Page 76 - January 2021

A true friend is never truly gone. Their spirit lives on in the memories of those who loved them.
JAMES F. BARTON
JAMES F. BARTON
AQHA Past President and Hall of Famer,
James “Jim” Barton passed away on March 13 at the age of 89 in New York. Barton began his leadership role in the Quarter Horse industry when he became president of the Empire
State Quarter Horse Association in the late 1970s. In 1979, he was named AQHA director and chairman of the public information and education committees. He was elected to
the AQHA Executive Committee in 1987
and became president in 1991. During his presidency, he was instrumental in introducing the AQHA Racing Challenge as well as the opening of the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum. Barton was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2002.
DENNY BOER
Denny Boer, 74, passed away on Jan. 8 following a battle with lung cancer. Boer,
who was born in Jerome, Idaho, served in
the Marine Corps Reserves and operated a
dairy as a profession. He was a member in the Dutch Masters III Partnership with childhood friend Dr. James Streelman. Dutch Masters
III Partnership, which was inducted into the Ruidoso Hall of Fame in 2017, is the #2 all- time leading owner of money earners and ranks as a top 25 all-time leading breeder of money earners. They were AQHA’s Champion Owners in 2001 and 2005, and AQHA’s Champion Breeder in 2005. Among the leading horses bred and owned by Dutch Masters III Partnership are Champion Four Forty Blast, 2-time Champion Higher Fire, and Champion Secret Card.
RONALD BRILEY
Long-time Louisiana Quarter Horse trainer Ronald Briley passed away March 21 at the age of 82. A trainer in the 60’s, Briley witnessed the establishment of organized Quarter Horse racing in Louisiana, with Evangeline Downs, as well as
DENNY BOER RONALD BRILEY
Delta Downs in the 70’s. Some of his top trainees include LQHBA Hall of Fame horse Go Vicky Meyers and 1970 LQHBA Breeders’ Futurity winner Their He Goes, among many others.
JOHN BUCHANAN
Longtime leading trainer John Buchanan, 69, passed away from heart failure on Aug. 28. Buchanan was born in Waverly, Tennessee, lived in Florida for many years, and then moved to Texas, where he made his home in the town of Peaster. Buchanan trained over $15.9 million
in earners, including Champions Better Than Never, Brimmerton, Run And Pray, Speedy Empress and Wahoo, as well as All American Derby-G1 winner Dont Let Down and Dash For Cash Futurity-G1 winner Pivotal Decision. Buchanan most recently trained Jettz who finished fourth in the All American Futurity-G1, and Ratification, the fastest qualifier and winner of the All American Oaks. Buchanan passed away just nine days prior to the All American Oaks victory. His daughter Amanda attended the race and represented her father.
GEORGE R. CARTER
George Robert Carter, 77, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Jan. 8 in Nowata, Oklahoma. Carter, who is the father of AQHA Champion Jockey G.R. Carter, Jr., was raised in the Osage Indian Village of Pawhuska. As a youngster, he helped his father and uncles work cattle, break foals, and worked on his roping skills. He roped competitively until the age of 70 in the PRCA and in the Senior Steer Ropers Association. Carter graduated with a degree in Animal Husbandry from Oklahoma State University. He started Carter Construction where he worked until he passed. His son G.R. began his successful riding career by getting on horses trained by his father. George was a PRCA gold card member, a member of the AQHA and OQHRA, and was a founding member of the Pawhuska Elks Lodge.
JOHN BUCHANAN
74 SPEEDHORSE January 2021
ELLIOT CLARK SR.
Elliot Clark, Sr., 84, passed away Aug. 8 in Opelousas, Louisiana, due to complications from COVID-19. A lifelong resident of Louisiana, Clark began his love of the industry when he was given his first horse. At the request of Clark, trainer John Brasseaux purchased Mr Jess Perry for $15,500 at the 1993 LQHBA Yearling Sale. Two-time Champion Mr Jess Perry is the #3 all-time leading sire of over $57.6 million with nine Champions, including World Champion Apollitical Jess.
DONALDA COCHRANE
Donalda Cochrane passed away on Dec. 7 at
the age of 80 after a battle with cancer. The Canadian horsewoman discovered horses as a youngster and spent her days as a breeder, owner and trainer of Quarter Horses. She was the owner of 38 winners and 7 stakes winners with earnings of more than $868,000, including top earner Pow Wow Lane ($191,453); the breeder of 54 winners and 7 stakes winners with over $860,000 in earnings, including top earner Fast Fifty ($115,654); and she was the trainer of over $600,000 with 78 wins, including four in 2020.
KEVIN COMEAUX
Quarter Horse owner Kevin Comeaux passed away on March 16 at the age of 48 from a
heart attack. Comeaux owned and raced many horses, including BF Last Date, a 6-time winner who was a finalist in the AQHA East Derby Challenge-G3 and Bluebonnet Handicap.
VAUGHN COOK
Longtime horseman Vaughn Myron Cook passed away on Oct. 19 at his home in Colorado, following a long battle with cancer. Cook earned his bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Colorado State University in 1972 and researched equine reproduction and embryo transfer at CSU’s Equine Reproduction