Barbara Kay Blandford (nee Proctor)
“You Have to Pay to Play”
Sutherland Springs, TX
March 12, 2010
Marissa Leigh Murphy
Palo Alto College
History 1302 - Spring 2010
Introduction Kay Blandford was born in Levelland,
TX on August 17, 1955 to the parents of Virginia and Bill
Proctor. Kay has three sister the oldest in Sheila, Donna, Kay and then the youngest
Vikki. The Proctor family moved to Odessa,
TX in 1960 where Kay graduated from high school. Just out of high school
Kay qualified for the National Finals
Rodeo (NFR) on the horse that she trained herself. Kay made it to the NFR
in 1975, 1977, and 1979 held in Oklahoma City, on the
horse that she had trained herself as a young girl known as Big Jon. Her
family never had the money to buy her good horses that she could win on, so
Kay trained her own horses from when she was a little girl. In 1977 she
attended Howard county junior college
for two years. She moved to south eastern
Oklahoma State in 1979 and attended school there for three years. In 1981
she qualified for the NFR once again on another horse that she trained while
going to school name June. Kay Graduated from Oklahoma State in 1982 with a
teaching degree. At the age of 22 Kay then married Steve Bland and became
known as Kay Bland. Steve and Kay were married for 6 years and divorced in
1988. In 1989 she bought 10 acres in Collinsville,
TX where she taught school for a year and also was training a few horses
on the side. In 1992 she married her good friend from college Robert
Blandford. She then became known as Kay Blandford, the name that has made a
huge impact on the rodeo world. Kay and Robert are still married to this day;
it has been 17 yrs now. Not long after getting married they moved to Denhawken,
TX. Robert worked with his brothers in a cattle business while Kay had
horses she was training for people. In 1993 Kay made to the NFR on a horse
called Popeye. Kay was becoming much known for her achievements in rodeo and
her way of training. Kay then made it back to the NFR again in 1995, 96, 97,
2000, 01, and 02 held in Las Vegas, NV, on the
Great horse she trained called “The Key Grip” or Llave. Llave also lead Kay
to win the “Old
Fort Days” futurity in 1994 and was written a check for $59,284 dollars.
In 2002 Kay was presented with the award for Llave, as “Horse of the Year”.
In 1996 is when Kay and Robert bought land with money Kay made on Llave in Sutherland
Springs, TX. They built a beautiful house, a barn, and arena where Kay
then would start her business of riding and training young horses on barrels.
The knowledge and achievements Kay had made it easy for her to start getting
horses to train and sharing her god given talent of making a champion. In
2005 Kay had to retire Llave because of lameness problems, Llave would live
his life out on the farm he made. Kay would get horses to ride in barrels
races and futurity’s from people but really didn’t have one of her. In 2006
she rode a 4-year mare for some people at futurities name “Talent’s Dark
Angel”. Kay was never sure of the little horse’s talent but she saw something
in her and offered to buy her. Kay then purchased angel for $60,000 dollars.
Kay had a feeling that the mare would pay for herself and 2007 Kay proved
that her faith she had in Angel paid off, Kay Blandford had just won the 100,000-dollar
barrel race. In that same year that Kay and Angel blew everyone’s mind
Kay also won a race called the “Big Bucks” race where she won 5,000 and also
won the title of the Woman’s Professional
Rodeo Association (W.P.R.A) World Champion. In 2008 Kay and Angel held
their title as World Champion, and because she won world champ she was then
qualified for the two biggest rodeos of the year in 2009. In 2009 she was
qualified for San Antonio Rodeo and Houston Rodeo.
TRANSCRIPTIONWhat are your earliest childhood
memories? Fun! I mean I got to ride horses all my life that’s what I wanted to do and my parents couldn’t afford me a finished horse so I trained my own so I always had horses all my life and that’s what I know What is your favorite
memory as a child? My sister were always behind me I have three sisters they were always behind me, especially my older sister she supports me in every way and uh just we always had fun we always skip school my sister skip school we would go ride, not to go drive to town or whatever even when I got my drivers license but with the love of horses that’s all we lived and breathed. As a child what were your
responsibilities or chores around the ranch? Umm well I had to feed the horses, wash dishes every night with my sister, we would always fight over that but we had to get the kitchen clean and uh well outside chores were the stalls and get the horses rode and … (she smiles) that’s bout it. What was your relationship
like with your parent? Great! They supported me in everything that I did. Was your relationship with
your siblings good? Yes! We would fight but have always been close and were all still real close. Did the family have any traditions? Traditions? Well like the holidays we would all spend together and we still try to that but nothing really special or anything. Tell me about your first
job and what it involved? My first job was riding race horses I was in 6th grade, everyday I got on races after school got paid to do it and I show up saddle and gallop those horses it was a dangerous job but it was something I love to do I learned a lot from riding those horses its not an easy life that race track but it was good to me because later in high school I got to buy a car from it and not rodeoing but riding race horses I saved money so I could buy a car but riding race horses taught me a lot.
Who
or what were your biggest influences as a child? My mom and dad they back me one hundred percent and like I said they couldn’t afford the horses but that gave me the opportunity to make one they stood behind me and took me and in fact I had to ride race horses to make a living so I could rodeo but they gave me the opportunity and I thank them for it everyday. As
a young adult how did you feel about where your life was going? I knew what I always wanted to do, um I didn’t like school that well but I knew for me to be able to make it in life I had of course go to school and get the opportunities for me to get a scholarship so I could go to college cause my parents really couldn’t afford it, well I I’m sure they would of helped seen that I went but at the time I had a good horse and he got me through college and gave me the opportunity of a life time to get me where that I had the degree that If I have to have it, which I think all kids should have cause now I have something to fall back on…. I didn’t know if I would ever get to do what I love to do and it just so happen that I’m fortunate that I can do what I want to do but I got that degree and nobody can ever take it away from me. What
were your priorities like as a teenager? All I wanted to do is ride my priorities were to go ride go make that horse even better school wasn’t my priority she said with a smile, but those horses got me in through college the horse that I did have because I rode I skip school to go ride horses not to go be with my friends but to go ride just to get better at it to have that one on one with my horse. When
you were younger was there a certain achievement that is important to you? Making the national finals right out of high school I thought I had the world by the tail but I had the opportunity to go to college and I thank god I didn’t miss that opportunity that wasn’t what I wanted to do cause all I wanted to do was rodeo but because I did have a nice horse and could rodeo and ….. that’s what I could look back on that I do have something that I can … to this day my horse business may fall through anytime but I can still go teach school cause that’s what I have a degree in. Who
in your life pushed you the most to follow those dreams? Probably my dad because he loved the horses my mom she’s not much of a hors person but my dad not that he pushed me but he saw how dedicated I was to it and really I really pushed myself I cant say anyone pushed me I really pushed myself to be the best I could be. Did
you always have dreams to making it to the NFR? No it came with my success um I cant remember watching the finals on TV. But like in college when I ran and started to make money with it that was the best thing and that’s where the money was being at a professional level and that’s what I wanted to do.
Looking back at you life what is greatest achievement and what are you most proud of? That I got to do exactly what I wanted to do and that ya know I look back and see it, I got to do what I want to do and I loved doing it and I still love my job and that’s important to me, um I wouldn’t change anything about it, o well I would like to be rich (she smile) and says but wouldn’t we all. Looking back at you life what is greatest achievement and what are you most proud of? That I got to do exactly what I wanted to do and that ya know I look back and see it, I got to do what I want to do and I loved doing it and I still love my job and that’s important to me, um I wouldn’t change anything about it, o well I would like to be rich (she smile) and says but wouldn’t we all. I know you have had a lot of achievements but what is your most memorable one? Recent…. The hundred thousand in 2007 I won the hundred thousand that was pretty awesome on a different horse that I didn’t really know if she had that much talent about her and it was awesome for her to lead me to win the hundred thousand.
What was your greatest joy during your life? My greatest joy… Making the finals the twelve times I made it that’s my greatest joy that’s something that I always I have it nobody can take it away from me. It something you always wanted to do and you did it? Exactly! I always wanted to do it and I got to do it. What do you attribute to your success? HARD WORK…and never giving up no matter what anybody said and god’s given me a natural talent , a god given talent and I try to use it everyday. Looking back at your life would you change anything? NO! Nothing because I have got to do everything I wanted to do, uh I feel like in my eyes I will always be a champion, I believe in myself and I’m still trying to be better but there is nothing I would change at all. What is most important in your life now? The most important thing for me is to be healthy and be the best I can be and to encourage other people to be there best and you got to work at it …. It’s not an easy life but it’s the life I love and I wouldn’t trade for it. How do you think your past experiences molded you into the person you are today? Knowing what it feels like to be a loser and how much better it feels being a winner.
Were there major changes when you turned a particular age? If so how did you feel about that? No…. there was know really really major changes um cause all my life I got to do what I want to do, got to do what I love to do and that’s very important to me but I had to work hard at it and I still do. What was the hardest time in your life? Mmm I got hurt quite a bit ya know that was hard for me broken leg riding race horses but for me to do what I wanted to do which was to rodeo and run barrels I had to do my job to ride race horses and gain money I never baby sitted or did things like that it just wasn’t me horses were how made my living and I mean it was good to me but dangerous and that was hard for me.
Being
a woman working around guys so much were you ever underestimated? A woman gets underestimated everyday I mean my husband underestimates me but I have a god given talent and I try to use that talent everyday to get where im at and I just hope what I do people believe in me. I can take care of myself and don’t have to depend on a man ya know there are more guys out there that depend on women but yet there ones that get underestimated. Do you think that the world has changed for woman from when you were a kid to now? Absolutely! Its changed cause women have more stand now I think and men people in general listen to women now they know that women are right she said with a grin. Maybe not always but they do have a say so in life. You are a woman that is just straight to the point; do you think that has helped you through life? Yes because people know when they talk to me their gonna get the answer I know best to my knowledge and no this or that the best I know you can take it or leave it
What advice or words of wisdom could you offer young adults about life? Go be the best that you can be don’t ever give up what you want can happen to you if it happen to me it can but you got to work for what you want, everyday theres gonna be the bumps in the road, theres gonna be the highs and lows that make you wannna quit but if its what you really want it’ll happen. Is there anything else that you would like to add to this interview? God is good and if you’re a woman and you have dreams don’t let anyone take that away from you… grab your dreams with both hands and hold on ya know never… never let go they will come true as long as you put the work into it and just women but anyone can make crazy big dreams come true.
ANALYSISI gained so much knowledge out of doing this project and got to learn so many things from such an amazing independent woman who worked hard her whole life to get what she wanted and to achieve her dreams all by herself. The most important points were how she has done everything in life that she wanted to so far, has achieved all her dreams of rodeo by herself and that she never had to count on anyone throughout her life. I work very close everyday with Kay so I know a lot about her but one thing I didn’t know that I learned from the interview was how independent she was from such a young age. I always knew she was like that but had no clue that she was so independent at such a young age. My six-word memoir for Kay is “a woman of many inspiring words” and the memoir she came up with was “you have to pay to play”. When Kay was speaking about her success and how hard she work to get there her tone would get serious and I could tell that she took a lot of pride in her achievements. The stories taught me that if I want to follow my dreams I have to be ready to put my heart and soul into it and never let anyone or anything get me down. The benefits to learning about the past is realizing how hard things use to be and how the world has changed throughout years. Overall I think it is a very effective way to learn about the past because the stories being told are so amazing, that I stayed so interested about other things she had to say about the past and I always wanted to make sure that I didn’t miss a word she said.
TIMELINE1955 – Kay Blandford was born in Levelland, TX to the parents of Bill and Virginia Proctor 1960 – Kay and her family moved to Odessa, TX 1975 – First time qualifying for the NFR a horse name Big Jon 1977 – She attending Howard County Junior College (2 yrs) Qualified For the NFR on Big Jon 1979 – Attended South Eastern Oklahoma State (3 yrs) Qualified for the NFR (last year on Big Jon) 1981 – Qualified for the NFR on a horse name June 1982 – Graduated Oklahoma State with a teaching degree Married Steve Bland at the age of 22 (married 6 yrs) 1985 – Bought a place on Collinsville TX and taught school for a year 1988 – Divorced Steve Bland 1992 – Married long time friend Robert Blandford (married now for 17 yrs) Moved to Denhawken TX 1993 – Qualified for the NFR on a horse name Popeye 1994 – Won 59,284 at Fort Smith Futurity on a horse name Llave 1995 – Qualified for NFR on Llave Kay was the Texas Circuit Champion 1996 – Kay and Robert moved to Sutherland Springs TX Kay qualified for the NFR on Llave Texas Circuit Champion Reserve world champion of the NFR Won the fastest times national finals 1997 – Qualified for the NFR on Llave Dodge national circuit champion Texas Circuit Champion 1999 – Qualified again for the NFR 2000 – Qualified for the NFR 2001 – Qualified for the NFR 2002 – Last year to qualify for the NFR Received an award for Llave for Horse of the year 2003 – Winter Tour Finale Champion 2005 – Retired her horse of many years Llave 2006 – Purchased a new horse by the name of Angel 2007 – Won the 100,000 dollar race on Angel WPRA world champion Won the Big Bucks Race (won 5,000) 2008 – WPRA finals champion 2009 – Qualified for the two biggest rodeos San Antonio and Houston 2010 – Getting inducted with her husband Robert into the Texas Hall of Fame
ANNOTATED
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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