FUTURITY / DERBY JUST GETTING ‘EM STARTED Grimes claims first world titles with the Futurity 1D and Derby; Vondra claims 4th Futurity 2D Title By Josie Fladager K athy Grimes took Extraco Events Center by storm, leaving the WPRA World Finals in Waco, Texas with world titles in the Futurity 1D and the Derby divisions. These are the first world titles for Grimes, and both came aboard young stallions bred and raised by Grimes’ program in Medical Lake, Washington.
stressful to get on someone else’s horse and she did great.” The year-end futurity 1D champion horse is KG Jukebox Hero, or “Tillman,” by Blazin Jetolena and out of KG Justiceweexpected, or “Issy,” one of Grimes’ mares that helped her qualify for the 2017 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Tillman had an incredible finals, finishing second in the average and securing Grimes’ first-ever world title. The 5-year-old bay stallion placed in both rounds at the finals to finish out his futurity year by adding another $3,584 to his earnings. “He does try really hard, and I’ve really enjoyed him,” Grimes said. “He’s had a great, solid year too. He has just been pretty consistent and won about $58,000 this year.” Tillman makes the fourth generation that Grimes has ridden in her nearly 30 years of breeding barrel horses. Grimes rode Issy’s dam, Do It For Beau, to fill her WPRA permit in 2006, and had run barrels on Do It For Beau’s sire, Beaus Scoop of Sun, as well. “It’s really a family affair,” Grimes said. “Now to start riding some of [Issy’s] foals, and they’re doing great…it is really exciting. It’s really neat to see how far it’s come.” Grimes, who is also a veterinarian, and Tillman will be home from mid-April to mid-June for the breeding season and then Grimes has plans to enter him in some derbies, and possibly some rodeos, in 2023. “He’s just a fun horse,” Grimes said. “He’s just kind of like a big goober, always got something in his mouth. [He’s] always happy, meets you at the gate and wants to go do whatever.” Derby Champion was Bred for Greatness The last time Kathy Grimes made the three-day trip to the WPRA World Finals was in 2012 for Issy’s futurity year. A full brother to Issy,
Every time Colleen Vondra has been to the WPRA World Finals, she has left with the Futurity 2D world title. Her victory in 2022 makes her fourth title overall that she has taken home to northern Illinois. Grimes’ Fourth Generation takes Futurity 1D Title
Kathy Grimes knew the points were going to be close for the world title when she looked at the standings in early September. She decided to make the 1,960 mile trip to Waco to fight for the world title. However, on October 16th she broke her ribs and was not able to ride — so her dear friend Leah Crockett made the trip with her and rode both Grimes’ futurity and derby horses at the finals. “I wasn’t able to ride yet, and I didn’t really feel like I could go by myself,” Grimes noted. “So, I conned my friend Leah into going with me and taking 10 days out of her life to go and help me. It’s kind of Kathy Grimes if thankful for good friend Leah Crockett who agreed to go with her to the WPRA World Finals in Waco, Texas, from the State of Washington to ride Grimes’ horses in search of world titles in the Futurity and Derby division. While Crockett was the final jockey it was Grimes who had bred, trained and competed on both horses but just needed assistance getting over the finish line. KG Jukebox Hero “Tillman” got the title in the Futurity 1D division and is out of the mare Grimes’ calls Issy that helped her qualify for the 2017 Wrangler NFR. WPRA photo by Rodeobum.com/James Phifer
A full brother to Issy, KG Juststealingcash “Phoenix” captured Kathy Grimes’ first Derby world title. The 7-year-old stallion will now test the ProRodeo waters in 2023. Leah Crockett jump rode Phoenix at the WPRA World Finals as Grimes was still recovering from broken ribs. WPRA photo by Rodeobum.com/James Phifer
38 WPRA NEWS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023
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