Ricardo Pulzatto is making history at this year’s Adequan Select American Quarter Horse World Championship Show. Though Brazil has been represented at other AQHA world show events, Pulzatto will be the first from his country to compete at the Select level.
In this interview he talks about his horse and how he met and began working with roping trainer and competitor JD Yates of Pueblo, Colorado.
When we caught up with Pulzatto he explained that though he’s been riding and roping for years, he’s never competed at an event in the United States. He’s hopeful that his presence at the event will encourage other riders to make a trip to future Select shows. He says, “We hope others will see me compete and will want to come here, and not just in roping. I want to encourage people in other events like cow horse, reining, tie-down roping to show at Select.”
Pulzatto and his friends have worked with Yates for years from Brazil. It wasn’t until a week ago that Pulzatto flew into Colorado to stay with Yates before the event.
Some of the trouble Pulzatto faces in his quest is convincing Brazilian riders that travel is not an inconvenience, but a part of the adventure.
“It can take up to three hours to get out of town from the airport in Sao Paulo,” Pulzatto and Yates agree. Travel can be burdensome, which makes the prospect of regular travel to the U.S. to compete more difficult.
Pulzatto hopes that with his success, others will more eagerly look for opportunities to have their own experiences with AQHA and at large events in the U.S.
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