It’s historic for Bob Story, D.V.M., longtime racetrack veterinarian. Well-known in racing circles, “Doc” Story has found little time for showing in between the busy racetrack schedules at Sunland Park, El Paso, Texas, and Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico. He and his weanling stallion, BRT Limited Edition, walked out of their first world championship arena with a gold trophy. The Journal managed to catch up with Doc, all smiles with the win, just before he headed back to Ruidoso.
Q. How does it feel to win a world championship?
Doc: It feels great, I’ll tell you what. I’ve been away from the show ring for quite some time because of my commitments to racing. It’s nice to get back in the show ring and win a world championship. It’s my first world championship. I bought a colt for my little sister and she won the Youth World in yearling geldings back in the '70s. So I kind of claim that world championship too, because I purchased him for her and helped her fit him. This is the first one that I have shown.
Q. What brought you back to it right now?
Doc: I’ve had show horses all along. My daughter has shown. But I’m a veterinarian at the racetrack, and my commitment to racing is seven days a week. I can barely get away. I have five finalists in the All American Futurity this year, so I have to go back tonight to get them ready for the big race. I was never able to get away. I purchased this colt last spring, and he won the (Palomino Horse Breeders of America) world. Wayne (Halvorson), my trainer, said you need to come to the (Bayer Select World Championship Show) because he’s a good colt. You may not have this opportunity again. I said, you know what, I’m going to get up early in the morning, I’m going to drive late at night, and I’m going to get there. It was very much worth it.
Q. As a racetrack man, is there any difference in what you look for in a weanling headed to the halter show pen versus the racetrack?
Doc: There are just a few minor differences. But a well-balanced horse is a well-balanced horse, and it carries across the performance lines, the racing lines and, hopefully, the halter lines. I think this colt is a very well-balanced colt. That’s why I purchased him. My son-in-law saw him at 3 days of age and said you need to look at this colt. The first day I was able to get away I took 24 hours in between the two race meets at Sunland Park and Ruidoso, I ran back to Oklahoma, looked at him and purchased him. The rest is history.
Bob Story, D.V.M., racetrack veterinarian from Sunland Park, New Mexico, won his first world championship in Select weanling stallions with BRT Limited Edition.
Q. Is there anyone else you’d like to thank?
Doc: I’d like to thank my daughter (Ryan) and my mother for keeping me in the business as far as showing goes. My mother runs my ranch in Oklahoma, and my daughter conditions some of our show horses and has shown them in the past. We just had a new granddaughter three weeks ago, so she’s out of commission for a little while, so I came back in.
Q. Anything else to add?
Doc: Just that I hope everyone comes to the All American (Futurity)!
Fun Fact: BRT Limited Edition has now won the weanling stallions at the Bayer Select World and the open weanling stallions at the PHBA World, led by Wayne Halvorson. Reserve in both of those classes went to horses owned by James Melvin Kifer: JMK Supercharged at the PHBA, led by Buddy Laney, and JMK Hyperbole at the Select.
WINNER STATS
Horse name: BRT Limited Edition Pedigree: 2008 palomino stallion by Mr Yella Fella and out of Tetotallyaconclusion by Im Tee Totally Cool Exhibitor: Bob Story, D.V.M, Sunland Park, New Mexico Owner: Gary and Linda Gordon, Roanoke, Texas Trainer: Wayne Halvorson
Total class entries: 13
World Champion Prizes: Custom-designed gold-tone trophy, Montana Silversmiths buckle, neck wreath, gold medallion, Cripple Creek-logo jacket, world champion patch, Tex Tan product
