Page 65 - December 2016

They’ve just infiltrated every bit of the business. You wouldn’t have Corona Cartel, you wouldn’t have First Down Dash, you wouldn’t have all these leading sires if you hadn’t had that branch of broodmares.”
Marvin and Lela bred their first Quarter Horse in 1960 and are recognized by AQHA as 50-year cumulative breeders. Their running Quarter Horses have earnings of more than $4.7 million and include three Champions, the aforementioned Top Ladybug, 1968 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Top Bug, and 6-time Champion Mr Master Bug.
Inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2013, Lady Bug’s Moon is the grandsire of First Prize Rose, the dam First Down Dash. The All-Time Leading Sire, First Down Dash was bred by B.F. Phillips Jr. and A.F. “Sonny” Stanley, who was Lela’s brother.
Barnes accomplished a feat in the 1982 All American Futurity that had never been done before or since – his two homebreds, Mr Master Bug and Miss Squaw Hand, finished one-two. The 1982 All American was the first race to offer the winner a $1 million payday, and the Barneses got
a check for $1,343,500 for the first- and second-
Marvin Barnes holds his check worth over $1 million for winning the 1982 All American Futurity with Mr Master Bug. Barnes also finished second with Miss Squaw Hand. Barnes accomplished a feat that had never been done before or has never been done since with two homebreds finishing one-two in the race.
place finishes, which was the largest payday in horse racing history at that time.
“Marvin loved a great horse, had a lot of great horses and was good for the business,” Wise said. “He and Lela were both very, very prominent ambassadors for the sport in Oklahoma and in New Mexico. Marvin did it all. He trained them, he raised them, he bred them, he sold them, he stood them – he did everything.”
In March, the American Quarter Horse Association announced the 2017 Hall of Fame inductees, and Barnes found out that he would be joining FL Lady Bug and Lady Bug’s Moon in the prestigious Hall.
“It’s a terrible shame that Marvin won’t be there to participate in his induction into the Hall of Fame, but at least he knew that he was in it and
he was very proud of it,” Wise said. “He was just delighted with the fact that the AQHA recognized him as Hall of Famer. It’s a big deal. Marvin was universally idolized by not only breeders, but
trainers and jockeys – he gave a lot of jockeys a lot of starts. Marvin told me one time, ‘I’ve supped with bums and I’ve supped with queens – that’s what the horse has given me.’”
Survivors include three nieces, Almeda Harrel of Ada, Cheryl Parks of Minco, Oklahoma, and Beverly Johnson of Austin, Texas; and one nephew, Kenneth R. Morris of Minco.
He was preceded in death by his wife Lela; his son, Michael Barnes; and a stepson, Jerry Vaughn Whittle.
Services were held Dec. 3, at the Criswell Funeral Home Chapel in Ada with burial following at Rosedale Cemetery. Troy Reust, Travis Reust, Vaughn Whittle, Kenneth Winters, Mike Parks and Justin Magness served as pall bearers, and honorary bearers were Johnny Barney and Fred Frederickson.
“He’s a great one,” Wise said. “Now that Marvin’s gone, there’s a sense that something’s missing out there. He’ll be sorely missed.”
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