GoHorseShow is heartbroken to report that one of the greatest trail horses to ever live has passed away. What A Fancy Zippo was by the legendary, Zippo Pine Bar and out of Quincys Rosie Patty. Reynolds, Inc of Lexington, Nebraska, bred the 1992 sorrel gelding and at the time of his passing, Genie Corbett Clarkson of Hampstead, NC owned him. He was 25-years-old.
Affectionately known as “Peanut,” this trail aficionado won back-to-back AQHA World Championships in the Senior Trail in 2001 and 2002 with Bruce Vickery in the saddle. He was also the 2004 AQHA World Champion in the Amateur Trail with owner, Kelley Reeve Deines. The talented gelding was also a Multiple Congress Champion in several trail classes over the years and amassed over 1,600 points, the majority being in trail.
“When Peanut retired, I found a quote that described him perfectly by John Ruskin,” says Kelley Deines, one of Peanut’s former owners. “‘When love and skill come together, expect a masterpiece.‘ There will never be a horse with as good of a mind as Peanut. He never had bad days or off days. He loved his job, and he always wanted to please. It’s funny because he knew when he was at the world show. He was aware that it was the biggest and best show. When done, he always expected lots of peppermints.”
Trainer, Bruce Vickery (pictured right), agrees, “If Peanut were a person, he would have sat in the first row in class and asked a lot of questions. He was smart and could always figure out how to get through the toughest obstacles. He made the class so fun and he always had the best attitude and a heart of gold. I won the Congress in the trail with him four times, the world in Sr. Trail back-to-back, and we were High Point in the nation a few times.”
Vickery adds, “Peanut was very special to me because he was the horse that put me on the trail trainer map, so to speak. He always made his owners and me look like rockstars.”
Vickery also remembers that Peanut had a few funny quirks. “Like many horses, of course, he hated the flapping flags and crazy atmosphere at the Congress. And if Peanut ever got loose, it was game on. Like, he was gone and headed to New York,” Vickery says with a laugh.
At the beginning of her show career, multiple World and Congress Champion, Darcy Reeve also showed Peanut. “He was the first great horse my family owned. Not only that, he was the perfect horse to learn on,” Darcy recalls. “He was so kind and gentle and never wanted to do anything wrong. Peanut was always perfect in the show pen. I showed him at my first youth world ever and he showed me that my goals were within reach when we were able to place seventh. Two years later, we were fourth and that was his last class ever.”
After being retired by the Reeve family, Peanut headed back to his former owner, Genie Clarkson’s farm in North Carolina. Clarkson agreed to sell him to the Reeve family on the condition that when they were through with him, he would be able to retire at her farm. Vickery told us that Genie loved Peanut (pictured left) with a passion and treated him like a family member.
On Genie’s Facebook, she posted about her beloved horse’s passing. “Please keep my family and me in your prayers as we prepare to tell the love of my life, What A Fancy Zippo (Peanut), goodbye. My heart is broken, but I have peace knowing that it is time and we gave him the best life a horse could have.”
Deines adds, “I know I’m biased, but I truly believe he was the greatest trail horse to walk this earth. The harder the pattern, the better he was.”
Rest in peace sweet boy.
Photos courtesy of KC Montgomery, Jeff Kirkbride, and Genie Clarkson
View more pictures of Peanut in the slideshow below.
