Golden Runs and the Road Ahead

Latricia Duke and Vanilla Wafer have lit up the professional rodeo scene over the past few years, qualifying for the 2024 NFR, where the stallion was honored with two prestigious awards voted on by Duke’s peers.

Latricia and Vanilla Wafer at the 2024 NFR. Photo by Kenneth Springer.

Duke has developed countless top contenders throughout her career. Over the past few years, she has been on the ride of a lifetime with one of those extra-special horses: DM High Roller, affectionately known as “Vanilla Wafer.” 

As May and June saw the transition to bigger, outdoor arenas, this pair has been racking up checks at major pro rodeos from Oregon to Arizona. With lifetime earnings over $649,000 and sitting no. 12 in the World Standings, this will be a fun duo to watch through the summer run once again. 

So when did she know the stunning palomino stallion was going to be a standout?

“This is going to sound really cliché, but the first time I loped him through the barrels, his first day. I trotted him through a couple times, then loped him, and when he cracked the corner at the first, I was like, ‘That’s real. You can’t train that.’ Since he was three years old, not much has changed about the way he does it.”

Duke often describes Vanilla Wafer as “easy” and the incredible athlete makes running barrels look effortless. With a lengthy background in the industry, she knows what it takes to be a standout stallion.

“As far as keeping him a stallion, he was just perfect from the day he was born. Conformationally, there was absolutely nothing I would’ve changed about him. He was always sweet. I never really thought about standing a stallion for the public, and I said if he ever got studdy, I would cut him. His attitude was what dictated whether he was going to stay a stallion or not.”

From little girls who want to pet a real-life unicorn to ropers who would like to take him for a spin, Vanilla Wafer has a dedicated following that crosses equine disciplines.

"I love him and think he’s amazing, but you never think of your own horse being one that other people notice. Being voted Co-Reserve Horse of the Year and receiving the Scoti Flit Bar Rising Star Award, those are voted on by the top 15 barrel racers in the world. That’s humbling beyond anything I could ever put into words.”

Bravid, Latricia, and Vanilla Wafer.  Photo by Kenneth Springer.

For Duke, Vanilla Wafer’s demeanor is one of the greatest joys of being “his person.”

“He has a giant personality. At the breeding farm, Jeff will put me on speakerphone, and if he hears me, he’ll throw his head up and nicker. My son, Bravid, shoes him, and he makes me leave because he says he’s better when I’m gone,” she laughed.

The Road and the Rodeos

While the rodeo road can be grueling, Wafer’s intelligence has kept him safe and healthy through thousands of miles and countless runs.

“He’s very smart, he takes care of himself. He’ll lay down and sleep. He eats and drinks. If you stop on the side of the road, he’ll drink three or four little buckets. He likes to be scratched. I hear people all the time say that the great ones have some quirk and he just doesn’t. He’s never really had one. He’s so personable and kind. He loves people. He loves to have his picture taken. He understands when people are taking pictures, he puts his ears up.”

As Duke and Vanilla Wafer enjoy their final season on the rodeo trail together, it is a bittersweet time. Although she is focused on doing what is best for his future as a breeding stallion, it is difficult to close their chapter of competing together.

“He is so young and healthy and truly loves his job. I pull up with a trailer and he nickers. I have to make a decision on what I think is best for him. At this point, he’s not like a horse, he’s an extension of me. I thought I knew horses that I had competed on previously, but when you rodeo on one for two or three years and leave for three-plus months at a time, you truly learn everything about them.”

After running at many of the biggest rodeos in the U.S., the team has learned where they shine and will focus on their favorites during this farewell journey.

“I’m really excited about Calgary. I’ve never had the opportunity to go, but it’s definitely a bucket-list rodeo and not an easy one to qualify for. I love all the Northwest rodeos, and my horse loves the big outside pens with no fences. That’s where he seems to excel. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime type of horse, so I try not to think about the fact that the end is nearing.”

Carrying the Legacy

Looking ahead, Duke will be spending more time developing Wafer’s offspring, just as she once did for the great stallion and his dam. Having ridden multiple generations of his pedigree, she knows the bloodline inside and out. In the mid-2010s, she lit up leaderboards riding HappyToRunEm. “Kylie” and Vanilla Wafer’s sire, FireWaterOnTheRocks, left an impact on Duke, inspiring her to further their legacy.

“There’s a couple two-year-olds that guys are riding for me now, and I’m so excited. They’re soft in the face, real feely in the ribs. They have a lot of bend, and they’re strong off their hock. People have been sending me videos, and everybody’s really happy. They are very similar to him in their body movement and the way they carry themselves.”

As the duo earns wins across the country, we are reminded that these rare horses are not just winners, they are partners, teammates, and friends. Vanilla Wafer has been all of that and more for Duke and we wish them the best of luck in the next chapter.