Western Pleasure and Roping Worlds Come Together With a Special, Little Stallion- Lil Rick E
By: Brittany Bevis
The ladies at BSB Quarter Horses, Shelley and Kim Donovan, are excited about a very special horse that has come out of their program recently. His name is Lil Rick E, and the 2020 colt is the first foal by their celebrated stallion, Too Sleepy To Zip, that they’ve kept a colt in quite some time.
“He has the structure, the blood on the top and bottom, and the athletic ability that’s so needed in our industry,” the ladies say. “It also helps that he received his APHA papers and is a W20 carrier.”
Lil Rick E is by Too Sleepy To Zip and out of the mare, JK Butterfly Kisses. “The mare came to live with us through our friend and fellow breeder, Karen Berk. Kim saw her on Facebook and loved Tomboy Rickie and her dad, Winners Top Choice. She got to ride both while she hauled with Andree Hopkins and Ms Mary Hopkins. Vannise Jeffcoat was showing Rickie in the youth-all around events, where between she and Carrie (Clotts) Oakley, where the mare earned eight superiors, 2,200 points, AQHA, Youth AQHA, Performance, and Supreme Champion, as well as the Versatility award.”
Recently, the ladies passed the reins of Lil Rick E on to his new owner, Preston Bartow, who plans to compete with the colt in Western Pleasure and stand him in the future. “Preston drove down with his friends and trainers, Dave and Kimmy Wagner, when they came to look at babies. Dave asked if he could see the ‘baby stallion.’ We told them $5 each, and they couldn’t tell anyone they saw him. We wanted to keep a little mystic about him! Preston said he had to have him.”
“Preston and his trainers plan to let Rickie tell them when he’s ready to show. They hope to show him in Western Pleasure and then add all around events as he comes along. We hope to continue to be involved in his career, as we already feel he’s something our industry needs… outcross blood!”
This will be a new foray into the world of Western Pleasure for Preston as he comes from a roping background. “Preston has been a very successful roper and has a boarding and lesson business. Rickie has what all the folks he has been around, before coming into the Western Pleasure industry, love. He has structure and legs do anything from Western Pleasure to Ranch Riding. He’s darn sure pretty enough with his almost white mane and tail.”
In addition to his looks, which remind many of his father, Lil Rick E brings to the industry a very important quality- outcross blood. “Besides the white legs and flaxen mane and tail, he has the presence that his dad has. When he’s out and about, folks stop to look at him. He has what’s needed- outcross blood. Our gene pool is getting very small. He’s full double AQHA/APHA with the W20, and he’s great made. In the end, Rickie will be like his blood dictates (Too Sleepy To Zip, Too Sleepy To, Sleepys Man on top and Tomboy Rickie, Winners Top Choice, and his 1/2 brother Sonny Dee Bar on the bottom) You breed to the family, and he has a royal one.”
The ladies are excited to see what the future holds for Lil Rick E, and they will be his biggest fans. “We’re excited for Preston and the Wagner family to have Lil Rick E help bring them front and center into the Western Pleasure and breeding world! Dave and Kimmy’s talent is just starting to get noticed in AQHA after very successful careers in ApHC.”
“Preston’s success as a roper has prepared him for what it takes to be successful in our world. We will be their and Rickie’s biggest supporters and cheerleaders, and we will be the first to breed to him when he goes to the breeding shed.”
