The National Snaffle Bit Association is pleased to announce that Professional Trainer Gil Galyean, of Purcell, Oklahoma, has become the first rider in the association’s history to record more than $1 million in lifetime earnings from competition at sanctioned association events.
Galyean reached the million dollar milestone during the 2015 All American Quarter Horse Congress. A member of NSBA’s Hall of Fame, Galyean was inducted into NSBA’s Quarter Million Dollar Club in 2000. A long-time supporter of NSBA programs, Galyean served on several NSBA committees and is a past president of the association.
He earned his first AQHA world championships in 1982 with Tillie Shiek, and his first All American Quarter Horse Congress futurity win in 1996 with the AQHA stallion Dee Invitation. Just a few of the many horses he has trained and shown throughout his career include Cool Krymsun Lady, Cool Lady Lopin, Suddenly A Cool Lady, How Bout At Midnight, Onlygoodtilmidnight, Mac Dudley, Mr Rusty Zipper, Investment Creditor, Hot N Spicy Me, Hot N Blazing, Golden Moonlite, So Good Im Classic, Eazy Dayzie, Irish Invitation, Dont Skip Zips Lady, Sure Am Hot, Go Figer, Authentic Invitation and Chips Chocolate Star.
A native of Gravette, Arkansas, Galyean was born into a horse family. His father, Kenneth Galyean, is a member of the NCHA Hall of Fame and an AQHA judge who judged the very first AQHA World Championship Show. His mother, Bertena, was also heavily involved in the training business.
After graduating from Arkansas Tech University, the horses called him back. He came back to the industry in the early 1980’s as the Western Pleasure discipline was rising. After working in Arkansas and Missouri, he accepted a position at Paws Up Ranch in Purcell, Oklahoma. He found the area to be a great location for a training business, and remained there when he started his own training operation.
It was fitting that Galyean reached his career milestone at the All American Quarter Horse Congress, a show where he has won such classes as the Open Yearling Longe Line Stakes, Junior Western Pleasure, the $10,000 Limited Horse Open Western Pleasure, the Two Year Old Western Pleasure Futurity and the prestigious Masters Two Year Old Western Pleasure. Galyean has also won the Congress Open Cutting in Columbus. In addition to his lifetime NSBA earnings in the Western Pleasure pen, he has accumulated $216,372.22 in NCHA earnings in the cutting arena.
In 1998, Galyean married the former Becky White, and the duo have been a force to reckon with – Becky often shows in NSBA Non-Pro events, and both Galyeans also compete in NCHA events. The couple has two sons, Garrett, 15, and Brody, 10. The Galyeans juggle their showing career with the active life of their sons’ athletic activities. Their ranch is located on 110 acres just south of Purcell.
Galyean will be recognized for his achievement at the All American Quarter Horse Congress during the Congress Masters event on Saturday, October 24.
