YEARLING STALLIONS

A UNANIMOUS DECISION.

BY KIMBERLY FRENCH, JOURNAL INTERN.

All five judges bestowed the 2006 world champion yearling stallion crown upon Acoolest.

Owned and bred by Rita Crundwell of Dixon, Illinois, Acoolest boosted his breeding stock in becoming 2006 world champion yearling stallion. Ross Roark, trainer and exhibitor of Acoolest, thinks the yearling stallion could be a boon for the halter industry.

“He’s just a super, super balanced horse,” Ross said. “He’s what we need for our industry right now. He’s just a really, really good individual.”

“Cool” has a great mind and a sunny disposition. Even at his tender age, he knows his job. When he steps into the show ring, his mind is on business.

 “He’s a super-minded colt,” Ross said. “His temperament is as good as there is. He’s a show horse. The entire time I showed him today, he never put his ears back. He knows he is a special individual, and he showed it.”

Acoolest, world champion yearling stallion, with his trainer and exhibitor Ross Roark and owner Rita Crundwell at the 2006 World Show.

Cool is bred to shine in the arena. The sorrel stallion’s dam, Attest, was the 2003 amateur world champion aged mare and the 2002 world champion 3-year-old mare. Cool is her first foal. Ross led the world champion mare during her show career and thinks the colt’s pedigree combined with his show career could make him a top stallion prospect.

“He’s got a great mama,” Ross said. “His dad, Coolest, is a great breeding horse. He’s got the license to be a very, very top breeding horse. Especially with the broodmares Rita and Jim McKillips have gathered, they could really do a lot for our industry.”

Cool’s connections intend to show him next year.

“We’ll be anxious to see what he does,” Ross said. “We’ll probably show him next year and build around him as a breeding horse.”

Ross is extremely grateful for the opportunity to lead Cool to a world championship.

“I just wanted to thank Jim and Rita for letting me show their top horses,” Ross said. “I win with them, but I have to have the horses. They let me show good horses. They have been good to me and my family, and I just want to thank them for it.”