Page 197 - January_2023

Pictured, from left, are 1984-85 AQHA officers Rick Johns, Stephen Tio Kleberg, Howard Weiss, Dr. Gerald O’Connor, Leo Winters and Ronald Blacwell.
AQHA Past President Rick Johns Passes Away
Former AQHA President Rick Johns of Prescott, Arizona, passed away in December. Johns always had an interest in the mares and built an impressive broodmare band. “Some of the old-timers I had
an opportunity to be around in my younger days all said that the mother was a really important
part of the program and I still believe that,” he once said. He started showing horses in the mid- 1960’s and is associated with horses such as World Champion Yearling Filly Triple Lindy and World Champion Aged Stallion Son Of Sun. He was
the first president of the Arizona Quarter Horse Youth Association, he was the 1971 president of the Arizona Quarter Horse Association, and financially backed the Sun Circuit which is one of the biggest AQHA shows. He became an AQHA director in 1972 and served on the judges and membership committees, then became the 34th president of
the AQHA in 1984. He was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 1997.
Joe Rios Passes Away
Livestock trader, owner and agent Joe Rios, 63, passed away on Dec. 12. A lifelong resident of El Paso, Texas, Joe was the owner of Quarter Horse money earners of $728,836 with 17
wins from 69 starts and was ranked a leading owner of money earners in 2018. Among his top money earners were Suze Returns, with whom he won the West Texas Futurity-G2 in 2018, Fantastic Feature Jr, winning of the Hobbs America Derby-G3 in 2019, and All American Futurity-G1 qualifier Eagles And Dragons. Rios is survived by his wife Leslie, a daughter and son, two grandchildren, and many other family members and friends.
NEWS BRIEFS
SPEEDHORSE January 2023 195
Non-Stakes Races
Lone Star Park Maiden Juvenile Classic Lone Star Park • Grand Prairie, TX 12/17/2022 • 350 yds • 2yo • $63,250 • Fast
:17.755 War Admiral, g, (Moonin The Eagle-Azoomin With Jessie) Bobby D Cox/J Vazquez/B Candanosa
AB Kiss N Run, g, (Apollitical Blood-Kiss N Toll)
Triple Five/J Diaz Jr/J Herbert
One Significant Hero, f, (One Valiant Hero-Significant Perry V) Double Diamond QH’s/M Arrossa/F Calderon
Stallionesearch.com Claimers Cup Classic Lone Star Park • Grand Prairie, TX 12/17/2022 • 400 yds • 3&up • $35,100 • Fast
:20.120 Nobby Walsh, 4, g, (Jess Good Candy-Shanachee)
HWD Racing Stables LLC/H Hernandez/F Calderon Wagons Moving First, 3, f, (Wagon Tales-Lusi)
Val & Tonya Gonzalez/E Alvarado/N Duran Behrable, 3, g, (Duponte-Miss Bedlan)
Bryton Dewald/J Licona-Vazquez/G Gutierrez
Stallionesearch.com Claimers Cup Middle Grounds Lone Star Park • Grand Prairie, TX 12/17/2022 • 300 yds • 3&up • $52,063 • Fast
:15.267 Rey Donovan, 3, g, (Valiant Hero-Da Licious)
Carlos Ponce/J Diaz Jr/F Calderon
LC Tapatio, 4, g, (The Louisiana Cartel-KK Scarface) Luis Plascencia/J Diaz Jr/J Herbert
The Lad Can Dash, 3, g, (Down N Dash-Lady Lilia) Roberto Duenes/R Duenes/N Duran
Stallionesearch.com Claimers Cup Dash Lone Star Park • Grand Prairie, TX 12/17/2022 • 110 yds • 3&up • $43,850 • Fast
:7.031 Skirts Jess Flying, 7, g, (Captain Courage-Im Tailored Too)
Dark Horse Partnership/J Basham/A Zuniga
GF Wild Thoughts, 3, f, (Mr Ease Cartel-Gigi Make It Right) Evelia Garcia/R Madrigal/F Ramirez Jr
Toastin Miss Jody, 8, m, (Jodys Money Pop-Toast To Dad) Javier Moreno/S Riojas Jr/C Aguilar
SPEEDHORSE PHOTO ARCHIVES
Can you identify the horse in this photo? Here’s a hint: She was named California Hi-Point Aged Mare in 2000. The answer is on page 196.
Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse
Speedhorse Archives