09/22/05 Tenino Topper

Tenino Topper Some horses just don't become what they are supposed too. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back to tell you about one. The other day I read about a horse that was doing a job he was bred to do. That reminded me of a horse that didn't do what he was bred for. Tenino Topper was raised by the late Jay Agnew of Tenino, Washington to be a 240 or 440- yard racehorse. Topper had the pedigree and the looks to be a racehorse except he didn't want to be a racehorse. He developed a pretty definite plan to let people know he was not going to racehe started bucking off jockeys like he was in the National Finals Rodeo saddlebronc eliminator pen. The horse had too much potential not to have a second chance so Jay gave the horse to one of his friends who, in turn, gave my brother's father-in-law, Mike the dubious honor of helping Topper find his way. I think Mike actually liked the challenge and pointed the horse down the right direction, which was not down the track. Mike rode Topper for one or two years in the hills and rocks just working cows and heading off any Topper tantrums. When the horse was ready for arena work and team roping, the roping chute gate reminded Topper of a race gate and he ran past everything in the arenabut he didn't buck. A lot more miles and a different bit let Mike turn Topper into a good rope horse. But the job Topper liked best was sorting cattlethis big tall ex-race horse had all the natural moves of a cutting horse. You just never know. I'm Jeff Keane.