Several past attempts have failed while the BHBA has exceeded the one-year goal for registry by 700 %. Why is that ?
Every new concern has surprises . What ’ s that been for the BHBA ?
What do you hope will be the most important change in the future of bucking horses brought on by the BHBA ?
RULES & REGULATIONS
Registered Bucking Horses :
Does knowing your horse ' s genetics and ancestry matter ?
By Lori O ' Harver
Governance is important but rules aren ’ t to be confused with commandments . What has served one generation or phase of business needs constant review to stay relevant .
Join Rodeo Fame and Bronc Riding Nation as we explore the good , the bad and the visionaries who keep the bucking horse industry growing and satisfying to those who depend on the standards set to provide fairness for contestants , horse owners and most importantly , the fans who want to fall in love .
One short year ago , the Bucking Horse Breeder ’ s Association ( BHBA ) posthumously registered BHBA # 1 , Tooke Bucking Horse ’ s foundation sire , General Custer . Working with University of California – Davis to provide DNA verification , the BHBA started with the Tooke ’ s visionary program that is believed to be the first to selectively , purposely breed horses to buck . The official registry for bucking horses is growing fast and is a huge benefit to those involved in every aspect of the industry .
BHBA President Steve Stone is a former bareback rider , horseman and plays bass for Casey Donahew Band . Here ’ s what he had to say about the past , present and future of the least understood performance horse in the world .
What was the inspiration for the BHBA ?
SS : I bought a lot of practice horses for my son that included several colts , so I went to check out a United Bucking Horse Association futurity to see if that was a game I wanted to get involved in . Everybody there was talking about their youngster ’ s pedigree with no proof that they were bred like they thought they might be . If the bucking horse community is to grow , legitimacy is important . We saw a way to fix that .
Several past attempts have failed while the BHBA has exceeded the one-year goal for registry by 700 %. Why is that ?
SS : First , we looked carefully at successful registries like AQHA and took what we learned to the historians and visionaries at the Tooke Ranch in Ekalaka , Montana . Putting the DNA from their foundation sire , General Custer , in the data base first impacts most of today ’ s horses who trace back to the historic breeding program . General Custer ’ s DNA has allowed us to give owners legitimate information regarding their horse ’ s pedigree that is valuable .
Every new concern has surprises . What ’ s that been for the BHBA ?
SS : None from an administrative standpoint . For our members registering with us , there has been one common eye-opener . First , know that the true horsemen of the community were the first to join the registry . They ’ ve always kept extensive pedigree and production records . What we ’ re finding is that the science involved in verifying parentage is proving that , despite outstanding effort on the part of these conscientious owners , records fail . First , most bucking horses are pasture bred and sometimes , stallions manage to roam . What ’ s most interesting is some mares originally thought to be the dam of a given foal will be wrong . Tough by nature and range raised , if a predator takes a foal , that dam is likely to steal a replacement from a more timid mare .
What do you hope will be the most important change in the future of bucking horses brought on by the BHBA ?
SS : We hope to legitimize bucking horses and increase their value in ways that haven ’ t been done before . I ’ m a dreamer and clearly see ways to elevate bucking horses and their people through supporting programs for registered horses . We ’ re working to put those programs in place in a sustainable way , because anything less than a well thought out , perfectly executed plan does disservice . Our passion is bucking horses and every member of the BHBA team is inspired to work to strengthen the community .
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