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SPECIAL NOTE: Read below for a special recap of this past year's world show. ROPING THE WORLD AT 22 SCOTTISH BLUE BOOTS’ FIRST WORLD COMPETITION. BY MEGAN BROWNELL, JOURNAL INTERN When most horses are enjoying green pastures and thriving on senior feed, Scottish Blue Boots is a 22-year-old gray gelding who still makes solid roping runs. Owned and ridden by Klas Holgerson of Winters, California, “Blue” qualified in January in amateur heading for his first trip to the AQHA World Show. Blue came into Klas’s life two years ago when his girlfriend, Lise von Uhlit, heard from a friend about an old gray horse they had in pasture. With Klas new to competitive riding, Lise wanted to find a well-trained and seasoned horse for him. Klas purchased the gelding and decided he wanted to learn how to swing a rope. Making a living as a farrier, Klas started training with Team Wrangler member J.D. Yates of Pueblo, Colorado, in May. “I try to go once a month and fly out there,” Klas said. “I’ll go out there and J.D. will say, ‘Blue needs to stay a little while, or send him home, you need to stay a little while Klas!’” The old gelding by Scottish Blue and out of Dial Boots by Dial Good, might be nearing retirement age, but his health and will to perform keep him strong. “Is he the best rope horse here? Probably not,” Lise continued, “But he is just awesome and gives 200 percent. “Every person that has even imagined starting to ride, don’t be afraid of those old horses - they have so much to teach you,” she said. Klas and Lise agreed Blue has been an asset to them. From a pony horse to giving friends confident rides, Blue is there for them. Their friend, Robin Frid of Denton, Texas, had never roped anything but roping dummies. He visits Lise every year and went out to California right after Klas purchased Blue. Following practice with a 4-wheeler dummy, Robin took Blue to a live roping. “One thing about Blue is he’s really quick. I nodded, they opened the chute and he took off like a bolt of lightning after this calf,” Robin continued, “I swung up the rope and caught my boot!” Knowing that a lot of horses feel the rope swing and start to turn, Robin was impressed that Blue stayed straight. He swung again and got his boot a second time. Swinging a third time, “He just stayed straight as an arrow and we were about two-thirds down the arena. I swung twice, threw and I caught. The second I did, Blue turned just like he was supposed to,” Robin said remembering his first roping success. “He’s a great teaching horse,” Robin said. “He just takes perfect care of you.” Lise and Klas smiled as Robin told his story about Blue. “People think (they don’t want) the old horse that’s had so many years on him, but if you get one year out of a great horse, he can teach you something,” Lise said. “I prayed everyday that Blue would live to make it to the World Show, and he’s here!” Klas rides his patient and trusted gelding in the amateur heading preliminaries on November 7.
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