The Radical Hour

By Corrine S. Borton

Ty Hornick first spotted The Radical Hour at the 2000 American Quarter Horse Association World Championship Show in Oklahoma City. The yearling, bay colt, by Radical Rodder and out of Badgers Bar Time was consigned to the World Show sale and was causing quite a stir.

“I’d seen him there among many other nice horses and I was among several accomplished trainers looking at him,” Hornick said. but when the gavel went down, The Radical Hour was the high-selling yearling and Hornick was the new owner.

“He was so pretty and I noticed right away how phenomenal a loper he was on the longe line,” Hornick said. “He looked like he’d be a natural, a horse that would be a very successful show horse.”

The Radical Hour went home with Hornick to Ohio and Hornick’s nephew, Justin Horsley, started the young stud’s training. “He looked like a show horse in 30 days,” Hornick said. “It was scary.” It was hard to resist heading to the show pen. But Hornick was determined to take his time with this colt. Part of the reason breaking The Radical Hour seemed so easy was his similarity to another Radical Rodder on which Hornick had enjoyed so much success - World Champion pleasure mare Radical Rumors.

“They have a very similar feeling,” Hornick said. “They both have a very natural lope. They actually lope on their own,” he said. “Plus they both have a very steady head carriage and a pleasant expression.”

When it came time to get ready for the 2001 AQHA World Championship Show, The Radical Hour was ready. But both Ty and his Wife, Karen, were committed to ride other horses, owned by their customers.

So the Hornicks turned to Oklahoma trainer Troy Compton to show The Radical Hour. Ty felt it was a solid decision since Compton was the one who stared Radical Rumors and showed her at the 1999 All American Quarter Horse Congress in the 2-Year-Old Snaffle Bit Futurity. It was there that Hornick’s customers, Cami Meleca and Gay Chattin purchased Radical Rumors.

The decision proved to be a good one when Compton and The Radical Hour finished ninth in the 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure event.

Although The Radical Hour did not stand to the public this year, he was test bred to about eight select mares, including Prestigious Madonna (on which embryo transfer was done) and several of Hornick’s own superior pleasure mares.

Hornick said he was pleased with the way the young colt handled the whole process. He was collected just prior to the big Wilmington, Ohio, circuit and then went on to show. It was at that show that The Radical Hour earned points in Junior Western Pleasure to qualify for this year’s AQHA World Show.

“He’s very good minded that way,” Ty Hornick said. “I got him qualified in just three shows.”

The Radical Hour won the 2002 Jr. Western Pleasure high point in the nation.