Page 78 - January 2021

To all the horse men and women whom we lost in 2020 - Your memories live on forever in our hearts . . .
RON HARTLEY GARY LESTER HALL
Gary Lester Hall passed away June 29 after
a short battle with pneumonia. Hall was a successful businessman and was a top seller
of Prudential life insurance in Missouri.
He purchased and grew Sunflower Supply Company Inc., a cigarette and tobacco wholesaler, and started The Medallion Company Inc., a cigarette manufacturer, and turned it into a multi-million dollar business. His other business ventures include: Hall’s Food Mart; a custom cabinet company; restaurant franchises; an antique mall; a live performance theater in Branson; residential, retail and commercial properties; and a Quarter Horse racing and breeding operation. He has bred the earners of over $4.4 million, including Champions Miss Racy Vike, Hes Relentless and One Sweet Racy.
RON HARTLEY
Ron Hartley passed away on Jan. 27 at the age of 81 following health complications. Hartley was a fixture in California horse racing since 1955. He began his career in horse racing as a groom and worked his way to racing official, to racing steward, and finally to owner and breeder, which led to 4-time Champion Moonist and 2019 Champion Cartel Jess Rockin. Hartley was a member of the PCQHRA Board of Directors and served on the association’s awards committee. He also served as an officer with the AQHA. In 2005, Hartley was awarded the Frank Vessels Sr. Memorial Award and was recognized on Jan. 23 with the 2019 PCQHRA Owner Special Achievement Award. “He would do anything to help the sport and Quarter Horse industry in California,” said Vince Genco, President of the PCQHRA.
SARAH HENDERSON
Longtime Quarter Horse breeder/owner Sarah Henderson passed away at the age of 79 following a battle with cancer in February. Henderson was the former owner/operator
76 SPEEDHORSE January 2021
SARAH HENDERSON GALEN HILL
of Sarah-Toga Farm in El Paso, Texas. She
is connected with many top horses that had a major influence on the Quarter Horse racing industry, including Rocket Bar TB, Sparkling Native TB, Miss Olene, Little Blue Sheep, Goetta, and many more. She was
also the breeder/owner of AQHA Champion Bartendress, and the owner of Champion
Jet Commanche.
GALEN HILL
Longtime Rocky Mountain Quarter Horse Association director Galen Hill, 66, passed away on July 24 following an illness. Hill was born in Colorado, owned a paper recycling business, and developed a love of racing and breeding Quarter Horses. Perhaps his best horse was stakes placed/ multiple Graded stakes finalist Sky Seraph.
RANDALL DEE HUBBARD
R.D. Hubbard passed away April 29 at the age of 84. Born in Smith Center, Kansas, Hubbard became a teacher and basketball coach after graduation. Hubbard purchased Crystal Springs Farm in Kentucky, and moved the operation to New Mexico. He and Dr. Ed Allred purchased Ruidoso Downs in 1988 and Hubbard became the sole owner until he sold the facility in 2017. Hubbard is the breeder
of over $4.7 million and the sole owner of over $2 million in Quarter Horse runners. Hubbard was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame in 2009, has received the AQHA Racing Council Lifetime Achievement Award, among many other accolades.
JOHNNIE F. JAMISON
Longtime racetrack superintendent
Johnnie F. Jamison, 63, passed away on
Oct. 13. Jamison was dedicated to ground maintenance at tracks such as Lone Star Park, Sunland Park, Indiana Grand, Gulfstream Park, Canterbury Park and Palm Meadows, and was an official starter at Sam Houston,
RANDALL DEE HUBBARD
Indiana Grand, Manor Downs and the Hipodromo de las Americas. Jamison also maintained arenas and was the 2016 National Finals Rodeo Surface Coordinator for the World Championships and received the National Finals Achievement Award for ground safety that year.
ROGER ‘SONNY’ KNIGHT JR.
Roger ‘Sonny’ Knight Jr., 89, passed away on July 3. Born in and a lifelong resident
of Madisonville, Texas, he became a trial lawyer in Madison County where he worked from 1965 to 2020. He first practiced law with his father, then with his son and his daughter, and two other daughters are law school graduates as well – a legacy that gave him great pride. Knight served two terms
as County Attorney of Madison County,
and was admitted to the American Board of Trial Advocates. He was named 1990 Man of the Year by the Madison County Chamber of Commerce and served as President and Chairman of the Madison County Historical Commission from 1995 to 2020. Sonny was well known for his generosity and support. He loved animals and was the breeder/owner of two AQHA Champions in Deceptively and Femmes Frolic, and was the breeder of Champion Treacherously.
GARY KURZ
Longtime horseman Gary Kurz passed away Dec. 10 at the age of 83. Kurz was born and raised in South Texas, working cattle with his father and then owning an auto dealership in San Antonio. He went on to breed and raise top Quarter Horses with his wife Pat. Known for their “Pop” horses, Kurz is the breeder of over $2.3 million, including Jodys Money Pop ($303,026). In a 2014 Speedhorse Industry Profile, Gary stated, “The horse industry has given us an unbelievable life and great friends.”