Page 59 - New Mexico Horse Breeder Spring 2018

zia awards banquet
The NMHBA Honors its 2017 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse Champions
Zia Awards • January 25, 2018
Albuquerque Mariott Uptown Hotel • Albuquerque, NM
Presentation & Banquet photos courtesy Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse • story by Michael Cusortelli
The New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association honored its 2017 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse champions during its Zia Awards Banquet at the Marriott Uptown Hotel in Albuquerque on January 25.
During the banquet, a total of 20 awards were presented. Fred Alexander, Todd Fincher, and Brad King received the “Julep Cup” award from The Blood-Horse. Alexander, Fincher
and King are the breeders of Diabolical Dame, last year’s NMHBA Champion Older Mare.
A 6-year-old daughter of Diabolical and the Devon Lane mare Vipervapor, Diabolical Dame won four stakes from seven starts and earned $238,500 in 2017 for her owners, Joe Dee Brooks, Scott Bryant, and Derrol Hubbard.
In addition to Diabolical Dame, the following Thoroughbreds were honored for their 2017 accomplishments on the racetrack: Shining Source (Champion Older Horse/Gelding, owned by Barton Ranch Stables, LLC and Blake Rust; bred by Susan K. Vescovo); Sidewinder Sally (Champion 3-Year-Old Filly, owned by Robert M. Driggers
and Ben Lee Ivey; bred by Ivey Cattle Co.); Hute (Champion 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding, owned
and bred by Michael C. Stinson); Fast Gator (Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, owned and bred by J. Kirk & Judy Robison); and On The Low Down (Champion 2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding, owned by Dale Taylor, Bobby McQueen, and Suzanne Kirby; bred by Todd Fincher and Brad King).
The following Thoroughbred stallions
and broodmares were also honored: Shine
Miss Comet (Co-Broodmare of the Year, owned by Susan K. Vescovo); Vipervapor (Co-Broodmare of the Year); Attila’s Storm (Stallion of the Year, owned by R.D. Hubbard); and Latigo Shore (Freshman Stallion of the Year, owned by Tucumcari Thoroughbreds).
On the Quarter Horse side, Running Dragon was honored as the 2017 NMHBA Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. A homebred daughter of Zulu Dragon owned and bred
by By By JJ LLC of El Paso, Texas, Running Dragon was also honored as the American Quarter Horse Association Champion 3-Year-
Old Filly on January 17, after a sophomore campaign during which she won four graded stakes from 10 starts and banked $328,384.
The following Quarter Horses were also honored for their accomplishments on the track: Carson City Girl (Champion Older Mare, owned by David & Sandra Barrett; bred by MJ Farms); Major Bites (Champion Older Horse/Gelding, owned by Israel Bordier, bred by Carlos F. Paez); Percyjones (Champion 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding, owned by Terry & Irene Stennett, bred by Benny Smith); Two Wines (Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, owned by Doug Ruby, bred by MJ Farms); and Bigg Daddy (Champion 2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding, owned by Too For Two, bred by MJ Farms).
The following Quarter Horse stallions and broodmares were honored: Alice K White (Broodmare of the Year, owned by MJ Farms), Jesse James Jr (Sstallion of the Year, owned by MJ Farms), and Tres Seis Nueve (Freshman Sire of the Year, owned by Valle Guadiana Corporation).
SPRING 2018 57