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NEWS BRIEFS
by his wife Selina Veronica Gomez, children Fernanda, Manuel Jr. and Mikaela, and many other family members and friends.
Leroy Larouse Fontenot Passes Away
Leroy Larouse Fontenot passed away on Oct. 20 at the age of 69. A lifelong businessman who was considered a friend to all, Fontenot also
had a passion for horse racing and was involved in Louisiana Quarter Horse racing for over five decades. He is survived by his wife Donna, two sons and two daughters, and numerous other family members and friends.
Jody Miller Passes Away
Grammy award winning country pop- music pioneer Jody Miller died at the age of 80 due to complications from Parkinson’s Disease on Oct. 6 in Blanchard, Oklahoma. Miller was married to the late Monty Brooks, a longtime
Quarter Horse trainer and brother to AQHA Hall of Fame member Jack Brooks. Miller signed with Capitol Records in 1962 after recording her folk album “Wednesday’s Child is Full of Woe.” Her first hit single was ‘He Walks Like A Man,’ which hit the top 100 Billboard in 1964. Perhaps she is best known for her 1965 hit ‘Queen of the House,’ for which she won
a Grammy award. She continued to record for Capitol Records through the 1960s and made multiple appearances on American Bandstand and Hee Haw. She began recording for Epic Records in the 1970s with hits like ‘Baby I’m Yours.’ She was inducted into the International Country Music Hall of Fame in the 1990s. Jody helped her husband in his horse training business, and her daughter Robin served as a racing analyst at Remington Park. In 2021, she attended a groundbreaking for the Jody Miller Performing Art Center as part of the Blanchard Public Schools. She is survived by her daughter, two grandchildren, and many other family members and friends.
Dale Rogers Passes Away
LQHBA Hall of Fame member Dale Rogers, 91, passed away peacefully and surrounded by his family at his home in Louisiana on Oct. 8. Dale was a farmer for over
70 years and a racehorse owner and breeder for over 50 years. He was
a member of the Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association (LQHBA), American
Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), and American Black Angus Association. He was inducted into the LQHBA Hall of Fame in 2020 and was honored by the AQHA as a 50-year cumulative breeder. Rogers is the breeder of more than 275 foals including Remington Park Derby-G1 winner Clouds Sayin Goodby, and he is the owner of nearly $1 million in earners including LQHBA Lassie Futurity-G2 winner Im For Real. Rogers was a man who loved his family,
his horses and farming, and he was a great businessman. He is survived by his wife of 33 years Sharon, five sons, six daughters, 37 grandchildren, 45 great grandchildren, 10 great-great grandchildren, and many family members and friends.
Bob Giltner Passes Away
Longtime Idaho horseman Bob Giltner Jr. passed away at his home in Jerome, Idaho, on Sept. 28 at the age
of 74. Bob graduated from Jerome High School and joined the Reserves. He began a milk hauling career with
his father and two brothers in 1960, and the Giltner Brothers expanded the business into the trucking company Giltner Trucking. Bob met his wife Linda in 1970 and they were married for 52 years. Along with a great love for his family, he also loved fast horses and he competed in chariot racing and on the flat track. Among his top horses were Grade 3 winners A Royal Dervish and Gone Clear. Bob was respected for his values, knowledge, and integrity. He is survived by his wife Linda, three children, seven grandchildren, and a great-grandchild, as well as many other family members and friends.
Jockey Donald Ray Watson Sr. Passes Away
Longtime jockey Donald Ray Watson
Sr. passed away in Louisiana at the age of 57 on Oct. 4. Watson was a leading jockey by wins and earnings for many years. He rode the earners of over $15.7
million, including 1,138 Quarter Horse winners. Among his top horses were Grade
1 winner You Drive I Fly, Heza Fast Rogue, Scoopies Leaving You and many more. Watson is survived by his wife Deidra, a son and a daughter, three grandchildren, and many other family members and friends.
PYC First Fancy Lee Dies
PYC First Fancy Lee (PYC Paint Your Wagon- First Prize Fancy, Mr Jess Perry) died due to colic complications on Sept. 29. The 2010 bay stallion won five of 18 starts, earned $57,916, and was a finalist in the Rocky Heinzig Memorial. He was
a full brother to five stakes horses, including PYC Fun N Fancy ($478,760). From just one crop
of eight 2022 two-year-olds, PYC First Fancy
Lee is the sire of 100% money earners and one blacktype runner in Heavven Lee, who finished second in the 2022 Speedhorse Derby and
earned $62,307. PYC First Fancy Lee was owned by Oswaldo Simental and was set to stand the 2023 season at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Jet Black Patriot Dies
2006 black stallion Jet Black Patriot (Game Patriot-First Down Hemp, First Down Dash) died Sept. 30 due to complications from colic. Raced only as a two year old, Jet Black Patriot won seven on nine starts and three stakes events, including the LQHBA Futurity-G1, Lee Berwick Memorial Louisiana Futurity-RG1 and the Mardi Gras Futurity-RG2. He also finished second in the All American Futurity and was fourth in the Southwest Juvenile Championship-G1. He set a New Track Record at Louisiana Downs for 300- yards and earned $876,921. Jet Black Patriot is the sire of over $17.5 million in earners with 68 blacktype runners and $27,659 average earnings per starter. The stallion began his breeding career at Robicheaux Ranch, was purchased by Copper Spring Ranch in 2017, and stood his first season at Double LL Farm in 2020. “Jet Black Patriot undoubtedly made his mark in the racing world, his genetics greatly improved the breed and the sport,” Copper Spring Ranch said in a
Facebook post.
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