Page 56 - Speedhorse November 2019

BAXTER ANDRUSS by Diane Rice
A Founding Father of Quarter Horse Racing in the Northwest
Anywhere there was a racetrack, Baxter raced.
How does a person turn a childhood pastime into a well-established industry? Though the character traits required may sound simple,
they comprise a complex mix of strength
and determination that doesn’t take no for an answer: passion, persistence, dedication, eagerness to learn and share knowledge, strict attention to detail, tireless work, and yes — a super-sized spoonful of stubborn.
Baxter Andruss rallied his resume of traits to promote his childhood love of match racing into an established industry, convincing track secretaries throughout his region to approve Quarter Horse races.
“Andy is probably one of the most instrumental people in getting Quarter Horse racing accepted by the management at Portland Meadows and many other tracks around the
Northwest,” says Dave Nelson, his friend of 50 years and a 23-year chairman (1973–1996)
of the Oregon Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA). “At Portland
Meadows [for which Dave was the contract lobbyist from 1976–2006],
Andy was one of the leading trainers. I consider him one of the dominant
three trainers in the region; he probably won every stakes race
around the Northwest.
“If you go back in time,”
adds Dave, “there were a