AQHA Pro Horseman Don Bell of Whitesboro, Texas, led Double Oh 7 to the 2007 world championship in weanling stallions. The colt is owned by his wife, Joetta.

“I’m always glad to see you gals,” said AQHA Pro Horseman Don Bell to the Journal winning run interview crew after the weanling stallions class early November 16.

Why? Because that means he’s a world champion. The crew follows every winning exhibitor out of the Norick Arena back to the barns to talk to them while the adrenaline is still high from the win.

And this win was extra special in many ways for Don.

For one, his newly crowned 2007 world champion weanling stallion, Double Oh 7, is a palomino colt owned by Don’s wife, Joetta. And just over a week ago, Joetta herself led the colt to the world championship in amateur weanling stallions.

“We had the opportunity to buy this horse through Jimmy Hardin from Bill Huckabee in the middle of the summer,” Don said. “And I’m very fortunate for those guys selling the colt to us.”

For another, the colt is by Golden Gunslinger, aka “Jessie,” the stallion that Don trained to three AQHA halter world championships and two Palomino Horse Breeders of America world championships through his 2-year-old year.

Tragically, the stallion sired only two crops of foals before his untimely death in 2006. And that’s one of the reasons Don and Joetta bought Double Oh 7.

“He looked a lot like his daddy,” Don said. “He had a lot of width to him, real pretty balanced, real elegant. And you know, since his daddy’s not around anymore, and he only had two foal crops, so hopefully he’ll carry on what his dad didn’t finish.”

The win was a battle among some top weanling colts. Don and Double Oh 7 were tied with Ted Turner and Extraordinarre for first and won it with the tiebreaker judge.

“You know, I sold his daddy, and we’ve had a lot of guys come and ask about this colt this week,” Don added. “We just really don’t want to sell him. I think we’ll keep him.

“We’ll bring him back next year and do some bigger shows,” he continued. “The poor guy’s been sick all week. We were just really lucky to get him through to today, so we’ll hit maybe the stock shows. We hadn’t really thought past today yet!”

It’s been a big World Show for Don and Joetta both. Joetta and her mare, Sweet Talkin Jeannie, ended up fifth in the Sooner Trailer All-Around Amateur standings, winning reserve world championships in amateur western pleasure and amateur western riding along the way. The Bells had a retirement party for the mare at their World Show stalls November 15.

“We’ve had a great show and look forward to coming back next year,” Don said. “The barns are so nice and this place is just a whole different facility this year. It’s been great all week.”