Page 174 - Speedhorse May 2019

LINDA FOX (2016)
Linda Fox of Seminole, Oklahoma, is a well-known Paint breeder along with her late husband Gary Kilgore, who died in 2009. They bred 42 foals and raised many top Paint race- horses, including five-time World Champion Got Country Grip and his dam Got A Grip. Their breeding program made history, making their horses highly sought after.
Got A Grip was not only a Champion on the racetrack, but also produced several multiple Champions and stakes winners, with offspring earnings of $605,020 that vaulted her to the #2 all-time leading Paint broodmare. Her progeny have 31 wins
(14 stakes).
“She was one of a kind,” Linda said in the September/October 2011 Paint Horse News. “Her produce all have the same traits as she had - the heart and the try.”
Her most impressive foal was superstar Got Country Grip; he had an incredible 16 consecutive wins tying the North American all-breed record. The gelding earned 15 Champion titles, racked up multiple stakes victories and track records, and had a total of 21 wins (13 stakes) from 30 starts. He is ranked second on APHA’s Lifetime list by money earned with $361,881. Other notable horses from the Fox/Kilgore breeding pro- gram include Champion runners SW Eye Candy, Royal Grip, Tia Wanna, Eye Wanna Dance, SM Country Bandit, and stakes horses Girls Got Grip, Biker Chick and Money Makin Mama.
“They worked as a team,” said Gary’s daughter Donella Wemhoff. “Dad put the breeding ideas together, and Linda did a lot of the hard work due to his failing health. She had
a huge work ethic and was always willing to put in the time to do things right. She was there from the beginning to the end. It couldn’t have happened without her support.”
Linda has retired from Paint racing, but the legacy continues on through Steve Wright and Jamie Howard, who have most of the Fox/
h Kilgore bloodlines now. Sh
g was named APHA Leading
n Owner in 2006 and Leadin
d Breeder in 2006, 2007 and
h 2010. Linda is ranked sixth
on the Leading Breeders List by races won with 83 wins (19 stakes), and sec- ond on the APHA Leading Breeders List by money earned with more than $1.27 million.
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SAMMY & NADINE HESTER/CHARLES TROCHTA (2017)
Sammy and Nadine Hester of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Charles Trochta of Oklahoma City were well known Paint racing partners for
many years. A teacher before becoming a
race trainer, Sammy was a force to be reckoned with. He is ranked eighth on APHA’s Lifetime Trainer list by money earned at more than $1.1 million and 15th by races won, with a record including 96 wins, 78 seconds and 57 thirds.
Charles owned a flower shop and greenhouse, but his passion was owning racehorses, watching them run and displaying their trophies. Hester/ Trochta teamed up to win Leading Owner in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2010. Their top money-earner was multiple stakes winner and World Champion Calista Corona, who had 15 wins (6 stakes) with earnings of $252,967.
“He’s been a godsend to us,” Charles said in a Paint Horse News article. “He’s about the best horse we’ve ever had. We’re so proud of him.”
Champion Chicks Lacerta won the
is ranked ninth on the APHA’s Leading Sire list by money earners of over $1.3 million.
E E l l a a i i n n a a G G o o G G o o a a l l s s o o p pr r o o d du u c c e e d d C C h h a a m mp pi i o on n s s t t a a l l - - l l i i o o n n M M H H M M H H o o t t w w i i r r e e , , a a s s t t a a k k e e s s - - p p l l a a c c e e d d f f u u l l l l brother to CRM Livewire; stakes winner
C C R R M M R R a a d d i i o o F F l l y y e e r r ; ; a a n n d d s s t t a a k k e e s s p p l l a a c c e e d d DCM Furyofthestorm.
World Champion Live Moonshine, Champion Bully Pulpit and No. 1 Solid Paint Bred Honor Roll Mare Wired For Sound are among the Jones’ top runners in 2018.
Dan and Kaye are APHA Racing Advisory Committee members and can be found helping out at the Heritage Place Paint rac- ing booth during horse sales,
inaugural Paul Harber Memorial Handicap, which was particularly special to Sammy because he was close friends with Paul. Chicks Lacerta’s lifetime earnings were $156,869 with 10 wins (3 stakes); other notable runners were Champion TH Agouti and stakes winners San Mateo Chick, Treasured Form, Esperanzas Quick Dash and Bold Bucephalus. Sammy raised 45 foals with 77 wins (16 stakes); Sammy and Nadine are ranked seventh on
the APHA Lifetime Breeders List by money earned of $978,668.
Sammy died in October 2017 at age 86. One year later, Charles died in November 2018 at age 89. Sammy’s son Michael and his wife, Jay, have taken over the family’s Paint Horse business.
fundraising for auctions, and assisting others. Their contributions, dedication and commit- m ment to Paint racing are appreciated.
Dan and Kay Jones are shown here w i t h t w o o f t h e i r g r a n d d a u g h t e r s .
Charles Trochta (top),
Nadine and Sammy Hester (below)
DAN & KAYE JONES (2018)
Dan and Kaye Jones of Kemp, Texas, have been in the racing business for many years, successful as breeders and owners. Since
b e c o m i n g i n v o l v e d i n P a i n t s , t h e y ’v e e a r n e d 14 APHA Champion racing titles, Leading
O w n e r i n 2 017 – 2 018 , a n d L e a d i n g B r e e d e r
in 2018. They’ve earned $617,024 as Lifetime Breeders with 46 wins (8 stakes) and $902,146 as Lifetime Owners with 62 wins (12 stakes) from 30 starters.
The Jones’ most influential Paint brood- mare has been Elaina Go Go, by Texas Hero, who has produced several Champions and stakes winners earning $276,244. They have a combined 18 wins (5 stakes) and 13 stakes- placed finishers. Her top money-earner is 2-time World Champion CRM Livewire ($100,708), who has also become a success- ful sire of Champion racehorses himself and
172 SPEEDHORSE May 2019
PAINT HORSE BULLETIN