Legends aren’t born—they’re made through hard work and dedication to a dream. APHA is proud to welcome nine horsemen and Paint Horses to the prestigious APHA Hall of Fame; the third class of inductees will be honored March 2 at the APHA Hall of Fame dinner and ceremony, which takes place at the DFW Marriott Hotel and Golf Club at Champions Circle in Fort Worth, Texas, in conjunction with the 2015 APHA Convention.
Thanks in part to the efforts of these nine inductees, the American Paint Horse Association and the Paint Horse breed has enjoyed more than 50 years of prominence as a leading breed. Each inductee receives a beautiful Cowboy Bronze painted in the likeness of the horse or a Paint Horse that touched the lives of the horsemen being inducted.
The third Hall of Fame class includes the following:
Colin Beals
Laveen, Arizona
Hooked on the breed after attending the 1967 APHA National Show, Colin Beals jumped headfirst into the world of Paints. He registered his first Paints with the organization soon thereafter, was elected as a national director in 1968 and served as president in 1973 and 1974. During his tenure as president, Colin spearheaded the concept of multi-judge APHA shows. The purchase of My Painted Robin put Colin and his Arizona ranch on the map. He bred nearly 275 Paints, including many national champions.
William Quenton Foster
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
When a flashy 2-year-old tobiano filly caught the eye of William Quention Foster in 1954, the horseman couldn’t have known the horse sale would cement his legacy as a leading Paint Horse breeder. He later registered the filly as Q-Ton Dixie Alpha, who was the keystone for a line of legendary tobianos, which included a number of national champions and Hall of Fame horse Q Ton Eagle.
Harvey & Linda Jones
Turlock, California
A small, hands-on operation has been the key to success for Harvey and Linda Jones. The California couple has bred, fit and shown a number of successful horses, including several Supreme Champions. In addition to Harvey’s service as a judge, Executive Committee member and longtime national director, the couple helped found several Paint Horse clubs, and they remain active in club leadership and competition today.
Hardy Oelke
Halver, Germany
Hardy Oelke is proof that the appeal of Paints knows no bounds. The artist, author and horseman from Germany has helped promote Paint Horses aboard. A founder of the Paint Horse Club Germany, Hardy has also served as an APHA national director and standing committee member. Influential as a breeder, exhibitor and leader, Hardy was honored with the 2011 Distinguished Service Award for his efforts, and he now becomes the first international member of the APHA Hall of Fame.
Jim Smoot
Gainesville, Texas
Involved with APHA for little more than a decade, Jim Smoot left a big impact in a relatively short time. With a few broodmares and a couple sensational show horses—most notably national champions Nylon and C-Note—it wasn’t long before Jim made a name for himself. He joined fellow Hall of Famer Junior Robertson to create one of the era’s notable partnerships, which produced a number of top show horses of the day. A former APHA president, Jim served as a national director for 10 years before his untimely death in 1975.
Joechief Bar
1964 chestnut tobiano stallion, Bang Up (TB) x Josy Bar
Owned by Mott Headley Jr., Port Gibson, Mississippi
Descended from one of APHA’s first great tobiano lines, Joechief Bar made his impact along the Gulf Coast. Trained and shown by his teenage owner, Mott Headley Junior, the stallion became APHA’s third Supreme Champion in 1971. Joechief’s get went on to earn honors in the show ring and racetrack themselves. One of his most lasting contributions came through son Olympia Joe, a top APHA racehorse and sire.
Leo San Man
1963 dun tobiano stallion, Leo San Siemon (QH) x Lady King Bailey
Owned by Double B Ranch, Berrien Springs, Michigan
With ties to early APHA supporter Dick Barrett and Hall of Famer Dale Lukens, Leo San Man founded a legacy of performers who were especially valued as Youth and Amateur mounts. Forty-eight of his foals were shown, earning in excess of 6,700 APHA points and 24 national and reserve national champion titles. Fifteen of those titles were by foals out of Poco Snowflake, and they helped secure three reserve national champion Get of Sire titles for Leo San Man.
Cupid Bar
1966 sorrel overo stallion, Painted Breeze Bar x Yellow Flame
Owned by Earl Jones, Ogden, Utah
Well-bred and built to perform, Cupid Bar was selected to head up Earl Jones’ Paint breeding program in Utah in 1969, and it’s there he made his mark. About one-third of his 182 foals earned more than 10,000 APHA points in their careers. Among his foals were Supreme Champion Cupid’s Cody Bar and seven Superior All-Around earners—a lifetime leading sire category that Cupid Bar still leads today.
My Painted Robin
1966 sorrel overo stallion, Painted Robin x Miss Revenue
Owned by Vernon & Sharon Parker, Madrid, Nebraska
One of the first top Paint stallions to stand in the Southwest, My Painted Robin embodied Paint versatility. He earned points in halter, roping and cutting events and was the 1973 national champion in Heading. Later, he’d add three Get of Sire national championship titles to his resume as well. A prolific sire, My Painted Robin’s get also proved they could perform. The stallion continued his influence in Nebraska after he was purchased by the Parkers in 1982.
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