Page 146 - Speedhorse, February 2019

OKLAHOMA QUARTER HORSE
HALL OF FAME
Induction Ceremony • January 25, 2019 • Oklahoma City, OK
Story Courtesy Oklahoma Quarter Horse Association, Banquet Photos by Heather Ridgway, Speedhorse
The Oklahoma Quarter Horse Hall of Fame was created in 2005 to recognize outstanding individuals, horses, ranches or businesses, whose contributions involving the American Quarter Horse significantly impacted the great state of Oklahoma’s equine industry.
This event is dependent on the generosity of donors who acknowledge those contributions with financial support.
The 15th Annual prestigious Oklahoma Quarter Horse Hall of Fame Induction Cere- mony was held at the Embassy Suites Oklahoma City Downtown Medical Center.
The 2019 Inductees were:
Ronnie Austin • Ringling, OK
Ronnie Austin opens up his old worn wallet, he smiles at the image of Jesus he keeps on the inside fold. Ronnie has a lot of faith and he prays a lot. Ronnie is lucky to be alive. In September 2003 he was very tired when
he traveled to Amarillo TX to compete at the inaugural American Quarter Horse Association Amateur Select World Championship Hors Show. Ronnie won Bayer Select Amateur Tie- Down World Championship.
In October of 2003, Ronnie and his wife Jessica headed to the doctor. He learned that he had leukemia. His headed to MD Anderson
Ronni Austin
in Houston. He had to undergo intense chemotherapy and months with an experimental drug. Austin’s lifestyle of riding, roping, travel and work as a cattle buyer came to a complete stop that year as he fought for his health. He was released from isolation in November of 2003. His final round of chemo was in March 2004. His leukemia is in remission and he takes two pills and one shot a day.
He was determined to compete again in Amarillo. Although he qualified the horse,
he could not practice much as he would have liked. So, in September 2004, Ronnie his young horse RR Sonita Norbert placed third at the AQHA Select World Championship horse show despite struggling with leukemia. Immediately afterwards, Ronnie headed back to MD Anderson for bone aspiration blood work.
He bought some great horses from the Roos Ranch so that he could raise and show Quarter Horses. The first horse he raised which went to the PRCA National Finals Rodeo in tie down was RA Quick Silver. Turtle Powell won the PRCA World Champion Heading and AQHA Horse of The Year. That became his goal to send Oklahoma bred horses to the NFR. He raised CNN Smart Gunner, Little Smart Leo, RA Sonita Silver, Purple Prince and RR Sonita Norbert. Ronnie has mounted, partnered or sold horses to Matt Shiozawa, Adam Grey, Tyler Milligan and Ryan Jarrett.
Jerry Burgess • Grand Prairie, TX
Jerry Burgess has earned industry-wide respect as a premier stakes jockey for more than 25 years and as a racing official for more than 30 years.
He is the son of the late Melvin and Myra Burgess. At the age of 15, he began riding races in Oklahoma and Berryville, Arkansas, Ruidoso Downs and Los Alamitos Race Track in California. In 1962, Burgess became a full- time professional Quarter Horse jockey who also attended Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1969.
Among his achievements were wins in the 1975 All American Futurity on Bugs Alive In 75, 1980 Rainbow Futurity aboard Mighty Deck Three, two World Championship Classics aboard Oh Snaz and Alamitos Feature and
also riding 2-time World Champion Dash For Cash in the Vessels Maturity and the Lubbock Downs Futurity. He was a 4-time winner of
the Sunland Park Derby, 4-time winner of the Raton Futurity, 2-time Oklahoma Futurity winner and a 6-time winner of the World Wide Appaloosa Futurity.
Burgess has been inducted into two horse racing Halls of Fame: the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame at Remington Park in Oklahoma City in 2010, the Ruidoso Downs Hall of Fame
in Ruidoso in 2011 and is a recipient of the Pete Pederson Outstanding Steward Award in 2016.
142 SPEEDHORSE, February 2019
Jerry Burgess
Rick Chayer