Page 69 - April 2016

Congratulations are in order for the six horses and four men who were inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame
at the 2016 AQHA Convention in Las Vegas. The 2016 American Quarter Horse Hall of
Fame inductees were honored at the Hall of Fame Banquet March 13 at the South Point Hotel & Casino.
“Induction into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame is the highest honor possible
in our Association, and I look forward to welcoming these deserving individuals into the Hall of Fame,” said Craig Huffhines, executive vice president of the American Quarter Horse Association.
The horses going into the Hall of Fame are the
stallions Mr Gun Smoke, Parker’s Trouble and Zantanon; the geldings Van Decka and Vandy’s Flash; and the Thoroughbred mare Woven Web.
The men are AQHA Past President Johannes Orgeldinger of Germany; the late Paul Curtner of Jacksboro, Texas; Floyd “Sunny Jim” Orr of Pueblo, Colorado; and Ben Hudson of Morgan Mill, Texas.
story courtesy AQHA
MR GUN SMOKE
Mr Gun Smoke was born to cut cattle. Foaled in 1961, he was trained by the late Dale Wilkinson, who bought the horse in 1967 by trading $2,500, a trophy and a filly. Wilkinson and the stallion earned 71 AQHA points and a Superior in cutting, plus $8,476 in National Cutting Horse Association earnings in an era when purses were much smaller.
In 1968, Mr Gun Smoke moved to the breeding shed, where the sorrel stallion by Rondo Leo was an out- standing outcross sire to King and Doc Bar mares. In all, Mr Gun Smoke progeny collected more than $1 million in earnings through NCHA, the National Reining Horse and the National Reined Cow Horse associations, and the AQHA world championship shows.
He was bred by Mamie and Harley Price of Bazine, Kansas, and was inducted into the NRCHA Hall of Fame in 1980 and the NRHA Hall of Fame in 2008. Last owned by Rapps Quarter Horses of Weatherford, Texas, Mr Gun Smoke died in 1983.
PARKER’S TROUBLE
Racehorse Parker’s Trouble was foaled on the ranch of his breeder, W.D. “Dink” Parker of Pata- gonia, Arizona. In 20 starts, Parker’s Trouble had six wins, three seconds and two thirds, for lifetime earnings of $4,609. He graded AAA before his race career ended.
The 1949 chestnut stallion was by Ed Echols and out of Little Nellie Bars by Three Bars (TB). Unadvertised, Parker’s Trouble made a name for himself through his offspring, such as top show horses Big Step, Bit O’ Trouble and Trouble Gal. Breeders liked the stallion’s conformation and athleticism but mostly appreciated the quiet mind he threw.
For owners Blain and Aneliza Lewis and A.R. Levis of Patagonia, Parker’s Trouble sired winners in AQHA and NCHA competition.
VAN DECKA
Van Decka boasts the most youth show points in American Quarter Horse history. The 1967 bay gelding by Decka Center and out of Vanessa Dee by Vandy was bred to be a sprinter, but in three starts on the racetrack, his best finish was a fourth.
Van Decka went to the show ring where the daughters and granddaughters of breeder Johnny Johnson of St. Louis rode him to 4,270 points. The next closest horse, Aledo Rita Bar, has about half that number.
Van Decka also won year-end all-around youth titles in 1974 and 1975 with Cheryl Johnson, as well as three all-around youth titles at the All American Quarter Horse Congress. With Kim Johnson, Van Decka earned year- end titles in western pleasure and horsemanship in 1977. In Van Decka’s last Congress in 1987, his last owner, the then-10-year-old Tara Green, won the 11-&-under horsemanship class. Van Decka died February 16, 1988.
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