Ross Roark – Makes History by Winning 100th World Championship Title

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114 – March/April, 2018

BY ALISON FOSTER GREEN

2017 was a year for the record books for AQHA Professional Horseman, Ross Roark. At the 2017 AQHA World Championship Show, Roark led Ted Lincoln’s mare, Squires Famous Doll, to a World Championship in a deep pen of 2-Year-Old Mares. With this win, he not only earned his sixth title of the show, but also the 100th World Championship of his career. It’s an unprecedented accomplishment – a feat that has never been achieved by any other AQHA horseman.

Despite needing only six titles to reach #100, Roark’s focus for the World Show was never on counting buckles. He was determined to continue business as usual, focusing all of his attention on preparing a talented line-up of horses to present to the judges.

“Honestly, my mentality last year was no different than in the past. I didn’t feel any pressure,” Roark says. “I went into the show with as good of a line-up as I’ve ever had, and I worked hard to prepare them. At that point, I decided to just show them the best I could and see what happened. I have to say, it was a neat deal. I had no idea that AQHA would stop the show for a ceremony, and I thank them for it. It was a great honor.”

After the ceremony, in quintessential Ross Roark style, he tipped his hat to the judges, left the arena, and got back to work. “There were more horses to get ready to show, so I just went back to the stalls and kept going.”

For Roark, success in the horse industry has been the result of years of learning and hard work. Without mentors who were willing to pass on their knowledge, and the wisdom he gained from years of experience, he wouldn’t be where he is today. He says, “I’ve always thought that if I’m going to learn how to do something, I want to learn from the best, from someone who has been there, done that, and been successful. I want to get into the mind of a champion, of someone who has been in the heat of the battle or at the top of the mountain. That has always been my philosophy, even from a young age, and I’ve been lucky enough to learn from some of the greats in this industry.”

Click here to read the complete article
114 – March/April, 2018