The Simmons and Bodacious Dash
When word slipped out about the Riata Buckle the response from former PRCA header Bobby Simmons was immediate. He signed up his racehorse stallion Bodacious Dash without hesitation. Team ropers have been a little reluctant to bring racehorse blood, and even ex-racehorses directly over to the roping arena, but to a veteran of both racing and roping, Simmons isn't bashful about that at all.
According to Bobby they didn't get into Pink Buckle and that was a mistake, "There are several performance stallions with running blood doing well right now because they have the speed, agility and most importantly that great mind. We have the same thing with Bodacious. His colts nearly halter break themselves. The personality and brains he puts in all his colts is exceptional. Ropers can teach a horse to score, rate, turn off, face and swap leads... but you cannot teach speed and quickness. That is one issue that is not even a question in these colts. I know ropers might occasionally argue with a flagger, but there are no steers with speed ratings over 100."
Roping and horses have always been a big part of Bobby's life, and in 2010 he partnered with some friends on his first racehorse. In 2012 his wife Catherine, who was never around horses as a child, picked Foxy Moonflash from the Ruidoso Select Sale catalog, and asked Bobby, "What's wrong with her?" She was named 3YO AQHA Champion Race Filly in 2014. The rest is history.
Bodacious Dash had a stellar career as a Stakes Winner, winning $750,000 himself on the Quarter Horse track in Grade 1 company. He has also proven himself to be a successful race sire, producing winners like, Sky Bo Dash, Suenos Dineros, and Bos Time Machine. Maybe team ropers won't be impressed with a race stallion that produces lifetime earnings of over two million dollars, but Bobby has been around many of his progeny and this horse is the real deal. Countless times over the years, he has been asked why he hasn't made head horses out of these ex-racehorses. Well, now is their chance and with the right cross some of these colts could be magical rope horses.
Catherine spent her professional career with oil and gas companies where she worked as a process engineer, facilities engineer and operations manager before joining Bobby operating Orbit Construction in Midland, Texas. They own a breeding operation raising racehorses, but also breeding performance horses as well.
Bobby and Catherine are both very involved in AQHA. Bobby serves as a Texas Director, is on the Racing Committee, and has recently been elected as a Racing Council member. Catherine serves on the AQHA Foundation Committee, Chairs 2022's Hall Of Fame Celebration Task Force and serves on the Cattle Subcommittee of the Show Committee. Bobby also serves at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack on the Ruidoso Downs Hall of Fame Committee, and Catherine serves at Chapel in the music ministry.
