The 1986 NRHA Futurity The Move, The Mares And Hollywood Dun It!

BY PAT FEUERSTEIN he first NRHA Futurity was held in Columbus, Ohio, in 1966. TWhen the All American Quarter Horse Congress began in 1967, the NRHA Futurity was held in conjunc- tion with that event through 1985. As NRHA, its Futurity, and ancillary class- es grew, so did the Congress. The Ohio State Fair show facility was literally bursting at the seams. Adequate prac- tice pens and warm-up areas were a rare commodity. It was interesting to watch reiners try to prepare their hors- es with halter horses being lunged, slow lopers hugging the rail, and an occa- sional driving class entry cruising around the make up pen. It was not unusual for the NRHA classes to run ‘round the clock. And, the financial reward to NRHA did not seem com- mensurate with the growth of our pre- mier event. A change of venue was “When we broke Sparkles Rosezana, we realized what a being discussed. great producer Diamonds Sparkle was going to be,” says In 1985, Dick Pieper was the NRHA Carol Rose. Sparkles Rosezana, ridden by Craig Johnson, President. Tim Bartlett, Jack Warne, won the 1985 NRHA Futurity. Bill Waterman, and Gary Feldmar were Elected Board members. Butch Shaver Snobelen, Steve Williams, and Bob Change is Good was the Executive Director and Kaye Loomis. When the Oklahoma Chamber “The only thing in our life that’s con- Potts was the Secretary. The Board was of Commerce made an offer to host the stant is change,” says Carol Rose. a good mix of NRHA veterans and fresh NRHA Futurity & Championship “When it’s a good change, it’s always faced newcomers: Leo Barbera, Bob Show, the NRHA Board decided this better. Looking back, the move to Evans, Tim Katona, Ben Mears, Lyn was an offer they could not refuse. In Oklahoma City was a very smart move. Sherer, Charlie Vaughan, Clayton 1986, the NRHA Futurity & More people could participate.” Tim Woosley, Clark Bradley, Butch Gardill, Championship Show moved to McQuay agrees. “It let the West Coast Tony Lomangino, Carol Rose, John Oklahoma City, Oklahoma! come to the Futurity without a big has- sle. It just opened up the industry in saw Bill at an NRHA meeting a few every way – training methods, breeders, weeks later, he told me that Doc’s Oak owners, buyers, everything.” was one of the most talented horses he “It was the smartest move this asso- ever rode.” Doc’s Oak sired the 1986 ciation ever made,” says Bob Loomis. “I NRHA Futurity Champion, Sophie don’t care if it’s business or property –it’s Oak. Sophie was equally impressive Year Inducted: Name: location, location, location.” And the on the bottom side of her pedigree. She location, right smack dab in the middle was out of Lifesaver, an own daughter 1986 Dale Wilkinson 1987 None of the country, seemed to be ideal. of Mr Gun Smoke. 1988 R.D. Baker Oklahoma City became the home of the Tom Lyons had Sophie Oak in train- Stretch Bradley NRHA Futurity & Championship Show. ing with his sights set on the NCHA Bill Garvey It was a huge success that set our asso- Futurity. “He called me in June of her Paul Horn ciation on course for tremendous three-year-old year,” says Loomis. “He Mickie Glenn growth. But some things never change. said she was the best minded horse he Continental King In 1986, Bob Loomis won his sixth ever rode and that she cowed, but didn’t 1989 C.T. Fuller NRHA Futurity. have a lot of flutter in the middle of the Kaye Potts Joe Cody You didn’t need a crystal ball to pen.” Lyons thought that Sophie Oak 1990 Guy Gauthier know the move to OKC would have a would make a reiner and offered to part- Paul Schuh huge, positive impact on NRHA and its ner on the mare with Loomis. Bob Clayton Woosley membership. But 18 years ago, no one picked her up in the middle of June and Enterprise Lady could have predicted the impact the with only a few short months before the Glenda Echols 1986 NRHA Futurity Open finalists NRHA Futurity admits, “I rode her on 1991 High Proof would have on an entire industry. The and off for two hours every day and 1992 Banker Bar Leo finalists were genetically loaded and everywhere I went, I took her with me. Mr Doin Good featured sons and daughters of NRHA She was one of the sweetest, best mind- Hollywood Smoke Bob Anthony Hall of Famers Topsail Cody, Be Aech ed horses I’d ever been around. She was Bill Horn Enterprise, Great Pine, Miss Cee Blair, so easy to train.” So much so, she was Bob Loomis and Glenda Echols. The top three hors- primed and ready to win in OKC, and Jim Willoughby es were Sophie Oak ridden by Bob she did. 1993 Cee Leo Step Loomis and owned by Loomis/Lyons, In 1987, Sophie Oak was purchased Hollywood Jac 86 Hollywood Dun It owned by Gwendy by Eleuterio Arcese for his daughter Miss White Trash Steif with Tim McQuay aboard, and Paola and moved to Italy, destined to Dick Pieper Zans Diamond Sun owned by Carol spark interest in our sport worldwide. 1994 John Snobelen Clark Bradley Rose and Dick Steward and ridden by In the late 1980s, “Dick Pieper and I 1995 Cee Blair Sailor Craig Johnson. You can’t get any better were asked to do a demonstration at the Great Pine than that! Equine Worlds Fair in Germany,” recalls 1996 Diamonds Sparkle Loomis. He asked Mr. Arcese if he Topsail Cody Sophie Oak could use Sophie Oak and her stable Trashadeous As Bob Loomis tells it, “I probably mate, Spirit Of Five, who in 1987 won 1997 Be Aech Enterprise rode ten or 12 direct sons of Doc Bar. the Futurity with Bill Horn, for the Nifty Jodieann They were all extremely talented. Put a demonstrations. Arcese agreed. “I rode 1998 Great Simon Sez Mr Feelin Good cow in front of them and they were big Sophie and Dick rode Spirit Of Five,” 1999 None says Loomis. “We gave two perform- time.” While Bob wasn’t always 2000 Dr. Tim Bartlett impressed with their mental suitability ances a day – for ten days in a row. Richard Greenberg for Reining, there were exceptions. We’d work together in the ring. We’d Tim McQuay “There were two Doc Bar sons who spin, run circles, run and stop, roll Hollywood Dun It were great athletes. They were good back, and we did the last two thirds of 2001 Frank Costantini, Jr. minded and they would have been as each demonstration bridleless. Those 2002 Miss Cee Blair good at Reining as they were at cut- two mares were wonderful. They were 2003 Linda Matthews ting,” says Bob. “And they were full just as good in their last performance as Dodsons Little Star they were in the first. It got a lot of peo- Gunner brothers: Doc’s Oak and Doc’s Solano.” Topsail Whiz ple looking at our sport.” Both stallions are by Doc Bar and out of 2004 Eleuterio Arcese the Poco Tivio mare Susie’s Bay. NRHA records show that Sophie Pat Feuerstein “Tom Lyons rode Doc’s Oak in the Oak has 15 offspring with three NRHA Charles Smith Snaffle Bit and Cutting Futurity,” says money earners totaling $93,177.95 in Dick & Barb Bob. “He asked Bill Horn to come out NRHA paychecks. But that’s not the Waltenberry and help with the dry work. When I whole story. Though unfortunately Smart Chic Olena Cover Photo by Pat Hall (L) Sophie Oak, ridden by Bob Loomis, won the 1986 NRHA Futurity – the first to be held in OKC; (R) Hollywood Dun It, shown by Tim McQuay, was second in the 1986 Futurity, then won the NRHA Derby and Superstakes in 1987.

much of her offsprings’ earnings cannot will be NRHA’s 2004 Open World heritage – and then some. Ridden by be substantiated by NRHA records, Champion. ARC Oak Enterprise is a Tim McQuay, Hollywood Dun It was since they were not earned at NRHA stallion. Sophie Oak’s legacy continues. the 1986 NRHA Futurity Reserve approved events, Sophie Oak’s off- Champion and the 1987 NRHA Derby spring have very impressive show Hollywood Dun It and Superstakes Champion. He records in Europe-both in NRHA and When Gwendy Steif decided to became an NRHA Million Dollar Sire in non-NRHA events. ARC Sophies breed her mare, Blossom Berry, to 1997 and was inducted into the NRHA Snapshot (Snapper Cal Bar), ARC Hollywood Jac 86 in 1982, it was a Hall of Fame in 2000. To date, his Blueyed Redskin (Genuine Redskin), good decision. Blossom Berry was a NRHA get records number 18 pages ARC Joy Surprise (Surprise Enterprise), proven NRHA performer and was with 451 out of 722 offspring listed as ARC Genuine Oak (Genuine Redskin), showing signs of being a producer. Her NRHA money earners amassing a total ARC Just Like Oak (Surprise final record as a broodmare proved she of $3,946,749.17 – a figure that is obvi- Enterprise), and ARC Playsophie was: 7 of her 11 babies are NRHA ously very close to the $4,000,000 (Playing It Out) have all made their money earners. Hollywood Jac 86 was mark.. mark in Italian Reining Horse an NRHA record maker in the show In 1987, Cliff and Gwendy Steif Association futurities, derbies, and Top pen and was building a reputation as an decided to sell the stallion and there Ten tallies as well as AQHA events, NRHA foundation sire. That growing was quite a bit of interest, especially according to Simona Diale and the reputation was well founded. In 1993, from European buyers. But they would Italian Reining Horse Association Hollywood Jac 86 was named NRHA’s all have to get past Tim McQuay. records. Then there’s ARC Oak first Million Dollar Sire and, in that “Hollywood Dun It had that little spe- Enterprise owned by Cisal Quarter same year, he was inducted into NRHA’s cial spark. He tried to please you con- Horses and ridden by Martin Hall of Fame. stantly,” says Tim. “I think he could Larcombe. He was third in NRHA’s The 1983 colt produced by pairing play today. With the different training Open standings in 2002, NRHA’s Open Blossom Berry to Hollywood Jac 86 was methods we have, I know I’d be smarter Reserve World Champion in 2003, and Hollywood Dun It. He lived up to his and he’d be better.” But would Hollywood Dun It be a breeding prospect? “It’s a hard thing to say, but I just knew he had to be a winner. I asked Cliff and Gwendy if there was any way we could put a deal together and they said, ‘Yes.’ It worked because I had just sold Jacs Little Pine.” (Jacs Little Pine, also a son of Hollywood Jac 86, was fourth in the 1984 NRHA Futurity and a 1985 NRHA Derby and Superstakes finalist.) When Hollywood Dun It’s first foals were eligible to compete, Melodys Dun It was third in the 1992 NRHA Futurity. That first group of Hollywood Dun It three-year-olds would also include Hollywoods Heir, Jiffy Pop, HP Cody Dun It, Hollywoods New Star, Great Dun It Jack, A Real Glo Getter and Mr McDunit – all Congress or NRHA Futurity finalists. As a sire, Hollywood Dun It was off and running. In 1997, McQuay and Jennifer Easton, a long time client and friend, entered into a partnership as owners of Hollywood Dun It when they formed McQuay/Easton LLC. Of their stallion’s success as a sire, McQuay says, “I wake up every morning asking how did I get so lucky.” The legacy of Hollywood Dun It will continue for a long, long time.

Diamonds Sparkle Craig Johnson rode Zans Diamond Sun to third place in the 1986 NRHA Futurity. Zans Diamond Sun went on Cover Photo by Waltenberry to win the 1987 Lazy E Classic and Tim McQuay won the 1994 NRHA Derby on Shining Spark was a 1987 NRHA Derby finalist. who is by Genuine Doc and out of Diamonds Sparkle. Owned by Carol Rose, Zans Diamond Shining Spark is an NRHA Million Dollar Sire. Sun’s breeding career got off to a super start. Between 1989 and 1990, he and she had plenty of opportunity to sired 44 offspring with 28 NRHA see Diamonds Sparkle perform. “I money earners. His untimely death showed against her quite a bit when I cut short what promised to be an illus- was hauling Zan Parr Bar,” says Carol. trious career as a sire. Even so, he was When Margaret Hammond, a mutual a credit to his heritage. Zans Diamond friend of Steward and Rose, suggested REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF THE NATIONAL Sun is by Zan Parr Bar and out of that Diamonds Sparkle be bred to Zan REINING HORSE ASSOCIATION AND NRHA REINER Diamonds Sparkle. Parr Bar, the first filly to hit the ground Volume 25, Issue 09 In 1974, Dick Steward fell in love was Sparkles Rosezana. Rose pur- Carol’s way, she didn’t hesitate. “I can with, and purchased, a filly by Mr chased her as a yearling and Rosezana, remember, without a shadow of a Diamond Dude and out of Pollyanna ridden by Craig Johnson, won the 1985 doubt, whereeveryone was sitting in my Rose by Clabber Question. The filly NRHA Futurity. living room,” says Carol. “I remember was Diamonds Sparkle and Steward’s “When we broke Sparkles Rosezana, the whole conversation. Bobby Lewis, feelings for the pretty filly were justi- we realized what a great producer Dick Steward, and I sat and made the fied. In 1979, she became AQHA’s sec- Diamonds Sparkle was going to be,” trade. I bought the whole family – the ond Super Horse. says Carol Rose. When, in 1986, the mare, a half interest in Zans Diamond Carol Rose has an eye for a good one opportunity to buy the mare came Sun, and all of Sparkles Suzana.” Photo by Simona Diale

Martin Larcombe guided Cisal Quarter Horses’ ARC Oak Enterprise, by Surprise Enterprise and out of Sophie Oak, to many wins in 2004, including the NRHA Open World Championship title.

Diamonds Sparkle had 18 foals – 12 up so long – in both AQHA and on, Hollywood Dun It was given the are NRHA money earners and include NRHA,” says Carol. “But records are opportunity to breed quality mares – and one NRHA Futurity Champion, three made to be broken and I’m sure it it paid off handsomely. “It takes a great NRHA Derby Champions (Sparkles won’t be long before someone passes mare to have great babies,” says Carol Suzana, Genuine Redskin, and Shining her. My dream is to raise good horses Rose. Mares do make the difference. Spark) and eight Futurity finalists: and she certainly helped me get there. “You can take a great stud and breed Sparkles Suzana, Shining Spark, Spark I’m the most lucky person in the him to a bunch of average mares and O Lena, Zans Light Sparkles, Doctor In world to have had her help me reach raise a bunch of average horses,” says Diamonds, Sparkin Express, Still the levels we’ve enjoyed. Diamonds Loomis. “Once in a while, that special Sparklin, and Diamonds Sparklette. Sparkle is definitely the biggest part of horse will come out of a nothing mare, The offspring of Diamonds Sparkle it.” All of Diamonds Sparkle’s off- but you have to breed 100 nothing have earned $331,965.85. She was spring were special. One, Shining mares to find that one special horse. I inducted into the NRHA Hall of Fame Spark, is an NRHA Million Dollar Sire. found that those truly great mares put in 1996. Diamonds Sparkle’s legacy continues. so much more consistency into your Just as Carol remembers everything production. A stud cannot do it alone.” about the day she bought Diamonds Mares Make the Difference Loomis continues, “If you give me Sparkle, so, too, does she vividly Tim and Colleen McQuay were still two broodmares, one with a huge show remember November 6, 2002 - the day living in Minnesota when they pur- record, the other with a huge produc- she decided to put her great mare chased Hollywood Dun It. They had a tion record, but maybe was never humanely to sleep. “She had arthritis small group of broodmares that Tim shown, I will take the mare with the very badly,” remembers Carol. “She describes as “not really anything special. great production record every time. If spent a good bit of that summer just There’s no way we could have done it you give me a choice between a great lying down – getting up to eat and without breeding outside mares. It just show mare or her mother – I will take drink. I thought going through anoth- couldn’t have happened. We bred the mother every time. And I have er winter was not in her best interest. It around 30 outside mares that first year found that great producers produce was a beautiful day. I was surrounded and we hit the 40-mark the next year. great producers.” The 1986 NRHA by some of my best friends. I felt it was When we were ready to move to Texas Futurity proves Bob’s point. It was a time. I buried her on a beautiful place (1989) we bred about 66 mares. People giant step forward for NRHA and the on my farm. knew we were moving and wanted to entire industry. “It’s amazing how Diamonds breed to him.” The area was a “hot bed” Sparkle’s produce records have held of reining activity – still is today. Early