The first time my father put a cowboy hat on my head and gave me a pair of boots, I knew I wanted to be a cowboy. Early in life, Bobby became interested in the ways of the Spanish Vaquero and the methods in which they trained their horses. It was about time, patience, and knowing what equipment to use at the right age to preserve him for a later age.
He started his show career at the age of 12 and his passion was showing horses. At the age of 15 he won the western Horsemanship of California sponsored by the American Horse show association, He was “top western boy”. At 17, he trained his first hackamore horse Poco Ace and won the hackamore class at Clements Stampede the first time he showed him.
In 1958 Bobby went to work for Bill Howard training and showing American Quarter horses. He has 22 American Quarter horse championships to his credit, along with champions of many different breeds.
In the 70’s Bobby became interested in training and showing in cutting horses. He was the 1983 World Champion NCHA novice on Cat House Thursday. He was the 1994 Pacific Coast Open cutting champion and 9th in the world on Kit Skeeto. He was also the 1995 Oregon Futurity Champion and the derby Champion on Tangys Classy Peppy. His Lifetime NCHA earing are $350,000
In 1970 Bobby formed the Worlds Championship Snaffle Bit Futurity in the CRCHA. He is a three times World Champion and a three times Reserve World Champion Snaffle Bit rider. He won in 1970, 1975, 1978 and is the only triple crown winner winning all three events in the same year. He based this contest around show casing the Spanish traditions of starting and training reined cow horses. The working cow horse discipline is the hardest of all western events because of the versatility and The Snaffle Bit Futurity has made the reined cow horse the most prestigious of all western disciplines. Bobby has shown 105 3 year olds in the Snaffle Bit Futurity over 43 years and won money on all but 16 of them.
To keep this wonderful tradition alive, Bobby wrote a book called The Legendary California Hackamore and Stockhorse.
Bobby has conducted clinics and judged many NCHA, NRCHA and AQHA shows all over the world and continues to do so today. At 83 years old, he still trains and instructs riders on a regular basis.
