Page 29 - Speedhorse February 2020

THE MONTH IN REVIEW
by Jennifer K. Hancock
Got News To Share? Send photos & news items to jennifer_k_hancock@hotmail.com
OQHRA CHAMPIONS
The 2019 OQHRA Champions will be
honored during the annual OQHRA Awards Banquet on Feb. 29, at 6:00 p.m. The event will be held in the Grand Hotel and Casino in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The winners of the OHRC Oklahoma-Bred Program, the AQHA Regional High Point Champions, APHA Racing Champions as well as the winners
of the ApHC Champion awards will also be recognized at the OQHRA banquet.
Tickets are free of charge, but a credit card number will be requested to reserve tickets to cover the cost of no shows. To make banquet reservations call (405) 216-0440 or email Justin.r@oqhra.com or Valerie.s@oqhra.com. Hotel reservations can be made by calling (405) 964-7777 and mentioning the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association.
PCQHRA AWARD WINNERS
Ed Allred’s homebred He Looks Hot was named the 2019 Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Horse of the Year at the annual awards gala on Jan. 23 at Los Alamitos.
Co-hosted by Ed Burgart and Michael Wrona, the PCQHRA Awards celebrate
the achievements of California’s Quarter Horse breeders, owners, trainers, jockeys and Champion horses of the 2019 season.
The connections of He Looks Hot announced the World Champion is officially retired from racing. He Looks Hot was named 2019 World Champion at the AQHA Banquet at Heritage Place in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Jan. 15. He is the first horse to win the title of AQHA World Champion and PCQHRA Horse of the Year in same year since Heza Dasha Fire in 2015. “We’ve decided to retire He Looks Hot,” said trainer Scott Willoughby. “We’ll turn him out and let him be a horse. He’s probably the only Champion of Champions horse that also won at 550 yards,” Willoughby added. “I have to give
a lot of credit to my team. This horse needed a
lot of care and my assistant trainer, Juan Carlos Chavez, slept with him when he was sick. He was there with him all of the time. He hand walks the horse, and if the horse blinked, he would tell me.”
Los Alamitos Race Course president Cathy Monji received the 2019 Frank Vessels Sr. Memorial Award. Monji is a long time Quarter Horse breeder and owner and was part of “The
Girls” partnership racing 2-time Champion Old Habits. “I’m overwhelmed,” Monji said. “I love my job. I work with so many wonderful and dedicated people. Our administrative staff does so much, and our food service team is magnificent. The people in this industry – we just have such a wonderful bond. We all love our horses.”
“I trust Cathy with everything in my life,” Allred said. “She’s a marvelous person.” Allred, who led the nation with 77 Quarter Horse
wins, was named PCQHRA Owner of the Year and Ron Hartley received the Owner Special Recognition award. Dr. Steve Burns of Burns Ranch was named Breeder of the Year and Martha Wells won the Breeder Special Achievement award.
AQHA Champion Trainer Chris O’Dell was named PCQHRA Trainer of the Year after leading the meet with 76 Quarter Horse wins. “I’m very humbled by this award,” O’Dell said. “I never thought it would happen. It’s not easy. It probably took 50 to 60 people to get me here. I have to thank my great team. The owners, jockeys and so many other people that believed that we could get here. Kirk Goodfellow accepted the AQHA award on my behalf in Oklahoma. He’s always been an incredible motivational part of my life.”
Scott Willoughby received the Trainer Special Recognition Award for his strong season that included top horses like the World Champion He Looks Hot. “I came to Los Alamitos for one summer, and I never left,” Willoughby said. “I’m so fortunate to work for Dr. Allred and with an incredible team.”
Jesus Rios Ayala was named Jockey of the Year after winning his third consecutive Quarter Horse riding title with 75 wins. Vinnie Bednar received the Jockey Special Recognition award and Oscar Andrade Jr. won the Val Tonks Award given to an up-and-coming Quarter Horse rider.
Los Alamitos starter Gary Brinson was pre- sented the PCQHRA’s Sam Thompson Award. “Don Matlock said something I never forgot,” Brinson said. “He said, ‘Always be a horseman first and a starter second.’ I’d rather start one Champion of Champions than anything else. I’m so fortunate to have the starting gate crew that I have at Los Alamitos.”
Ed Burgart and TVG both received PCQHRA Special Recognition Awards.
See pages 120-121 for detailed information on the 2019 PCQHRA Champions.
RAY OF SUNSHINE AT SUN DOWNS
Artist Ginny Harding shared the good news on social media that Sun Downs was preparing to open its backside to horsemen on Feb. 8 in preparation of its annual historic race meet.
“Despite all the rumors about the end of horse racing here in the Tri-Cities, the resilience of our passionate members and horsemen is unequaled – longtime Tri-Cities Horse Racing manager Nancy Sorick announced to me today that the necessary funds to start up the 2020 pari-mutuel meet was covered by a concerned, dedicated and generous longtime horseman that we all know and love,” Harding posted on Jan. 24. “Another generous individual has anonymously paid for the costly insurance. We certainly have much to be thankful for today – for many, their livelihood is still intact – for horse breeders, owners, trainers, horsemen, jockeys, grooms and all who participate – this is
a way of life. For almost seven decades this track has hosted a meet that saw the beginnings of the careers of countless AQHA Champions and thanks to the generous and caring individuals who have fought a hard fight, horse racing continues for yet another year here in South Eastern Washington.”
Stalls for the Sun Downs meet can be reserved by calling Sorick at (509) 539-8490. Thank you to the anonymous donors, who saved the day and reminded us that generosity and kindness is still alive in racing.
ARIZONA HALL WELCOMES MEMBERS
On Feb. 8 at Rillito Racetrack, the Arizona Quarter Racing Association inducted three members to the Arizona Quarter Horse Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Larry Gamez, Vince Guerra and Howard “Zip” Peterson.
AQRA and Rillito also hosted a Celebration
of Life for Patti Shirley following racing on Feb.
8. Shirley passed away at her Tucson home on
Sept. 15, 2019. Born Sept. 1, 1945, in the state of Washington, she moved to Phoenix at a young age. In 1976, she married Dr. Dale Shirley, a dentist. In addition to managing the dental clinic, Patti trained their Thoroughbred racehorses, which raced in Arizona & New Mexico. Since Dale’s death, Patti helped manage Rillito Race Track through 2014, then devoted all her time to the Equine Encore Foundation (50l (3) C) – a retirement home for Thoroughbreds. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Equine Encore Foundation , 6865 N. Nanini Dr., Tucson, AZ 85704.
TRACK CHATTER
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