On Thursday, Vold Rodeo Company announced one of its most famous bucking horses Painted Valley had passed away.
Painted Valley, who would have turned 20 in July, died after a head injury caused by a freak accident.
“We will never know the events that led up to this tragedy. Bad things just happen sometimes. He would have been 20 years old this July, and I’m very grateful for the years we had with from,” Kristen Vold wrote on Instagram. “His athletic ability and gentle nature made him very special to many people, not just me. He was like pennies from heaven to our rodeo company, I will be forever grateful to him. I take comfort in the many sons and daughters that he has left behind to continue his legacy.”
Painted Valley made his first Wrangler NFR as a bareback horse in 2007 and then again as a saddle bronc horse in 2008. In 2009, Painted Valley was the top saddle bronc horse at the Wrangler NFR and in 2010, he was the World Champion bucking horse in the saddle bronc.
Painted Valley retired in 2014 and will go down as a great bucking horse and a great producer, too. He has sired several bucking horses for Vold Rodeo Company who went on to become NFR horses.
Painted Valley was being collected at the TimberCreek Veterinary Hospital. He was the first-ever World Champion bucking horse to be collected for embryo transfer.