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right: Jennifer Hancock at Vessels Stallion Farm.
left: Martha Claussen, Richard Chamberlain and Susan Bachelor
“I think that if you’re the subject of a Richard Chamberlain article, you have achieved something in Quarter Horse racing.” – Jennifer Hancock
woods called quarter paths,” Rich says of
the origin of the column’s name. “So, when
a horse would win a big race, I’d look at its pedigree and pick some great-grandsire or maybe his third dam or something and write a story about the winner and its ancestor that might have run those quarter paths. People just loved them.”
Rich’s boss at Quarter Horse Journal, Jim Jennings — now editor emeritus — says, “Throughout his time at the Journal, Rich did a lot of stories about Quarter Horse racing and the people involved. And, he did a lot
of historical articles; he was very good at researching those. I admire his knowledge of the industry, and of pedigrees.
“He has earned great respect as a writer in
the industry,” Jim continues. “I’m not sure I can think of anybody else in the Quarter Horse racing industry that would be on a par with Rich.”
“He just has a way of getting along with people,” adds Ty Wyant. “He’s good natured, works hard and just fits in. Obviously, he’s also an excellent writer.”
SPREADING THE FIRE:
Mentoring Others
As an excellent writer, Rich set the standard for those he worked with through the years. “Rich has been a tremendous mentor to me,” says Jennifer Hancock, who worked with Rich on AQHA publications for many years.
“I recently came across some pictures of my first trip to Los Alamitos years ago,” she adds. “Rich took me there to cover the Challenge Championships. Those were the days when we took pictures on film and had them developed,
and we were always looking for stock photos for the magazine. Rich made it a point to take me to Vessels Stallion Farm, where I was able to meet First Down Dash in person and feed him his beloved sunflower seeds.
“We also went out to the broodmare pastures. It was fall so there were no babies, but we were able to get some great photos. That was his way of introducing me, a new reporter and field editor, to people in the industry and giving me the opportunity that not many people would’ve been able to have — being out in the pasture with these blue-hen mares and forming historical references that would help me later on. It was an amazing moment to look back on and I’m thankful for Rich taking the time to share that with me.”
Rich shared his knowledge and writing ability with his readers as well as his coworkers. “His ability to touch his readers stems from
his caring and wanting to tell the full story,” Jennifer says. “He gives you the facts, but he also gives you the backstory and the underlying information. He has such a firm grasp on the history and the bloodlines that he can connect those dots and paint a great picture in a story that just draws readers in.
“We always teased him in the office that he was the encyclopedia of not only Quarter Horse racing but the American Quarter Horse breed,” Jennifer says. “I got to go to lots of tracks around the country and Rich has friends at nearly every track everywhere. His articles are loved. I think that if you’re the subject of a Richard Chamberlain article, you have achieved something in Quarter Horse racing.”
THE KINDLING:
His Family Life
Although Rich’s career has brought many professional accolades, he counts his personal achievements as his greatest body of work. “I’ve come to know that I was spared going to Viet Nam so I could be a grandpa and turn kids on to horses,” he says.
He practiced those skills by turning his own boys on to horses as well. Thanks to Rich’s unique experiences while pursuing his career, his two sons, Zach and Cody, who were born while he was in college and early in his career, have grown up experiencing a life most kids will never know.
“When they were little, in first, second and third grade, they’d go back to school
in the fall and the teacher would ask what everyone did all summer,” Rich relates. “Most kids would say they went to Six Flags or Disneyland or the beach. My boys would say, ‘We went to the races at Ruidoso and then to this ranch at Logan, New Mexico, where we gathered cattle and rode night herd.’
“Come conference time, the teacher would say, ‘Your boy has a bit of an imagination.’ But when I backed up their stories, the school started giving us excused absences so I could take the boys on those trips.”
Even his sons’ wives expressed concern that they were marrying pathological liars. “What they did was so out of the ordinary for that time,” Rich says. “The first time the boys broke a horse without me, a little, dark brown mare we called Alpo, they were 11 and 12 years old.
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SPEEDHORSE August 2020
Ginny Harding & Richard