Why LeRoy Van Dyke was Selected to Perform at the 2019 CT2V National Championship

Before we start talking about why Leroy Van Dyke was selected to perform at the 2019 Country Tough Trail Versatility National Championship, let me introduce Leroy to any that may not know him. 

Crazy cool facts about Leroy Van Dyke:

• Entertainer of the Decade for the 1960’s
• Multi-million record seller with his famous songs “Auctioneer” and “Walk on By”
• “Walk on By” stayed in the charts 42 weeks, 19 of those weeks were in the number one position
• “Walk on By” became the biggest country music record in history according to Billboard Magazine
• Starred in the 1967 movie “What Am I Bid?”
• Had his own syndicated television series, “The Leroy Van Dyke Show”
• Hosted the 1965 CMA (Country Music Association) Awards Show

Additional even cooler facts about Leroy Van Dyke:

• Served as a special agent in the US Army Counter-Intelligence Corps in Korea.
• Graduated from the University of Missouri with a dual major: Animal Husbandry and Journalism, with a minor in Speech.
• In the Auctioneering Hall of Fame

The Country Tough Trail Versatility (CT2V) National Championship is scheduled for October 18-20, 2019 at Von Holten Ranch in Mora, MO.  CT2V is a combination of trail riding, a ranch horsemanship pattern, and obstacles without any points for speed.  Leroy was born less than ten minutes from the ranch is located and went to school even closer.  Von Holten Ranch has been family owned since 1906.  Leroy is the perfect selection for making the national championship an event for the entire family.  It will be good wholesome fun.  Just as CT2V is versatile, Leroy is versatile with his accomplishments ranging from the US Army to acting to raising mules.

If you live more than 150 miles away from a CT2V host, you can still compete in the national championship with the buy-in option.  Each entry will also receive a free ticket to the concert. 

This article is about why Leroy Van Dyke was selected to perform at the 2019 CT2V National Championship, and believe it or not, but we have not gotten to the reason yet even with looking at the list of accomplishments above.  You see, my husband and I (David and Brandy Von Holten) built this facility ourselves.  Hours of hard work, sacrifice, and countless lessons learned along the way.  One would think that David’s family, especially his father would be proud of us for making the farm vibrant once again.  That was not the case.  It was just really difficult for David’s father to see his childhood homestead be anything different than what it used to be.  It was unsettling for myself to see such a great man have this emptiness due to not having his father’s approval. 

The Van Dyke’s came by for a visit to see our facility.  Gladys (Leroy’s wife) and I were in one ATV, and David and Leroy were in the other ATV.  When the tour was over, Leroy said repeatedly to David that he was proud of him.  Just typing those words now makes me get that same lump in my throat.  It doesn’t matter the age of the man, approval is always wanted.  Leroy of course is not my husband’s father, but he still was able to fill that void he needed.  This was why Leroy was selected.  He did something for my husband that I never could and now I want to provide Leroy the opportunity to perform in his family’s stomping ground. 

Leroy is everything our ranch and Country Tough Trail Versatility represents: family, fun, honest, and grounded with roots based off of hard working Americans.  Leroy is Country Tough.  He has stood the test of time and on his list of accomplishments is able to put that he has never missed a performance.  Do not let the chance of a lifetime “Walk on By”!