Page 84 - NM Summer 2023

IN MEMORIAM
Obituaries and photos provided by NMHBA
Dr. Glenn Blodgett
Quarter Horse Journal
Source: Four Sixes Ranch
Dr. Glenn Paul Blodgett, of Guthrie, Texas, was called home on November 20, 2022, due to a complication from surgery, leaving behind a legacy that helped write the history books
for the Four Sixes Ranch and the American Quarter Horse.
Born on December 21, 1948, Dr. Blodgett, or “Doc” as most called him, traveled a long way in his 74 years, from the family farm in Spearman, Texas, to a leader in the American Quarter Horse industry and around the globe as an ambassador for the breed, representing the ranch and the profession, and championing the welfare of the horse.
His fondest childhood memory was getting his first horse, “Smokey,” when he was 10.
As he grew, his love for horses did too, and
in the manner for which he is widely known, Dr. Blodgett set his sights early and began working diligently toward his goal of becoming a veterinarian. After high school graduation,
he attended his father’s beloved Texas Tech University (TTU) for one year before transferring to Oklahoma State University (OSU), where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science. From OSU, he then
completed veterinary school at Texas A & M University (TAMU) in 1974 and began working at the Spur Veterinary Hospital in Spur, Texas. Two years later, he returned to his Spearman, Texas, roots to open Hansford County Veterinary Hospital with Dr. Tom Latta.
In 1982, Ms. Anne Marion of Burnett Ranches was looking for a good businessman, horseman and veterinarian, so she approached Dr. Blodgett to work for her as the resident veterinarian and manager for the Four Sixes Ranch horse division. The two made an impressive team sharing the vision of continuing and enhancing the legacy
of Quarter Horse production on the Four Sixes Ranch with the utmost integrity. Through their partnership, they developed a world-class, multi- tiered operation with some of the most elite race, performance, and working ranch horses available anywhere in the world.
Dr. Blodgett didn’t just manage the horse division; he lived and breathed it. The horse business is a reputation business, and his approach was simple: his passion, credibility and honesty set him and the ranch apart. Under his leadership, the ranch became an industry leader in reproduction, breeding more than 1500 mares annually. During his tenure at
the Four Sixes, the ranch became an all-time leading breeder of both racing and performance American Quarter Horses, and in 1993 won the AQHA Best Remuda Award.
The Bible says, “A person’s wisdom yields patience” (Proverbs 19:11). This was the foundation of Dr. Blodgett’s success. Often his business and breeding decisions took time to come to fruition, but the genius became apparent later and the entire horse world benefited from his influence and innovations.
He set a high standard for all to follow as
he always strived to do what was right, always do better and take the high road no matter what. Every breeding decision was carefully considered, and he could recall two, three, or even four generations that he had been involved in breeding. He knew the story of every horse on the place; from nutrition to health care, he diligently set them up for success.
A soft-spoken man with an easy smile and
a dry sense of humor, Doc had a grin that he was famous for and a chuckle that everyone loved. Throughout his career there were two questions Dr. Blodgett was asked the most, what is your favorite kind of horse and what is your favorite horse color? His answer was always the same, “a fast one!”
It’s impossible to sum up the life of an icon or legend in a few paragraphs; all you can do is write about the man you love and respect. One of his closest friends for more than 20 years, Johnny Trotter, may have summed it up best, “I do not know of any other person that has contributed as much to the horse industry, and in every facet, as Dr. Blodgett has. If he is not the best man I have ever met, he ranks right up there in the top two or three. Not many people are like Dr. Blodgett. He was as true a friend, business partner and person as I have ever known. I am really glad that God decided to bless my life with a relationship with him because it is a huge blessing.”
A man of few words, there were times that he expressed himself that were extremely meaningful to those on the receiving end.
In the 37 years that Boyd Rice rode horses for the ranch he very distinctly remembers the two times that Dr. Blodgett said he
was proud of him. The first time was in
2005 after he rode Playin Attraction at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, winning both the Intermediate Open Champion and Open Reserve Champion. Rice recalls, “It felt good to have him tell me he was proud of me but when it felt really good is when I showed
his half-brother Quahadi at the World’s Greatest Horseman in 2021. We had won the preliminary round and, in the finals I missed my steer in the steer stopping. I was pretty disappointed but after the event Glenn was presenting the awards and he said to me ‘I know that it did not turn out the way either of us wanted but I am very proud of you’. As an owner he could have said a lot of things, but this meant the world to me. It really reaffirmed the kind of man he was.”
Condolences
“One of the tallest trees in the horse industry has fallen and we all feel the void. To know a man as good as Doc was a blessing and we are all thankful for the impact he made on us. He left some large boots that we will not be able to fill, but the wisdom he left us with gives us a sense of direction on where to start.”- AQHA CEO Karl Stressman.
“AQHA lost a family member. His expertise and advice as a past president, ranching council member and guidance on countless committees along with the impact he had on genetics in every sector of AQHA will be greatly missed. He was respected, appreciated and we all feel the loss.” - AQHA Second Vice President Jim Hunt
“I know of no person more dedicated, compassionate, and concerned with the welfare of our horse than Dr. Glenn Blodgett. Glenn was an unapologetic servant to our horse and the industry that supports him. His knowledge and opinion has carried the day on many occasions and we will suffer greatly in his absence.” - AQHA Past President Frank Merrill
82 New Mexico Horse Breeder