Gary Lynn Olson won the 2007 Select world championship in working cow horse with Justa Nutha Tucker, the 1994 gray gelding she also won an amateur world championship on in 2004. She also brought her other horse, 18-year-old Smart Little Scamp, who had won two senior working cow horse world championships but had never won a world championship with Gary Lynn aboard. That was until August 30; with a 213.5 in the rein work and a 216.5 in the cow work, Gary Lynn and “Sam” took their first world championship title together. With a big smile on her face, Gary Lynn was very happy to talk to the Journal about their winning run.
Q. Tell me about your ride today.
I was tickled to death with it. He was so good. He didn’t cheat me anywhere. I tried to go fast in the circles but not so fast that I would have no horse left for what could be a fast cow. I was really tickled with his stops and his turns. His dry work was more than I could have asked for. I was very happy with it.
Q. What about your fence work?
When the first cow came out, he had some really cute cutting moves but, boy, when he cut in front of me going down the fence, I just had visions of crashing. I’ve seen a few of those so I was a little shaken. I was really glad they blew the whistle. The second cow wasn’t as cute on the end but it was a little more feely down the fence and a little better to turn. I think I did get a one point penalty on the second turn and the third turn felt really good. I was like, “Oh, I better finish this.” I went to the center with still a lot of cow, so the first circle was really big. But when I changed directions, I thought he wrapped the second circle up really good. I was happy about that.
Gary Lynn Olson and 18-year-old Smart Little Scamp won the working cow horse finals with a composite score of 429.5.
Q. So you were able to show off your horse some with the second cow?
Oh, yeah. I was just hoping, “He’s an older horse, and I hope I have enough gas left after working that first one a little bit.” But it all worked out. Then you come out and cross your fingers for the score. I’ve been waiting for a long time to do this well on this horse. He’s pretty cool, and he’s older.
Q. Tell me a little bit about Smart Little Scamp.
He’s won the world in the senior (working cow horse) twice. Todd Crawford won it with him in 1998. I think Benny (Guitron) tried to buy him then. But some people who are friends of mine from Montana bought him first – the Parkinsons. And then he was with Don Murphy. When the Parkinsons’ son, Shadd, decided to go be a professional, he was put up for sale again. I got a phone call while sitting in my kitchen doing bookwork one day. Benny was at a horse show and he’s like, “I hope you have some money right now because ‘Sam’ is for sale.” Sam is the nickname of Smart Little Scamp. “We really need to jump on this. You need this horse.” Luckily, I had just sold some property, so I had some money. We bought him. Benny showed him a couple of years. I took him home and showed him a little. Then Benny won the senior on him in 2002. Then I got him after that. But Sam is a cool horse and everybody who has ridden him thinks a lot of him. Todd always asks about him. Nelle Murphy and Don always ask about him. He’s just so special, (Tears well up in Gary Lynn’s eyes.) I am so happy to win this on him because he’s 18. You don’t know how many more years. But he’s so smart and so cowy. He’s just so easy. I wish he was about 4.
Q. I heard Sam wasn’t shown his first time until he was 7. Is that true?
It was kind of a funny deal with him. Sam was started as a cutter. As the story goes, which I got third-hand, Chubby Turner’s son, this was supposed to be his horse and he was sliding past the cow too far for a cutter. And Chubby’s son didn’t like him so the horse got demoted to turnback horse. When Todd Crawford was still in California he asked about Sam, and they said, “Oh, yeah. He’s Smart Little Lena and out of a good mare but he slides past the cattle.” And Todd’s like, “That’s not a problem.” So Deb Henry bought him, and she kept him with Todd. Then after he won the senior, they sold him to Shadd. It’s not like the horse has been shown to death. But it’s not all bad. He’s in good shape and has very few health problems.
Q. What are your plans for him?
I’m not sure. My whole goal when I bought him was to win a world title. Then when he was reserve in 2003 with me. I was like, “Oh, can we go again?” In 2004, he just didn’t feel right. I think he might have been warmed up too long. I didn’t warm him up myself that day because I was showing two. In 2005, he got hurt in his stall at the (AQHA World Championship Show). It was real hot that year and he was rolling in his stall and got cast. He hurt his hip. I took him out and he’s like dragging a hind leg. So I scratched him. Then showed him in 2006, I didn’t draw good. I didn’t ride good. It was just like, “Oh, this is never going to happen.” And in 2007, if you remember, I went off pattern in the prelims on him. I just kicked myself. So here we are again. I guess my biggest goal was to stay on pattern in the prelims and get back to the finals.
Q. Will you try to bring him back next year?
I don’t know. We’ve always said if I win one on him, we’ll retire him. I just don’t know. He’s funny. I take both of my horses home to Montana in the summer and they get turn out time and they don’t really like being out. Sam will run to the bottom of the pasture and act like a big stud horse. He’ll eat for a while and I’ll turn around in like half an hour, and Sam is at the gate pawing, wanting back in the barn. I don’t know. I hate to make predictions. We may just retire him, and we may not. They are hard to come by. They are really hard to come by. I’ve got one young one in the wings and another one that has an injury and we bred her. I don’t know.
Q. Is there anyone you would like to thank?
Oh, Benny of course. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have either horse but I definitely wouldn’t have Sam. Thank goodness for cell phones so he could call me that day. Benny does such a good job of keeping him legged up and healthy. I think Sam is not really hard to keep in tune because he’s pretty smart. But the guy who does the training is mostly responsible and Benny knows how to make them fit me, too. Benny has been great with him. All of the guys who had him before have been pretty good hands all along. And thanks to Chubby’s son for not liking him.
Fun Fact: Gary Lynn Olson used to show another breed of horse but switched to Quarter Horses because she was constantly being beat by Quarter Horses in the show ring.
