The WRANGLER Horse and Rodeo News is an equine and rodeo publication with circulation in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, Utah and Idaho.
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54 • The WRANGLER • July, 2024 The Story Behind Blue Valentine Blue Valentine Blue's Upbringing The Blue Valentine bloodline has a huge following amongst AQHA members and has for decades. Blue Valentine, also known as "Blue" by the Merritt Family, was a 1956 Blue Roan stallion by the famous Match Racing stallion Red Man (1935) and out of Beauty's Dream (1938). Beauty's Dream was a rodeo horse herself, and money earner. Known not only for his stout, sturdy, functional confirmation, but also his calm, easy going, demeanor, Blue Valentine created a name for himself that has lasted into the 21 st century. Blue Valentine was bred by Kenny Gunter in Benson, Arizona. Ken's longtime friend, Dell Haverty, loved his bloodlines and purchased Blue as a yearling. "The story's a little fuzzy, but he [Dell] acquired Blue Valentine from Ken Gunther when he was a year-old. Then he started riding him and started roping on him, and campaigned on him. I have come across some information where they even match raced Blue Valentine down there.," explained Chip, "I can't see where he was beaten. It could have happened, but I can't find information where he was beaten in any of those match races." Dell went on to win the all-around and calf roping in Scottsdale, Arizona off Blue as a three-year old and campaigned him all across the country. After heading north, Dell married Connie Hayes. Connie, was the daughter of Buster Hayes, an extraordinary horseman and cattle rancher from Thermopolis, Wyoming. Dell sold half interest in Blue to Buster and Lourie Hayes, and they continued to promote and campaign Blue at elite rodeos including Calgary, San Francisco, Pendleton, and Cheyenne Frontier Days. As fate would have it, King Merritt, Chip's grandfather, produced a steer roping in Encampent, Wyoming in the late 40's with a whopping $1000 entry fee. At these events, Hancock bred horses dominated the competition. The Merritt's were huge fans of this bloodline. Hyde Merritt, who had married Buster's other daughter, Dede, located a son of Joe Hancock named Texas Blue Bonnet, and convinced the Hayes Brothers to buy him. They began breeding Texas Blue Bonnet and built up their broodmare herd. Then, they bred Blue Valentine back to those mares. Today, the Merritt's (Chip, Kathy, Corey, Brady, & Madison) still breed and sell horses that are descendants of this cross, just as they did in the beginning. King Merritt not By Raegen DeLancey Hyde Merritt steer roping off of Blue Valentine at the 1970 Wyoming State Fair in 1970. in march, it Was announced that aQha sTaLLion bLue VaLentine WiLL be inducted inTo the aQha haLL of Fame on sePtember 6 & 7 in amariLLo, texas. chiP merritt exPLains Who this sTaLLion Was and WhY his bLoodLines are stiLL sought after Today.