GoHorseShow regrets to inform you that the great all-around war horse, Bonanzas Hard Rock (Barney), has passed away. The 1988 chestnut gelding out of Rocks Pris by Barney’s Bonanza was owned by Carrie Russom Quraishi of Jonesbro, Arkansas.
Bonanzas Hard Rock was retired in 2002 due to navicular, and has lived out a well-deserved retirement in Carrie’s parent’s pasture with his pony friend, “Buttermilk.” He died August 13, 2011 on her parent’s farm, Knob Creek Quarter Horses which is located in Corning, Arkansas.
This talented gelding accumulated over 1400 points in eight different events and he received an AQHA Champion, superiors in Western Pleasure, Horsemanship, Showmanship, Equitation, and in All Arounds as well as multiple top tens at the AQHYA Youth World. Russom and Rock were two-time reserve Congress Champions and also High Point Champions in the Hunt Seat Equitation and Horsemanship.
Barney was Quraishi’s youth all-around horse from 1992 through 2000. They had a total of 1,282 points together. This chestnut gelding started out as her mother’s western pleasure horse, but she gave him to Carrie to compete in the all-around events.
“Barney was the first horse that I ever made the finals with at the Youth World. I have owned other horses that have won more, like Irish and Bubba Hot, but Barney was the most important because he gave me such a wonderful start. We always said his personality was like Walter Matthau’s character in the movie, Grumpy Old Men, but he was always dependable!”