Mini Mag Mar 16 2021

meantime, I taught at Meade where I met Mike Drennan, an outstanding all-around horseman and cowboy,” O’Neil said. “Mike’s the one who really inspired me to become a team roper.” Developing his Salina veterinarian practice, O’Neil had his children Todd and Kirsten involved in showing horses. “They were successful including winning youth world championships,” he said. “I enjoyed roping and was fortunate to win world titles in team roping.” Gratny grew up near Olathe where his grandparents had horses. He was a member of the Rodeo Kids group which did trick riding and roping at rodeos and events including the American Royal. During the Vietnam War era, Gratny enrolled at KSU in engineering before transferring and graduating with a feedlot management degree. He was in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and joined the Reserves. “I worked for Orville Burtis (former AQHA registration inspector) in his cow-calf operation and also trained some horses,” Gratny said. “I met my wife Linda through mutual horse interests during college. “Linda became a veterinarian and we moved to Leavenworth where I’ve been breeding, raising and training horses,” he continued. “I had the opportunity to work with trainer Denny Hassett. When Denny moved to western Kansas, I took over some of his training horses and stallions.” Quarter Horses Gratny has trained have collected titles in world breed shows as well as reining events. “We’ve trained horses in a number of disciplines from reining to jumping, dressage, pleasure, horsemanship, roping and working cow horses. Most recently, it’s been ranch horses.” While showing, Gratny coached youth and amateur exhibitors for many years. “Today I work more with amateur riders in ranch horse classes,” he said. His daughters Kelly and Maggie have been successful training and showing horses. The legendary horsemen credited mentors for influencing their lives with horses. “The Winfield veterinarian Dick Warren and an area cowboy J. Blaine Adams inspired me from an early age,” O’Neil said. “Of course, Denny Hassett helped me along, and I learned through Dean Smith, Bob Loomis and other trainers,” Gratny credited.