.com and enter your email address. Once downloaded you can print it off and customize the three-year contract and use it to accomplish your own Bold Goals. I have included another free resource titled: 7 Proven Strategies That Keep You Committed to Your Bold Goals.

If you are interested in purchasing my book, “Heart of a Champion,” it is available on Amazon.

After I signed my contract and I took quitting off the table as an option, something very unexpected happened. Instantly, my mind began looking for ways to “find a way” and “figure it out.” I no longer could resort back to my old ways of throwing my sucker in the dirt, throwing in the towel, stop-starting, and joining the popular “Ain’t It Awful and Poor Pitiful Me” clubs when life got difficult.

Eliminating those options listed above opened up my mind to gain some great self-awareness and create space for a lot of introspection, creativity, and outside of the box thinking. I began digging deeper and doing deep work on myself.

BENEFITS OF STAYING COMMITTED Here are some examples of what happened when I decided to Stay Committed to My Commitment: 1. I identified my “Big Why” for running down my Bold Goal.

My “Big Why” was

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....................................................................................................................................................................................................... much larger than I anticipated. It was much more than the saddle, gold buckle and my name in the record book. Identifying my “Big Why” helped me to “grow through” the adversity and got me to the other side of it. My “Big Why” was also an important part in helping me to find the “How” in attaining my Bold Goal.

2. I identified the Benefits I would receive as I was running down my Bold Goals.

I understood the benefits go much deeper than the prizes, title and accolades received from others. I gained awareness that I was receiving benefits from running down my Bold Goal already. I changed my perspective. I began seeing myself on a mission and a self-discovery journey. I began embracing the personal growth I was experiencing, the skill sets I was acquiring, relationships I was nurturing and the adventures I was living. These where the core benefits I needed to focus on every day.

3.I identified the Costs of running down my Bold Goals.

Bold Goals may cost more money and time than we originally anticipated. Bold Goals cost more than only money.

Here is a short-list of what my Bold Goals have cost me.

A. Getting outside my comfort zone. I have learned to be really comfortable being uncomfortable.

B. Take risks, “Be Scared” and do it anyway. I learned to look for opportunities to lean into and run towards my fear.

C. Invest time in planning my 168 hours each week, my 86,400 seconds every day. I am striving to be better today than I was yesterday. Becoming a savage of my time is a great strategy in helping me do this.

D. Say “No” to things I want right now so I can say

“Yes” to what really matters later. I have learned the value of delayed gratification.

When running down Bold Goals it is important to finish this equation: Ask yourself, “Do My Benefits outweigh My Costs of running down My Bold Goal?

My benefits of being on the journey to becoming the best version of myself unequivocally outweighed my costs. Running down my Bold Goals have been difficult, challenging and hard. I assure you; it was worth it!

I want to encourage you to run down your Bold Goals.

It doesn’t matter if it is January 1st, 12th or June 22nd, the only way you can do it is by taking one step at a time.

The best way to start is to take the first step. Even if your step is small, it counts! Every step counts and every step matters when you are Bold Goal Getting! I assure you if I can do it; you can do it too! Follow me on Facebook and Instagram and tune in every Monday for a new “Mental Performance Strategy.”

ONE-ON-ONE COACHING A great way to accomplish your goals is to have a coach that can serve as your guide to success. As a Certified Mental Performance Coach, I have had the opportunity to help many well-known athletes close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. I would love to do the same for you! Sign up for one-on-one coaching session with me over video chat and let’s chase down your Bold Goals! Contact me at donenetaylor@gmail.com .

About Donene: Donene Taylor is a professional author and speaker who delivers energizing and fun, inspirational/motivational presentations to many different organizations and teams. As a Certified Mental Performance Coach she provides oneon-one coaching for clients that range from professional to junior athletes and working professionals who need an edge to succeed.

She joined the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association in 1998 and became a Women’s Professional Rodeo Association World Champion TieDown Calf Roper in 2016 at the age of 52. Donene is also a 4-time WPRA Mountain States Circuit Champion Tie-Down Calf Roper.

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The Weaver Way | Stan Weaver reflects on his time in AQHA leadership and the

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By Lindsay Vee A horse purchased in 1971 ultimately set the trajectory of Stan Weaver’s life. Born and raised a rancher, Weaver’s dad bought his first American Quarter Horse that year. The family has been raising Quarter Horses and Weavers on the Big Sandy, Montana ranch ever since.

In 1981 Weaver and his wife, Nancy, purchased their first Quarter Horse mare, Stormy Dun Dee. From there they “just grew.”

And grow they did-- their broodmare band now hovers around 100. It

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wasn’t ever something Weaver pursued, it all “just kind of happened.”

Raising cattle, horses and kids on the Weaver ranch was always the dream. Becoming a renowned Quarter Horse breeder, and eventually president of the American Quarter Horse Association, a role he will be concluding at the end of 2019, is a fringe benefit Weaver still doesn’t quite believe came true.

“I just like raising good horses,” he said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think we would have horses accomplish such great things.”

horses that helped him get there .......................................................................................................................................................................................................

A herd of legends A yearling out of that very first mare Weaver and his wife bought was named AQHA High Point Horse of the Year after qualifying in five events for the 2009 AQHA world show. Ima Tuff Missy took home the silver globe in the heading that year.

This is just one of many stories Weaver has to tell of his colts.

The accolades are nice, but each spring when new life hits the ground that’s what keeps Weaver in the game.

“When we first started raising horses we just did it for our ranch like we did when I was growing up,” Weaver said. “It was in the mid ’90s that we decided to have a production sale and started acquiring more horses to fill that.

Ima Bit of Heaven was the stud they built their foundation on. He was born in 1996, out of Smart Little Lena and Peppys From Heaven, an own son of Peppy San Badger. From that foundation they built a reputation that has seen horses in all 50 states and several foreign countries excelling in any discipline that involves a horse and a cow, and then some.

Not just any horse meets Weaver’s high standards. Keeping with the definition of the American Quarter Horse, Weaver demands speed, cow sense, solid feet and versatility in his herd.

“We have a lot of Smart Little Lena, especially in the mares,” Weaver said. “I really like the cutting bloodlines, so we are using two grandsons of Highbrow Cat.” Speckled sorrel coats are evidence of the late Highbrow Cat, but the proof is also in the performance. As Weaver continues using cow horse lines, he’s started adding some new blood to the mix.

“In the last few years we’ve added a little more speed through our grandson of Dash For Perks and a Frenchman’s Guy son,” Weaver said. “We’ve stayed pretty true to our cow horse lines over the years though.”

Keeping with the foundational roots of the American Quarter Horse, Weaver also cited Grays Starlight, Tuf N Busy and Peptoboonsmal as major contributors to his colts.

“Stan has a great understanding of what a good ranch horse is,” said AQHA CEO Craig Huffhines. “There are so many facets of our great Quarter Horse that can be utilized thanks to the versatility of that animal and Stan understands the impact the horse has on the different segments of the industry.”

As a rancher, Huffhines said Weaver has his finger on the pulse of the equine industry. From his ranch in Big Sky country, Weaver stays connected to every segment of the Quarter Horse world: racing, western pleasure, cutting, reining, and everything in between.

“What I like about Stan is his ranching roots,” Huffhines said.

“I have an affinity for people who work with their hands, with livestock and natural resources, and who have an appreciation for good genetics and marketing good stock. Stan has all of that.”

More than a ribbon In the early days, Weaver showed a lot of colts simply because he harbors a fundamental understanding of marketing livestock. When you have a high-quality product like Weaver, it essentially sells itself. Eventually.

“You have to advertise a lot to promote your horses and we did that in the early 2000s,” Weaver said. “I think a lot of people believe just because other people can sell horses that means they

can. Sometimes people just expect it to come and they don’t work for it.”

Weaver worked for his place among the AQHA elite. Not only is he raising top Quarter Horses, he’s using them to run his commercial cowherd.

“Everyone is different and has their own situation but running our horses and cattle together works for us,” he said. “Horses utilize some country that cattle won’t. Some of our country is rough and steep. The cattle tend to hang around water but horses will trail back and forth.”

Weaver’s common-sense way of thinking can be attributed to his ranching heritage. Known for his quiet demeanor in even the most chaotic situation, perhaps it was developed through years of working cattle.

“When you work with people who make their living ranching, you get a different perspective from them,” Huffhines said.

“Within the equine industry things can be very fast paced and intense sometimes. Stan has been that really calming presence on our executive committee.”

Servant leadership Big changes are never easy, especially when it comes to the technology variety. Stan stepped in to lead the AQHA through turbulent waters.

“As president Stan had to navigate a really challenging year with a lot of transformation,” Huffhines said. “Stan brought a lot to the table, his humble, servant heart being one of them. He is always thinking about our members.”

Through the summer months, the association didn’t just deal with the unrelenting Texas heat. They were also under fire from membership as wait times on registrations and transfers stretched long on account of the technological updates.

“Stan has fielded hundreds of phone calls from members with concerns about the computer system,” Huffhines said. “He explained our situation and in extreme cases he helped make connections for those in crisis mode.”

Although the AQHA is a member-driven organization, they are in the business of data management. It just comes with the territory. It’s also why merging new and old technology was mandatory for sustainable success as an association.

“Stan’s legacy as president will be for charting the course during such a challenging time,” Huffhines added. “One thing we cannot forget is that each executive committee member sacrifices five years of their life.”

The AQHA president finds his stride where the rubber meets the road. Stan spent a significant amount of time overseas making connections with international members.

“This whole deal is a partnership – the ranch and my time on the executive committee,” Weaver said. “Nancy has had just as much to say about our success as I have.”

Both Huffhines and Weaver agree, without a strong family foundation to keep the home fires burning the executive committee couldn’t do their job. It’s safe to say, the family behind Weaver helped prepare him for this challenging, life-altering year.

“When you have leaders with a humble, servant heart, amazing things can happen,” Huffhines said. “That’s been Stan’s gift to the association.”

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