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WALT WIGGINS, SR.
by Scott Wells
In the late 1950s, the American Quarter Horse breed was just beginning to move beyond
its show horse and cow pony identity into the realm of big-time racing. Of course, speed, as measured in races against others, had always been the defining characteristic of the breed, going back to the 1600s. But by the ‘50s, new, well-equipped racetracks had sprung up at Los Alamitos Race Course near Los Angeles and Centennial Park at Littleton, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. These facilities were important additions to the limited racing opportunities
for Quarter Horses, which had been a staple of the entertainment at county fairs and rodeos for decades. The formation of the American Quarter Horse Association in 1940 had established a registry which made betting on these sprinters
P ho&tojournalist, Renaissance Man,
The All American
F uturity
more transparent and thus more attractive to fans. No longer could one superior horse race
in different towns with a different name in each location. Horse names were registered, and
each horse’s past performances were recorded, allowing for legal parimutuel wagering instead of only person-to-person bets, which were illegal in many jurisdictions. Still, prize money for Quarter Horse races was meager—often only
a few hundred dollars. Even most of the local championship races had purses of less than $2,000 to be split among the contestants.
The All American Futurity changed all that. The concept of selling nominations for a chance at a future high-stakes race was not unprecedented. But Gene Hensley, owner of Ruidoso Downs, raised it to a fine art when
The American Quarter Horse Association was formed in 1940.
80 SPEEDHORSE November 2022
Owner of Ruidoso Downs, Gene Hensley, accepting his QROA Lifetime Membership.
© Speedhorse Archives
Courtesy of AQHA