Page 37 - January 2016 Speedhorse

2015 A YeAr In revIew
January 26
AQHA First Vice President George Phillips of Sumrall, Mississippi, passed away after a long battle with cancer. A longtime breeder of Quarter Horses, Phillips was a 3-time president of the Mississippi Quarter Horse Association and a 4-time manager of the Dixie National Quarter Horse show. He became an AQHA director in 2002 and was elected to the AQHA Executive Committee in 2011. He was named the U.S. attorney for the southern district of Mississippi in 1980,
was director of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics before being named the state’s commissioner of public safety
in 2005, and was appointed the state director for USDA rural development in 2008.
February 9
Former horse trainer Edward Coltharp, 87, passed away at his home in Mayfield, Kentucky. Coltharp was a retired orthodontist and instructor at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry. He was the first president of the Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association and was inducted into the Kentucky Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame in 2007. Coltharp grew up on his grandfather’s ranch. He worked with Walter Merrick and rode over 30 miles on horseback to watch Merrick match race Grey Badger II in Cheyenne, Oklahoma.
February 11
Craig Huffhines was selected as the American Quarter Horse Association executive vice president. Huffhines
has 17 years experience with the American Hereford Association, where he most recently served as executive vice president. Huffhines takes over the position at AQHA from Don Treadway, who announced his retirement in 2014.
February 8
2012 Champion Distance Horse All About Larry (Heza Motor Scooter, Come Hell Or Hiwater, Shoot Yeah) died after suffering from colic. The 2007 gelding earned $191,464 winning the AQHA Distance Challenge Championship-G1, Sunland Distance Challenge-G3, SunRay Park Marathon Handicap, Master Salls Handicap, and Lone Star Distance Challenge. He also set 870-yard New Track Records at Prairie Meadows, Lone Star Park and Turf Paradise.
February
February 10
Portland Meadows in Oregon ended its 36-day live race meet with increases in both in-state and export handle. The 68th season of live racing saw average all-source handle rise 7.14%, in-state handle rise 8.08%, and export sales increase 7.05% compared to last season. Average purse payout decreased slightly from $56,372
to $56,022 per race. The average number of starters, however, increased for the second straight season, up from 6.72 in 2012, to 7.55 last season and to 7.61 horses per race this year. Nick Lowe was the leading Quarter Horse trainer with 12 wins, and Luis Gonzalez was the leading Quarter Horse jockey with 19 victories.
February 26
Reckless Dash (Dash For Cash-Shaken Not Stirred, Raise Your Glass TB), who was bred and raised by Joe Kirk Fulton, died at the Fulton Quien Sabe Ranch. The 28-year-old stallion was a multiple stakes winner of over $315,000 and was a
multiple stakes sire with progeny earnings of more than $3 million on the track. Reckless Dash was pensioned from stud in 2012.
March
March 3
AQHA President Johnny Trotter was honored by the Texas Legislature for his many achievements in the state. Trotter was recognized for his efforts as one
of the country’s largest feedlot owners, his contributions as AQHA President, and for his horse-breeding program.
His community involvement includes the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Texas A&M Foundation and West Texas A&M University Alumni Association. Trotter was also a member of the Texas Cattle Feeders board
and received the Tri-State Fair Western Heritage award in 2006. Trotter is also a 2015 inductee in the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.
SPEEDHORSE, January 2016 35
Coady Photography
The American Quarter Horse Journal