John, an 11-year-old American Quarter Horse gelding, and his owner/rider Doug Parker worked for years to qualify for the World Series of Team Roping in Las Vegas. Just before that became a reality in 2016, however, John was stricken with botulism, a toxic poisoning that had already killed one of his stablemates. Mr. Parker, who knew the World Series was now out of the question, raced to the UC Davis veterinary hospital to save John’s life.
