Kaleb Driggers announced February 13 the retirement of Remis Gays On Ofadoc, the bay gelding he calls Cuervo that carried him to his first gold buckle in 2021 and second in 2022.
Cuervo, the 2007 gelding by Reminic N Dunit out of FLS Oaks Classy Lady by Flynns Gayson Ofadoc, has battled a deep flexor injury on and off since before Driggers bought him from Jeff Flenniken, but the maintenance was worth the cost, because the horse let Driggers win where it counted.
“He was an instant match,” Driggers said. “I loved everything about him and was very excited to buy him. Then came the dreaded vet check that didn’t go in my favor. So I sent him back and started trying more horses, but nothing fit like he did. I’d try horses for five times as much money as Cuervo was, and nothing came close to the way he felt. Finally, my wife said, ‘Why don’t you just buy him? You love everything about him, if something happens, it just does, but all you can talk about is that bay horse.'”
That was 2021, since then Driggers saved Cuervo for the big jackpots and high-money rodeos. Mostly on Cuervo, Driggers set the regular season earnings record and year-end earnings record in 2022 with Junior Nogueira.
Danita Walker, long a cowboy horse caretaker, kept Cuervo at her house when he wasn’t on the road with Driggers, caring for him through three NFRs to give Driggers his best shot every night. Fittingly, Driggers will allow Cuervo to retire with Walker at her Texas home, where he’ll receive full-time care.
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