Gary McCoy has been a world champion many times.
The Select rider from Fortville, Indiana, has been racing in speed events since he was 8, and he has three world championships in pole bending to his name. One title has eluded him though: barrel racing.
That drought ended September 1 when Gary rode Mr Flit To Kill to a speedy first-place finish at the Bayer Select World Championship Show at the Amarillo National Center in Amarillo.
“I’m really tickled about the barrel race today,” Gary said. “We’ve had a lot of success in the pole bending, and I really like that, but I just never could win a barrel race, and today was the day.”
Gary has owned and trained the 6-year-old “Mister” since the sorrel gelding was a weanling.
“It was a nice run for this horse,” Gary said. “I was really pleased with him. He’s had a good year this year, so I was real tickled with the way he went in and ran. The ground was a little hard, but it was the same way for everybody, and we just got lucky today.
“This horse, you can really send him to a first barrel really, really hard, and he just generally sets down and works really well about every time,” Gary said. “He’s drawn a paycheck every weekend except one this year.”
Gary, a single father, plans to take Mister home and race him at AQHA shows in Indiana.
“He’s second in the nation right now with points,” Gary said, “so we’ll probably stay home and try to get some more AQHA points and try to get a little Incentive Fund money. That’s always nice, and AQHA’s good about this program, and people need to support it, so that’s what I’m trying to do – support it. It’s a good program, it’s pretty nice.”
Horse name: Mr Flit To Kill
Pedigree: Flit To Kill x Bradys Pet Bar by O'Quinn's Bar
Exhibitor: Gary McCoy
Owner: Gary McCoy
Total class entries: 8
Purse: $1,600
World Champion Prizes: Custom-designed gold-tone trophy, Montana Silversmiths buckle with 14K gold overlay, Tex Tan product, Cripple Creek Outerwear logoed jacket, neck wreath. |
