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2009 AMATEUR VERSATILITY WORLD CHAMPION SIXSATIONAL WIN! BY CHRISTINE HAMILTON, JOURNAL EDITOR
No one knew that Robert Valdez’ win in amateur ranch trail - the very first class of the 2009 Fort Dodge Versatility Ranch Horse World Championship - was a forecast of how he and Sixsation, aka “Pat,” would end up. At the end of the first day of competition on January 14, the banker from La Junta, Colorado, and the pretty sorrel mare were tied for first with Lia Savas and Hygrolena. After their win in the trail, the two finished fourth in both amateur ranch riding and amateur ranch cutting. But January 15th’s competition was all Robert and Pat’s; they won both the amateur working ranch horse and amateur ranch conformation to clinch the win. The Journal caught up with Robert just outside the Denver Coliseum arena. He barely had time to celebrate; his wife, Betty Lou, is also showing Pat in the open competition, and her final classes are yet to come. Q. Congratulations! What are you thinking? Robert: I can’t believe it. Betty Lou’s dad (Herb Greathouse) raised this mare. We’re just sad that he couldn’t be here, you know, he died a couple of years ago. He would have loved to have been here today. I came last year (with Sixsation), but I ended up breaking a pattern and ended up fourth (overall). The goal this year was to just come and try not to do that and get through everything. It worked out pretty good. Q. Give us a play-by-play of the competition over the last two days. Robert: My biggest thing is just trying to stay on pattern. I just haven’t shown as much as Betty Lou has. She just kept telling me to stay focused and don’t let the little things get you. That was my biggest concern. She said the mare will take care of you. I owe everything to Betty Lou; she was the one who encouraged me to do it. She helps me and drives me to ride on the weekends and practice. I really owe a lot to her. Q. Tell us about Sixsation. Robert: When Betty Lou’s dad passed away, he had bred one of his mares; we got the mare and she had the (filly). We raised her and trained her, so she’s pretty special. The mare’s nickname is “Pat,” for Betty Lou’s mom. A few years ago, she grew too fast and her sesamoid (bones) detached. We were actually thinking about putting her down. We put her in a cast for about six months and finally got her over it. We’ve been able to show her now for a couple of years. She’s done great. Betty Lou has been showing her in the cow horse quite a bit, and I showed her, too. I’m not sure what we’re going to do with her now. (Robert competed on Pat in the amateur working cow horse at the 2008 AQHA World Championship Show. Betty Lou showed her to seventh place in the cow horse at the 2008 Bayer Select World Championship Show.) Q. Tell us about yourself, and how you got into showing American Quarter Horses. Robert: I grew up on farm, and we ran cows during the summer. My dad was a farmer and my mom was a school secretary for several years. I went to Colorado State University, and that’s where I met Betty Lou. We both just love the horses; we’ve been married about 16 years now. When Betty Lou and I met, all I did was rodeo and rope, and she convinced me that I needed to be a better horseman than what I was. She talked me into starting to show a couple of years ago. Q. How has it been to campaign Pat through this competition, with you in the amateur and Betty Lou in the open? Robert: It’s been a little tough just because it’s been a long day for (Pat), actually, and now she has to go back and do the cutting and the cow horse. But the mare has been a little bit fresh so, hopefully, with the layoff (in the afternoon) she’ll be fine, and might be a little better. Q. Looking back on your accomplishments in this competition, what makes you most proud? Robert: The working cow horse. That class is so specialized, and the horses have gotten so good. One of our biggest accomplishments with this mare is that we raised her and bred her and trained her, and she’s been able to make the finals of just about every major show (we pointed her at). Just knowing that she can compete with those horses and get in there with them. Fun Fact: It’s a versatility ranch horse family! Betty Lou Valdez was the 2008 amateur versatility ranch horse reserve world champion on Little Bell Pepper; an injury prevented her from showing the gelding this year. Robert and Betty Lou’s daughter, Kelly, is currently leading the standings for the year-end awards in youth versatility ranch horse.
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