Page 35 - 27 April 2012

Fredda Draper rode barrels and roped, and still keeps up with rodeo today.
From rodeo to racing
Carl and Fredda married in 1962, just six weeks after that first date. They moved to Colorado, where Fredda attended Colorado Women’s College for two years. “Back then two years of college would get you a pretty good job,” she said. “I had that good job during the week and Carl and I both rodeoed on the weekends.”
Fredda rode barrels and roped, and Carl roped and rode bulls. Their family grew to include their daughter, Robyne, who rode in Little Britches and later in high school rodeo; and their son, Dallas, who opted for more traditional sports. Then, a bull riding injury caused Carl to consider other options.
Fredda convinced Carl that he could make it training racehorses. He trained his first horse, won his first out, and, according to Robyne, that was it. He was hooked.
They moved back to Ruidoso in 1981 and Carl trained outside horses for a while. The family also operated a construction and fence business, and Fredda worked as executive secretary and then general manager at The Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort in addition to handling the office side of Carl’s train- ing business. But around 2000, Carl decided he’d stick to training horses he owned, either with Fredda or in partnership with others.
Through the years, the Drapers have both bought and bred their runners. “I try to put about 15 yearlings together in the fall for next year’s prospects,” Carl said. The family keeps about a dozen broodmares, and Carl has occasion- ally developed colts into valuable studs, sometimes keeping breedings as part of the deal.
“I pretty much hand pick every one of my prospects,” he said. “One of the things I really, really enjoy doing is looking at horses. I study conformation; I have all my life. For these race prospects, conformation doesn’t lie. If all things are equal—pedigree and good mindedness—the ones with the best conforma- tion will win.”
In his earlier years, Carl Draper was an avid bull rider, calf roper and team roper.
SPEEDHORSE, April 27, 2012 33
Courtesy draper Family
Courtesy Fredda draper
Courtesy Carl draper