Quotable

and Shining Spark (Genuine Doc x Diamonds Sparkle x Mr Diamond Dude). Doc Bar was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 1993, and innumerable horses count the sorrel stallion bred by Tom Finley in 1956 in their pedigrees. Originally bred to be a racehorse, Doc Bar found his 15-hand stature best suited for halter, then siring athletic, cow-savvy offspring. He was purchased by Dr. Stephen Jensen and lived his life out at the Jenson’s Double J Ranch in Paicines, California, until his death in 1992.

Shining Spark was the first NRCHA All-Time Leading Sire, a title he held for 17 years until 2021, the year he died. The palomino excelled in the reining arena, but his offspring took more than their share of earnings in the reined cow horse pen. Notably, Shining Spark’s daughters have set the stallion apart as the leading broodmare sire in the NRCHA. Bred and owned by Carol Rose, the stallion was NRCHA’s first $4 Million Dollar Sire. He passed away in December of 2021.

“Our Hall of Fame Committee, chaired by Dan Roeser, works hard to recommend only the most deserving inductees,” said NRCHA Executive Director Anna Morrison. “This is certainly the case with the inductee class of 2022, and we will be honored to celebrate with Doug, John and the connections of Doc Bar and Shining Spark, all of whom made their mark on our sport.”

In addition to inducting four into the Hall of Fame, the Banquet will celebrate the Vaquero Award winner, Debbie Sanguinetti. This award recognizes an NRCHA member who works tirelessly to promote the association and strives to retain traditional reined cow horse methods.

The Hall of Fame Banquet will kick off with cocktails at 5:30 p.m. before the ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. The event is produced by the NRCHA Foundation, which supports the reined cow horse community and honors the legacy of the reined cow horse sport through the enactment of charitable and educational programs. The NRCHA Hall of Fame Committee selects the inductees annually. Purchase tickets in advance through NRCHA. For more information on the Teton Ridge Stallion Stakes, visit nrcha.com/nrcha-stakes/, and for more information on the NRCHA Foundation and the NRCHA Crisis Fund, visit nrchafoundation.com.

It doesn’t feel real right now. I think I’m a little overwhelmed, but never in my life did I think I’d ever have the opportunity to compete at the World’s Greatest Horseman. I know how amazing those guys and horses are. Todd Crawford trained ‘J Noble,’ so I’ll probably go over to his place and get some help going down the fence and work on my heading. I’m just going to try to keep it simple, stay out of my head, show my horse to the best of his ability and enjoy every minute of it.”

JENNIFER DENISON

—Whitney Hall, after winning the World’s Greatest Horsewoman competition aboard her 8-year-old Quarter Horse stallion, J Noble Daggett (Smart Little Lena x Royal Red Pepto x Peptoboonsmal), and earning an entry in the Western Bloodstock / Hashtags World’s Greatest Horseman. The fourth-annual competition was held last January during Art of the Cowgirl in Queen Creek, Arizona.