Arena Tracks by Penny Schlagel: Wally
While the world marveled at million dollar baby barrel racer Dusky Lynn Hall winning the Western Semi-Finals of The American Rodeo and punching her ticket to run at the $1,000,000 prize in Globe Life Stadium, I thought back to the first time I saw her run. It was May of 2023 at the Oklahoma Royal Crown event. While amazed at the run, I was more taken with what was under the saddle than who was in it. I said out loud, “Hold up. That’s Wally.”
Wally, also known by his registered name, Aint Seen Famous Yet, came into this world on May 30, 2014, in the Wyoming pasture of Josh and Kaylee Little. The stout palomino colt was by relatively unknown stallion, Aint Seen Nothin Yet and out of a daughter of Jerry Olson’s stallion, Its Royal Time. When the Littles posted his sale ad, it just so happened that 7 hours away, Atkinson, Nebraska, barrel racer Amelia McCumber was taking a break from her Physician Assistant studies and stumbling upon the weanling’s ad. Knowing that the end of her PA program with UNMC was near and liking the look of the palomino she pulled the trigger and bought him. She deserved a treat after all that hard work, right?





Cory and Amelia McCumber brought Aint Seen Famous Yet home to their ranch in January of 2015. The colt had a heightened sense of self preservation and was not about to put himself in harm’s way. In cowboy terms – he was watchy, which coined his nickname, Watchy Wally. Wally was keenly aware of what went on around him and bent on protecting himself. Why on God’s green earth would he head across a pasture or down a road when he could safely ride inside a very predictable arena? Things jumped out at you in the pasture. Rabbits! Deer! Tumbleweeds! Nope. The arena was safest…with the exception of those three barrels that, given the chance, might jump up and eat you.
Amelia persevered and 2019, Wally’s futurity year, was upon her. In preparation, she had contacted the owner of Aint Seen Nothin Yet, Lisa Miladinovich, asking if she would consider paying Wally’s sire into the local breeders futurities – 5 State, Corn Husker and Gridiron. These local events were the precursors to the Pink & Ruby Buckle, Royal Crown and others that followed. Lisa was glad to pay Aint Seen Nothin Yet into those programs and has continued that support to include the larger incentives as her boy has proven himself as a stallion. Amelia and Wally’s first entry was the Sandhills Showdown in Broken Bow, NE. It was April and Wally was fresh and still very green. The first run was a bit wild with Wally well aware of every banner, speaker and oddly colored horse. Amelia remembers him switching leads 3-4 times running to the first barrel as he clocked a 17.345 and pulled a 5D check for $119.20. The next day they were 16.270 for $666.65. A month later Amelia and Wally placed 2nd at the Bonus Race Finals for nearly $1800. At that point Amelia’s cautious optimism had been confirmed: Watchy Wally was a winner.
That first competitive year Wally and Amelia cashed over $80k in barrel racing checks. They won the Gridiron Breeder’s Futurity, were 4th at the 5 State Futurity, Reserve Champions at the Fizz Bomb Futurity and placed at the BFA Finals. In truth, it wasn’t even a year, just from April to November. In 2020, given the cancelled events of Covid, the team was again limited to competition from May – October. They still won over $111k with big checks at the Extreme Millions Finals etc. Year 2021 brought wins in the Breeders Challenge and Royal Crown and a yearly total of $112k. By 2022, Wally was close to aging out of the Derby events and took advantage of this last opportunity, winning big at the incentive events and being re-crowned the 5 State Breeder’s Maturity Champion. It was an outstanding year, topping all others with a whopping $157k in earnings. But as noted before, Wally was now too old for the aged events and Amelia was getting, well, tired. She was working full time as a Physician Assistant and had no plans to quit. She had missed her own shots at The American because she was out of vacation time at work and was worn out from working until 5 pm, driving through the night to an event, then driving through the night to get home so she could work on Monday. Wally was not the kind of horse she could rodeo on as his fear of mutton busters and queens with flags did not fit that narrative. Wally liked perfectly groomed ground and running at 11 am. Heck, Wally still wanted exhibitions, just to case the joint and make sure nothing was going to bite him.
Amelia knew in her heart a reckoning was dawning. Of course, with a horse like Wally, one gets the phone calls, “What’s it going to take to make him mine?” and the like. She could have sold him many, many times, but she wanted the right fit with the right people. Then a young mother named Dusky Hall reached out, asking about him for her daughter, Dusky Lynn. Amelia liked her immediately. She really didn’t want to sell Wally, but she was interested in what he’d do with a young jockey as he’d never been around any children. Somewhat reluctantly, but intrigued, Amelia agreed that the Halls could meet Wally in Oklahoma City at the BBR Finals.
Amelia cannot say enough good things about the Halls. They are folks that have gotten to where they are the old fashioned way – hard work and perseverance. Dusky Lynn is talented, but grounded and truly cares about her horses and wants to learn. The watchy 9-year-old gelding met the 9-year old-cowgirl with more curiosity than fear. With Dusky Lynn on his back, Wally was a different horse: responsive to her tiny body and little legs as he waited patiently for her to catch up or tell him what to do. Sixty seconds into the meeting Amelia’s stomach had dropped. She knew the Halls would want to buy Wally . So came the “come to Jesus” moment Amelia had been avoiding. While the last 5 years with Wally had been the best of her life, they had also caused her to miss significant family events and question who she was as her whole identity had gotten wrapped up in Wally. The stomach drop was quickly followed by the warmth of knowing this was a good fit. These were good people with the means to care for Wally and handle his idiosyncrasies. They could protect him from the boogie man and give him a chance to keep on doing what he did – win. Not to mention the 50 pound cowgirl had to be pleasing to his back and joints.
The rest has become history. Wally ran out $450k with Amelia and $250k so far with Dusky Lynn Hall for a total of $700,188k of income reported to Equistat. Wally was one of the first of the Aint Seen Nothin Yet offspring to make a mark on the world, leading mare owners to flock to Lisa Miladinovich’s prized boy for breeding contracts.
Dusky Lynn continues to compete on Wally and Amelia says she enjoys watching the duo more than running him. There’s so much pride and so little stress with each run. The Halls have stayed very close with the McCumbers, even spending 3 weeks at the ranch this summer with Dusky Lynn volunteering to ride Amelia’s horses, freeing her up to make supper. One of those horses is Amelia’s latest creation by Aint Seen Nothing Yet – Aint Seen My Design. Amelia and “Wreck It Ralph” placed 4th at the 5 State Breeders Futurity this year and recently won an open race with over 250 entries. Ralph is NOT cautious about his own safety, ripping off shoes and even moving a portable stall 10 feet…at a barrel race. But Wally and Ralph have a few things in common: Both are by Aint Seen Nothin Yet. Both were trained by the capable hands of Amelia McCumber. And both are winners. Like Amelia. Like Dusky Lynn. Winners.