Baby Doll Combs
Encyclopedia
Baby Doll Combs was a registered Quarter horse mare and a prominent rodeo
horse.
and registered with the American Quarter Horse Association
, or AQHA, as registration number 81,497. At the time of registration, she was owned by Willard Combs, a steer wrestler
or bulldoger who competed in the rodeo circuit in the 1950s. Combs had purchased her from Bill Oduum of Pryor, Oklahoma in 1955, paying $3200 for her. Combs not only rode Baby Doll himself, but also allowed other wrestlers to ride her in return for a cut of the prize money. Combs won the Rodeo Cowboy's Association – a precursor organization to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
(or PRCA) – World Champion Steer Wrestler title in 1957 with Baby Doll. Her one and only foal was Checotah Star, a result of an accidental breeding in 1957. Between 1953 and her death in 1960 she earned over $400,000 ($ in current dollars) in prize money, and in 1957 when she won the title for Combs, she also carried the riders who finished second, third, fourth and fifth in the standings. Bill Linderman
, a famous rodeo cowboy, once said that "Baby Doll knew bulldogging better than some of the guys who rode her."
When mature, Baby Doll Combs was bay mare who weighed about 1030 pounds and stood about 14.1 hands high. She had a blaze and a left hind sock as the only white on her. A short horse is an advantage to a steer wrestler, as it's closer to the steer.
Baby Doll Combs died of a ruptured intestine in 1960. She died at a Kansas
rodeo, but her owner had her returned to Checotah, Oklahoma
where he lived so that she could be buried on his ranch. Many of the cowboys who had earned money off her were present at the ceremony, and a photograph of them at the graveside appeared in Life Magazine.
She was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame
in 2004. The PRCA honored her in 1979 by inducting her into their Hall of Fame in the first group of inductees.
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
horse.
Life
Foaled in 1947, Baby Doll Combs was bred by H. M. Boetick of Bloomfield, IowaBloomfield, Iowa
Bloomfield is a city in Davis County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,601 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Davis County.-Geography:Bloomfield is located in the southeastern part of Iowa near the Missouri border....
and registered with the American Quarter Horse Association
American Quarter Horse Association
The American Quarter Horse Association , based in Amarillo, Texas, is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement and record-keeping of the American Quarter Horse. The association sanctions many competitive events and maintains the official registry...
, or AQHA, as registration number 81,497. At the time of registration, she was owned by Willard Combs, a steer wrestler
Steer wrestling
Steer wrestling, also known as bulldogging, is a rodeo event in which a horse-mounted rider chases a steer, drops from the horse to the steer, then wrestles the steer to the ground by twisting its horns. Like all rodeo events, there are concerns from the animal rights community that the competition...
or bulldoger who competed in the rodeo circuit in the 1950s. Combs had purchased her from Bill Oduum of Pryor, Oklahoma in 1955, paying $3200 for her. Combs not only rode Baby Doll himself, but also allowed other wrestlers to ride her in return for a cut of the prize money. Combs won the Rodeo Cowboy's Association – a precursor organization to the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is an organization whose members compete in rodeos throughout North America, primarily in the United States. The PRCA sanctions rodeo venues and events through the PRCA Circuit System. Its championship event is the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo...
(or PRCA) – World Champion Steer Wrestler title in 1957 with Baby Doll. Her one and only foal was Checotah Star, a result of an accidental breeding in 1957. Between 1953 and her death in 1960 she earned over $400,000 ($ in current dollars) in prize money, and in 1957 when she won the title for Combs, she also carried the riders who finished second, third, fourth and fifth in the standings. Bill Linderman
Bill Linderman
William E. Linderman was an American rodeo cowboy who competed on the Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit in the 1940s and 1950s. During his career, he won RCA All-Around Cowboy titles in 1950 and 1953, along with an unofficial All-Around Cowboy championship in 1945; in addition, he earned season...
, a famous rodeo cowboy, once said that "Baby Doll knew bulldogging better than some of the guys who rode her."
When mature, Baby Doll Combs was bay mare who weighed about 1030 pounds and stood about 14.1 hands high. She had a blaze and a left hind sock as the only white on her. A short horse is an advantage to a steer wrestler, as it's closer to the steer.
Baby Doll Combs died of a ruptured intestine in 1960. She died at a Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
rodeo, but her owner had her returned to Checotah, Oklahoma
Checotah, Oklahoma
Checotah is a city in McIntosh County, Oklahoma, United States. It was named for Samuel Checote, the first chief of the Creek Nation elected after the Civil War. The population was 3,481 at the 2000 census....
where he lived so that she could be buried on his ranch. Many of the cowboys who had earned money off her were present at the ceremony, and a photograph of them at the graveside appeared in Life Magazine.
She was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame
American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame
The American Quarter Horse Association has created a Hall of Fame in Amarillo, Texas to honor both people and horses who contributed to the growth of the American Quarter Horse. Any one may nominate either people or horses to be considered. Nominations from the membership are due by October 1. They...
in 2004. The PRCA honored her in 1979 by inducting her into their Hall of Fame in the first group of inductees.