What Fame's Saddest Win
An open letter from Lance Graves.
It seems that throughout my life, when I have been emotionally affected I tend to want to write about it. Whether it's therapy for me or just trying to reach others like myself for basic human bonding, that is sometimes how I deal I suppose. Most people in our industry are familiar with my horse, What Fame. He has a number of titles and has done more for my family than we could ever do to repay him. His nickname is "Will" because whatever I have asked of him throughout his career, he would. For the last couple years Will has been plagued by odd, accidental, non-competition related injuries. Not the point of this story and I am not going into that any further now. Will has been healthy and sound and I have started back competing on him. He has always loved competition and they don't make a ride like him at Disneyland I can promise you. I think everyone that has had a successful barrel horse, me included, has had, at some point, a tendency to get a little too focused on the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat in the competition arena and lose sight of one fact.
Barrel racing, awesome as it is, is just a sport. It is not life and we should sometimes take a step back and remember that. For many people, 9/11 put that in perspective on a national level. For Lance Graves it was yesterday, 9/10 in Waggoner, Oklahoma. My family loaded up 10 horses, in two trucks and trailers and headed to the 3rd annual Clint Cagle Memorial Barrel Race and Calf Roping. After exhibitioning 6 head, the $1000 added 4D main event was about to get underway and I had Will tacked and ready to compete. I felt like when he turned the 3rd barrel and headed out the arena that he had "one of those runs" and when the announcer said new leader, I knew it was true. It was so exciting for me. What Fame did in fact win the barrel race and the announcer asked that I come back to the arena for the buckle presentation and media photographs. I was ecstatic and bounced up to the arena to receive my new, shiny, $400 Maynard buckle. When I got to the arena it hit me. I knew Clint Cagle. I knew Clint's parents. My beloved Holly Harris grew up with him and I had seen him year after year at at least a million junior rodeos. Clint had had kidney trouble since he was little and had even received a kidney from his mother in 5th grade I believe. He was a happy, healthy, vibrant teenager and as far as I remember everyone liked him. I still remember his rosy cheeks from when he was a boy. 3 years ago Clint went in for a routine physical and found to be in kidney failure. Soon, Mr and Mrs. Cagle's only child was gone. I was standing in the arena waiting for the photographer and I suddenly became sick to my stomach, and completely and totally heartsick. Mr Cagle shook my hand like he had done in the past only this time his eyes were red and swollen with tears. Mrs. Cagle hugged me and told me congratulations through her tears. All I could respond was, "I am so sorry. I wish we weren't here." When I got back to my truck, I looked into the face of my beautiful, healthy, happy year old daughter and I just broke down. I told my wife, Stacy and my brother-in-law Pete, I have never been so sad to win a race in my entire career. Most of us are so lucky in our everyday lives, healthy, happy children, nice homes, stable jobs. My hope is this letter will touch people the way this event affected me and remind us what is really important in life. Because if I could have made a deal with God that moment to have Clint Cagle healthy and happy in his parents home, I would have eagerly agreed to never throw a leg over What Fame again. To honor the memory of Clint and as a reminder
To myself what is truly important in life, I will wear my Clint Cagle Memorial barrel race champion buckle. It will replace What Fames World Champion buckle that I currently wear. So, please when you see me in the future, if I am wearing a belt and my new buckle, take a moment; remind yourself of all of your blessings. There are many and we should all take a moment and be thankful.
Lance Graves
