How the Redtop Trickriding School was born...
In 1976, newlyweds Paul and Linda Scholtz, freshly graduated from Central Bible College, attended a rodeo at the nearby fairgrounds.
Linda met Karen Vold, who owned the Vold Rodeo Company with her husband, Harry. Karen and Harry invited Linda and Paul to be chaplains for the Vold Rodeo Company.
This "chance" meeting led to more than 40 years of rodeo and trickriding ministry.
Karen Womack Vold
Since the day she was born, rodeo has been a part of Karen Vold's life. Born the daughter of rodeo clown Andy Womack, Karen began trickriding by age 11.
By the time she was 14, she was performing professionally. In 1962, she was instrumental in forming the first group concept of trick riding with her troupe, "The Flying Cimarrons."
The group concept of trickriding was previously unheard of, as up until this time, trick riders were hired as individual performers. If more than one attended the same rodeo, there was no guarantee they wouldn't be doing the same tricks.
After the disbandment of the Cimarrons, Karen and three others formed another group, called the "Fireballs." Between the Cimarrons and the Fireballs, Karen performed in almost every major rodeo in the US in her 17-year career.
After marrying her husband, PRCA Stock Contractor Harry Vold in 1972, Karen transitioned to rodeo, family, and teaching trickriding.
Karen was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1978, and has been hosting the Red Top Trickriding School with Linda Scholtz for over 30 years.
Linda Scholtz
Linda Scholtz, pictured above at left, was born and raised on a chicken farm in Florida. She then left to attend college at Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. It was there she met her husband, Paul Scholtz.
Thanks to Paul's Western roots, they both became very involved in rodeo. It was while attending the rodeo in Springfield that they met Harry and Karen Vold, owners of the Vold Rodeo Company.
Karen invited the Scholtzes to come with them and serve as their chaplains. And, as they say, the rest is history.
Linda, while familiar with rodeo, wasn't introduced to trickriding until she saw Karen training her daughter. Then, after seeing another female professional trickrider perform in the rodeo, Linda was hooked for life.
She committed a year to her training, then went professional in 1978. Linda spent 20 years touring rodeos as a professional trickrider and chaplain.
Together, Linda and Karen have been hosting the Redtop Trickriding School for over 30 years.