COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – “Leave it to Beaver” isn’t just the name of a TV show anymore.
Of the 507 entries in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame’s “Name the Colt” contest, Leave it to Beaver was the winning name.
“That’s a great name, I think it’s perfect for a big stud that’s hopefully going to do great things,” said Kirsten Vold, who runs Harry Vold Rodeo Company of Avondale, CO, which owns the horse.
Naming the colt was a two-fold process. First, guests to the Hall of Fame suggested names before PRCA staff voted to narrow it to four choices. Then, on the first weekend of August, the 2018 class of inductees into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame voted for their favorite of the four names.
The name was submitted by John Nagel, of Colorado Springs, Colo., and he was the only one to suggest Leave it to Beaver. Some suggested names were submitted by more than one person. Nagel’s prize was $200 worth of PRCA and ProRodeo Hall of Fame gift cards and merchandise.
“I just looked at his parents’ names and tried to come up with something from them,” said Nagel. “Then I remembered the television show and thought that would be a good one.
The colt was born May 15 to Beaver Tail. Painted Valley, the 2010 PRCA Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year, was the sire. Beaver Tail has been bucked as a bareback and saddle bronc horse and bucked off several cowboys at large rodeos, including Prescott, Ariz., and Cheyenne, Wyo. Beaver Tail’s first colt, 6V Pillow Talk, became a three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo participant.
“It sounds like it was a great way to get the visitors involved, and that’s a great name for him,” Vold said. “We usually do a combination of the lineage. There are a lot of Valleys with our horses because of Painted Valley. But you can only have so many Valleys in your herd, so you’ll do something from pop culture. I’m sure he’ll just become Beaver or The Beav. Where’s the Beav?”