Janesville’s Metallic Touchdown wins prestigious Salinas California Open Bridle Stockhorse competition
Anybody who knows anything about professional rodeo will tell you a win at the California Rodeo Salinas, considered one of the top rodeos in the nation, is a very big deal.
Metallic Touchdown and Jake Gorrell turn a cow at the Salinas RodeoCalifornia Open Bridle Stock Horse competition.And Keith Lockard’s horse, Metallic Touchdown (affectionately known simply as Mo), out of Janesville, recently won the Salinas California Open Bridle Stockhorse competition.
If you remember horse trainer and rodeo competitor Taylor Sheridan’s unbelievable rides on the popular Yellowstone TV series, you’ve already seen the kind of competition Metallic Touchdown won. But you might not know that Travis Weatley, who plays Sheridan on the series, is also the show’s co-creator and a professional horse trainer and rodeo competitor, as well.
Metallic Touchdown and Jake Gorrell with their awards in Salinas.“It’s a big deal,” Lockard said. “Salinas is one of the biggest rodeos in California, if not the biggest. It’s the only one that has an Open Bridle Stockhorse class. He was the youngest horse there, and we won it on him. It was his first time showing in the open bridle class. We’re pretty proud of him. Not everybody gets to win Salinas. If you’ve got a Salinas buckle, you’ve really done something.”
Lockard said trainer and rider Jake Gorrell had the idea to take Mo to Salinas, because he said, “I think we can win it.”
Mo will continue to compete and is expected to qualify for the Wool Show in February in Texas.
Lockard has property in Janesville, and he’s working on developing it into a horse ranch.
Lockard said he bought Mo sight unseen in the Napa Valley as a yearling, and he received some training from Janesville horse trainer Billy Finks.
“He started the horse and rode him for six or eight months,” Lockard said.
Now here’s a buckle to have!Then Mo went to Idaho to be trained by Wade Rainey, and he showed him for a couple or three years before he came back to Janesville.
Mo also got more training from Gorrell, who will continue riding him in shows.
About California Rodeo Salinas
The California Rodeo Salinas has been a large part of the Salinas and Monterey County Communities for more than 100 years. This event not only has a huge economic impact on local businesses, but also benefits local non-profit organizations and community groups each year by providing opportunities to raise funds, gives the community a sense of pride and identity, and puts Salinas on the map for having one of the top 15 professional rodeos in the US and the largest one in California. The California Rodeo Association is proud to impact the community in such a positive way.
