Melvin Young and I were
raised on a ranch in the southern Flint Hills just north of
Cedar Vale, Kansas. At the time we found Red Hot, Melvin was
the manager of the Radcliff Ranch in Cowley County. I ran
a few cows, did day work for neighbors, and had a brush control
business. Melvin called me and told me his boss and two other
ranchers were going to buy this stud, but their partnership
fell through, and did I want to go in with him? We drove up
to Lincoln, Nebraska to a roping at the college to look at
the horse. We ended up buying Red Hot Hancock.
Melvin and I bought Red Hot in 1983 from Schroeder Land and
Cattle of Palisade, Nebraska. He was fully trained when we
made the purchase. We started showing him in AQHA shows in
Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.
Tyler Magnus grew up in Cedar Vale, KS and was going to college
at Labette County Community College and was on the rodeo team.
Tyler showed him for the first year. He did really well as
expected, but the judges never placed them. Tyler and Red
Hot placed 6th on both ends in the Billy Allen Heading and
Heeling Futurity in Wichita, but they used multiple judges
to score the runs.
We learned that you had to use a name brand rider to get the
judges to use your horse. So, as money allowed, we hired a
fellow that had a little name recognition and kept going down
the road. When we ran low on money we would bring Red Hot
home and put him to work on the ranch Melvin managed. We never
thought about him getting hurt. I guess that was pretty dumb
of us, but he was such a pleasure to ride and when he was
saddled you wouldn't even know he was a stallion. Anyone could
ride Red Hot, from a novice to the best hand on the ranch,
a two year old kid or your 80 year old Grandma.
When we'd get enough money we would send him back to the show
arena. The fellow showing Red Hot always commented on how
refreshed Red Hot was when he returned to the show ring. The
only time I heard of Red Hot being hard to handle was when
they hauled him to Tucson, Arizona to a show in a two horse
trailer with a mare that was in heat. Now go figure.
As the kids say, back in the day, Red Hot was the only Hancock
influenced horse being shown that I remember seeing. There
could have been others. I guess other Hancock breeders were
smarter than us. We did get Red Hot qualified for the 1985
World Show in Oklahoma City. He qualified in Senior Calf Roping
and Senior Heeling. Red Hot also earned his Register of Merit
that year! The calf roping didn't go so well. Red Hot worked
real well, but stepped up on the slack before the calf was
tied. In the heeling he made the top 15. In the final round
our header, who happened to be the fellow that had been showing
for us missed both of his head loops and that disqualified
the run.
All the while we had Red Hot, we hand bred all the mares.
He was real easy to handle. He was smart enough to tell when
the mare was not receptive of his idea and would back off.
Melvin and I raised a few colts by Red Hot. My best cross
was to a Mills Ranch-raised mare called My Country Babe. She
was out of a Harlan bred mare and sired by the stallion Country,
who was by the stallion Rey. My Country Babe's dam was Babe
Gardner. A granddaughter of Harlan and Roper Boy.
My family now lives in Hennessey, OK. We raise some Paint
Draft-cross horses that my wife's dad started for teams. On
occasion if I find a good draft mare, I would breed her to
my Red Hot Stud. It gives you a cross similar to what started
the Hancock legacy. I kept one stud colt by Red Hot for breeding.
He is a 1989 model out of My Country Babe. His name is Red
Hot Hancock, Jr. I also had two full sisters by Red Hot and
My Country Babe. I have been breeding to Walter Lamar's stallion
in Isabella, Oklahoma. I am now down to one daughter of Red
Hot. She is a 1986 model and is still producing. Her name
is Country Lady Hancock. She is bred currently to Walter's
Driftwood bred stallion Six Drift.
My broodmare band consists of a daughter of Setumup Speedy,
a granddaughter of Red Hot Hancock and Hancocks Duplicate,
a daughter of my stallion Red Hot Hancock, Jr, and a cutting
bred mare. We breed a few outside mares locally. I have never
advertised.
Melvin and I sold Red Hot Hancock in 1990 to Bill Reids in
Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Mr. Reids ran cattle on the Chapman-Barnard
Ranches before moving his ranching operation to Spinger, Oklahoma.
Red Hot was later sold to another breeder in Southern Oklahoma
before he was put down due to an injury.
Out of all the horses I have owned, Red Hot will always stand
out. Never will there be another, any better, anywhere. He
met and exceeded any expectation we ever had!
Red Hot Hancock Jr, bay roan stallion foaled in 1989, by Red
Hot Hancock and out of My
Country Babe, out of a Harlan bred mare and sired by the stallion
Country, who was by the stallion Rey. My Country Babe's dam
was Babe Gardner, a granddaughter of Harlan and Roper Boy.
Michael and Pam
Haden
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