Q: Congratulations. Could you walk us through that ride?
VICKI: It was just really the whole strategy. Everybody else (in the jump-off) had a rail. I was wanting to be clean and not have a rail because then we really would have had to speed up to make the time, but he was still faster. Just a gallop through the whole thing and keep your fingers crossed at each one.
Q: How did (the course) ride?
VICKI: It rode good; it rode really good. Lots of little tidy turns here and there, so it was a good little course.
Q: I understand he had a little bit of (health) trouble last year?
VICKI: Well, he was here last year and he actually bowed a tendon here in the finals last year at the very last jump in the jump-off.
Q: How did you take care of him?
VICKI: We had stem cells done to him, and he didn’t get to come back (to competition) until about two weeks before the end of qualifying, so we qualified him in two shows at the end of the year, just a song and prayer getting him back.
Q: Some people might wonder why you don’t retire an older horse.
VICKI: He’s just not ready to retire. He doesn’t know that he’s 21. He still dances and prances around out here like he was a 4-year-old, and I think he’ll tell me when he’s ready to retire.
Q: So can we look for you back again next year?
VICKI: Absolutely.
Q: He’s by (famous barrel racing sire) Jet Of Honor. Have you ever barrel-raced him?
VICKI: (laughing) Well, when he came off the track, he actually went to some barrel racers, and I think he got too big for them, and they sold him to a lady to do hunter under saddle, and he was too hot for her, and he and I got along just great.
