GoHorseShow is heartbroken to report that the legendary Vital Signs Are Good (aka Lucy) has passed away at the age of 17. The red roan mare by Zippos Mr Good Bar and out of Vitalism was bred by Kristin Rinkenberger of Morton, Illinois. At the time of her passing, she was owned by Joe and Karen Moran of Laguna Hills, California. Their daughter, Theresa Moran, won the world and showed her up until her retirement. Lucy’s former owner, Kristen Galyean, and trainer, Leonard Berryhill along with Charlie Cole and Jason Martin of Highpoint Performance Horses, were also instrumental in her incomparable show career.
“I think she’s the greatest show mare that ever lived, and she’ll probably go down as being the greatest broodmare too,” Charlie Cole told us on Tuesday afternoon. “She is the mare to leave the biggest mark on this industry.”
Vital Signs Are Good was so famous that everyone knew her by several nicknames including, VSAG, The Roan Mare, and Lucy. When asked what made her so great…”Her way of going, but mostly her attitude,” Cole states. “She just had the best attitude, and it gave her that happy-go-lucky way of going. Every time you saw her, she just looked like she enjoyed her job, which she really did.”
Lucy amassed over 3000 points, mainly in the western pleasure and western riding classes. She was a 13-time AQHA World Champion, 8-time Reserve World Champion, multiple Congress Champion and won over $300,000 in futurity earnings. Kristen Galyean and Lucy also won the All-Around Amateur award at the 2007 AQHA World Show and the 2010 Reserve World Superhorse.
Vital Signs Are Good was also a legendary dam of multiple AQHA World and Congress Champions and placers including, VS Code Red, VS Flatline (pictured right), Invest N Vital Signs, VS Check My Pulse, The Vital Invitation, VS Code Blue, and My Vital Valentine. Her get have amassed over 2,300 points and won over $430,000 in futurity earnings.
“One of my favorite memories…there are so many, and it’s hard to pinpoint, but winning the Open Pleasure Maturity at the Congress on her, that was an amazing accomplishment,” recalls Cole. “And the year Jason won the Western Riding on her at the AQHA World Show and set the scoring record was fun to watch. To be a part of that, with such a huge score, was really cool. She just brought a lot of joy to a lot of people.”
While understandably upset, Kristen Galyean (pictured left) asked us to share a letter she wrote to Lucy.
Lucy,
I can remember praying for a horse that would be a perfect fit for me. I told God I didn’t know exactly what I needed but that I knew he did. And boy was I right, you were so much more than I could’ve ever dreamed. There is not a day that goes by that you don’t cross my mind. You taught me so much in our time together. You taught me that if I could dream it we could achieve it. I remember riding you made me feel like I could conquer the world, and when we lined up waiting for the results I miss you looking to me for your scratches. You wanted to know that you did a good job. You gave it your all every time, and I truly believe you loved showing as much as I did. I’ll always remember your beautiful expression, always licking your lips and your ears were always forward, you were so happy. The time I cherish the most aren’t the wins in the show pen, it’s the time we spent bareback in the pasture dreaming, the time I spent laying in your stall next to you wondering how I could be so blessed to call you mine, the time we spent playing in your pasture, like we were the only two in the world. You always knew when I was having a rough day and you would rest your chin on my shoulder and it would all go away. I miss bringing you stud muffin snacks at the Congress bc I knew they were your favorite. Most of all I just miss you. One day we will see each other again.
To the world you were a legend but to me you were my whole WORLD.
Rest In Peace my beautiful “Goose Goose.”
Lucy’s last owner, Theresa Moran (pictured right) shared these thoughts on her Facebook Page.
Sometimes in life, we are lucky enough to come across something great: great moments, great people and great horses. I was fortunate enough to own and show one of the greatest horses of all time. Here to the horse that not only made my dreams a reality but helped me to realize that no goal is too high to attain. Although there are few words to describe the memories and experiences that Lucy gave to my family and me, unforgettable and irreplaceable will always be the two placed next to her name. I cannot thank Charlie and Jason enough, and most importantly my parents for letting me own the horse of my dreams. Lastly, my endless thanks to Tracer and Trisha Gilson, as well as Dr. Troy Ford for their endless amount of care and compassion for Lucy over the past few years. To greener pastures and endless peppermints, Rest In Peace sweet Lucy.
Cole reflects, “When we first got her in the barn, we felt like we were sticking our neck out there because she was already so famous and had already won so much. Our goal was just to keep her somewhere near the level she was already at. It was a lot of pressure, but Jason and I have never been afraid to take on a task like that. We knew we had a standard we had to try to keep to, and I hope we did, but she allowed us to by being so great. Just to be a part of her amazing career was so special.”
Her former trainer, Leonard Berryhill states, “I just want to thank God for putting Lucy in our lives and thank the Glover family for trusting me with such a wonderful mare. My heart goes out to Kristen because as hard as this is on Leigh and me, I know it’s twice as hard on her. Rest In Peace sweet girl.”
We would like to send our condolences to everyone who was involved with this once-in-a-lifetime mare.
View a slideshow of the great Vital Signs Are Good and her offspring below.
Photos courtesy of The American Quarter Horse Journal, bar H photography, Impulse Photography, Jeff Kirkbride, Superlative Equine, and KC Montgomery
