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‘Just having fun with my horse' By Buffy Pollock Updated: Dec 28, 2022 05:39 PM A A Quincy Ballard gets ready to ride his horse, Carl, at their family ranch outside Eagle Point Tuesday. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune] Quincy Ballard of Eagle Point competes at the Junior World Finals in Las Vegas. [Courtesy photo] Recently back home after competing in Las Vegas during one of rodeo’s biggest events for 10 days in December, Eagle Point 12-year-old Quincy Ballard isn’t much to toot his own horn. He’ll talk about his horses and his love of sports — and even his mom — all day long. But, even after ranking in the best two-dozen in all the world for ages 12 and under in recent weeks, he insists he was just there to “have fun with my horse.” Quincy, known as “Q” to friends and family, returned home just before the holidays after the Vegas event — the Junior World Finals for the National Finals Rodeo. He was ranked 23rd overall for barrel racing and missed making the final “short round” by two-tenths of a second. Ballard began riding, his mom Angie Ballard says, at “age zero.” Literally, the kid was likely on any number of horses while in utero. The elder Ballard said her son was hooked on horses from day 1. The preteen started barrel racing at age 2 with help from mom — and a long lead line. By the time he was 4, he ran barrels with his self-christened “speed pony,” Sparky. “He did it by himself from age 4 on,” his mom added. By age 6, he heard rumblings of World Finals and thought it would be fun. “I always thought he would have his little pony and compete on her until he got bigger, and then he’d be done with it,” Angie Ballard said. His first year at Worlds, he rode his childhood best friend, a quarter horse named Buddy. At age 8, he placed 21st, scoring a thousandth of a second away from going on to the next round. Years two and three, he rode quarter horses named Mia and Bugs. “The second year, I tipped a barrel with Mia (pronounced my-uh). The third year, Bugs missed the first barrel, just flat missed it, which was so strange, but at least I didn’t go off pattern,” said the boy with a smile. This year, his fourth at Junior World Finals, he figured would be his final hurrah. After losing his beloved Buddy in July, Q used a headstall created for him by Grants Pass-based Rockstar Custom Leather, one of Q’s sponsors. The headstall was made with hair from Buddy woven into straps on the side. Almost like riding with his beloved friend again, Q was destined to do well in Vegas. An unintended side effect, doing well gave him a renewed sense of “riding just one more year.” “Losing Buddy was one of the hardest days of our lives,” said Angie Ballard, who is executive director of Hope Equestrian. “Rockstar Custom Leather made it for him just for Worlds, so it was really special.” Teaming up with horse Carl, Q said he felt more confident than in previous years and hopes to return, for once, on the same horse. At Worlds, Carl and Q gave the competition a run for their money. “Round one, he was six-tenths of a second off the fast time. Round two, he was three-tenths,” she added. Watching her preteen brush Carl, whom he rode in recent weeks to qualify and run in the Worlds event, Ballard said the two have a connection. “These two love each other – like REALLY love each other,” she said. Q’s own goat, Lou Seal, whom he bottle-raised as a baby and named after the San Francisco Giants mascot, supervised nearby. Q said having the same horse next year could give him an edge he hasn’t had before. “It’s been kind of annoying always having different horses every year. I think I’ve progressed by getting to know the pen a little better and getting to know the event, so hopefully, if I can ride the same horse, I’ll do even better next time,” he said. Hard-pressed to talk about himself, the preteen gave his mom a little side eye as she bragged about his riding and his long list of interests. “You talkin’ about me?” he teased. Truth be told, having fun and using the skills his mom has imparted over his dozen years of life fuel him in everything he does, he admitted. “What makes me keep going is just having fun with my horse and doing something I love to do. It’s fun to use what I’ve learned and just go run the pattern with my horse,” he said, before tossing a saddle onto Carl. Long term, he’s hopeful to do well in whatever he pursues. “I wanna play in Major League Baseball and get my mom a nice barrel horse,” said Quincy, who plays first base and pitches. “I’ll probably have my own ranch, and she can take care of all my horses,” he said, grinning at his mom and teacher. “Will I win next year? That would be fun. But I’ll just keep going at it and see what happens from there.” Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 541-776-8784 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal.