All halter trainers and exhibitors have that one horse that is their favorite for one reason or another. Maybe it was the first one that they ever won the Congress or the World with, or perhaps the one that helped them make their mark in the industry.
While some talked about horses that they trained or showed, others mentioned their favorite horse regardless of who owned or trained it. Others couldn’t pick just one. These halter horses are the special ones that had the “wow factor” that everyone admired and that took people’s breath away in the show pen. Others were leading sires and dams that helped revolutionize the look of the modern halter horse.
Let’s find out which halter horses some of the top halter trainers, breeders, and exhibitors picked as their all time favorite and why.
Ted Turner–My favorite horse of all time would be Mr. Conclusion (pictured right). When I switched breeds, I helped a client purchase him and then I became associated with him. He ended up siring great babies and great horses, and he helped me get to where I needed to be in quarter horses. For a while, I didn’t show any other horse besides Mr Conclusion, and he put me on the map. His presence, class and his siring ability make him great. Not only was he a World Champion, but he has produced more World Champions than any other horse there has been. He was just a great horse, and he not only produced halter horses, but he produced performance horses that did pretty well. He left his mark on the breed that no other horse has.
Ronnie Casper– My favorite was Skips Lady Burner. We bought her in January of her yearling year. She was the first horse I won the Congress and the World with. She was way ahead of her time. She was very modern, even by today’s standards. She carried a lot of muscle but yet had all the refinement that you want to see on a mare. I used her for my Congress halter demonstration back in 92′ or 93′ as what my opinion was as an ideal halter mare. She was the horse that launched my career.
Don Falcon – It has to be Touchdown Kid even if I didn’t raise him. He was a physical specimen standing 16’2 with incredible balance and eye appeal. Although his show career was cut short by severe laminitis shortly after turning three, his ability to sire, not only World Champions but his daughters are some of the best producing mares of all time.
The excitement started with his first foal crop when in a class of over 40 Amateur Weanling Fillies, he sired the first three placings and two more of his daughters were in the top ten. In his second year at stud, we bred 350 mares, so his popularity with mare owners nationwide was especially gratifying.
Touchdown knew he was special, even being sore most days from the laminitis, he always walked out of his stall with a bright eye and the look of a champion. His personality was sweet but mischievous … loved his donuts and cookies. A horse of a lifetime, and we were very fortunate and blessed to have him for nine short years. It’s still rewarding to see show horses today carrying “Touch” in their names.
Casey Devitt – Tuff At Last was probably the best natural conformation horse that I can remember. He was correct, pretty headed, had a deep heart girth with a great back. He also had a long hip with plenty of substance and a perfect set of hocks. He was great minded and won many World Championships. TNT Mr Marvelous, a five-time World Champion, was a close second choice for me.
Debbie Kail – Tuff At Last – He was a seven time AQHA World Champion and was owned by The Johns Family.
Russ Smith – Possibly my favorite halter horse is Pick Me Please (pictured right). I had the good fortune to help get her fit and ready for her last time winning the Congress and the World. She was that rare combination of massive muscle and femininity that we seldom see. Most of all, she was correct on her legs and completely sound until the end of her show career.
Jodi Finkenbinder– I’m going to say Diversified (pictured right) because he was great minded and he was an example of form to function. He won under saddle as well as in the halter pen.
Jeffrey Pait- Mr Conclusion, an extremely beautiful stallion with great balance and correctness. He sired correct conformation with athletic ability and wonderful dispositions.
Candace Jussen – Without picking one of my own, I would say I always loved watching Causin Confusion. She not only was beautiful, but gracious and a lady. She always gave her all and was a treat to see whenever she was in the ring.
Scott Trahan – I loved Pizzazzy Lady. She would be my dream horse. Great conformation. Sound legs. She was good everywhere.
Clark Rassi – The Top Secret because he changed the modern day Quarter Horse.
Rebecca Halvorson– CRL Shesa Coolcoosa – She was so beautiful, so correct, won so much for my family while taking such good care of our kiddos. She was Mr. Loree’s dream come true to raise own and breed a World Champion (owning both the Sire and Dam and the grandsires of the mare). She moved like a western pleasure horse, had the prettiest hip you have ever seen and was the most special mare I have ever been honored enough to know. She was just a great and very special horse and a blessing to the Loree’s and the Halvorson’s.
Travis D
obbs– My favorite halter horse of all time is a personal one. Conclusive Bob, “Calvin,” was a 1997 gelding (pictured right). He was the first horse that Johnna and I bought together when we were first married. He never was a World Champion, but he won us both Reserve World titles in 2000, with Johnna in amateur and me in the open. For a mare, I can’t leave out Pick Me Please. I won my first Youth World title with her and I think she was an 8-time World Champion. She also stood Grand Mare at the Congress for 4 or 5 straight years.
Clint Fullerton– Shez Fancy Fancy – she was one of the best mares I had ever seen, and she did a lot for my career by winning the AQHA and APHA World Championship in Aged Mares as well as the Quarter Horse Congress in the Three-Year-Old Mares (pictured right, son Far Too Fancy). She was owned by the very best people, the Burns Family of Lyndon, Kansas.
Gerri Leigh Pratt – Kids Keeping Cool – she was so easy to show, and she was so beautiful in the pen. She was Congress Grand Open and Amateur Mare, Open and Amateur World Champion. She is the dam of Secretz Galore and Rumerz.
Luke Castle – My favorite is a bay stallion named Solaris (pictured here). I am partial to him because he was bred, raised, and shown by Castle Ranch. He has great conformation and disposition. He has never been sick or to the vet. He is always ready to show, and I think he is going to be a great sire.
Debby Brehm – My favorite halter horse of all time was one of mine, Johnny Pat Star. He was my youth horse who could stand Grand Champion in the morning and win pleasure, trail, reining, etc. in the afternoon. AQHA shows weren’t as large then (in the 60’s) as they are now, and everyone rode their halter horse in every event. Johnny was the AQHA Honor Roll High Point Youth Halter Gelding as well as being in the Top 10 for all around. I could ride Johnny in the pastures and down gravel roads one day and hit the show the next. He was the best horse I have ever owned. The use of trainers hadn’t burst upon the scene yet, so once I started college, I felt it was best to sell Johnny to another exhibitor who could enjoy him. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do.
Roy Donn – It’s a tie between these two, it would have been tough for me to judge them and make a decision. Vallerina Miss and Miss Jim 45 (pictured right). These mares set the standard of what one is supposed to look like. They were hard to pick on anywhere.
Michael Ochetto – 1) RPL My Te Cheerful aka “Henry.” I was blessed in not only being a part of raising him, but Henry set the standard of balance, structure, and quality with the degree of muscling a gelding should possess. To top it off, he had the form to function to do a task and ride and the manners to make him the ideal horse. Henry truly is a once in a lifetime horse. 2) Benhad, an APHA gelding (pictured right) that those who showed paint horses back in the 90’s would distinctly remember. Ben was a crop out that I was fortunate to purchase as an early yearling. He raised the bar on the paint horse halter industry as he dominated the pen with his incredible balance and structure. He trotted as pretty as any pleasure horse. He too was as kind as any horse could be and was broke to ride and even shown in leadline. He was truly a great and fun horse.
Lee Ann Koch – Wow that’s a loaded question. I’d better say SR Magic Man (pictured right) since he was such a great halter horse for me. There are so many others that come to mind. Some were maybe not great halter horses but turned out to be outstanding halter sires or producers. When I was in youth, Tee Jay OHara Miss was one of my favorites; she was high point halter the same year I was high point youth mare. I think maybe she started my love and appreciation for all halter horses. I was fortunate enough to own one of the great mares, Pick Me Please. I couldn’t pick just one because so many were great ones in their own right.
Kathy Snodgrass– My favorite halter horse of all time…what a tough question. My choice varies if I think about the issue as a breeder or as a spectator. When you asked me this question, one horse popped into my mind immediately. There is one gelding that always 
makes me smile when I see him – RPL My Te Cheerful. Henry is the most decorated halter horse out there, and each win well deserved. He has maintained his frame and structure as he has aged and has brought joy to so many people. He is a big beautiful animal that I actually enjoy seeing both at his home and in the show pen.
My favorite mare would have to be The Awesome Touch (pictured right). I want a mare to look like a mare and this mare took my breath away when I saw her… soft kind eyes, plenty of muscle and a great frame. “Peaches” had the most beautiful head and face that I had ever seen, a trait she got from her sire, Mighty Awesome. She was a crowd favorite.
Kenny Hall – That’s easy. It was Skipa Star, who was my stud, Starrific’s sire. He was a very attractive horse with a great mind. He was a fabulous sire which includes Starrific who I was lucky enough to own his entire life.
Maggie Bellville – It would be my mare – MTK Rules (pictured here). She was the absolute sweetest loving horse. Totally a show diva – Congress and AQHA World Champion. She said no to peppermints.
Shannon Wacker – Okay I have two, and they are equally amazing. First is, of course, RPL My Te Cheerful, “Henry,” as he is like a fine wine that just got better with time, and is an amazing gentle giant outside the show arena. Secondly, is Top Secretina, “Tina”, as she exemplified what a halter mare should be. She was a multiple World Champion and Congress Grand Champion Mare- open, amateur, and youth and as a broodmare, passed her winning ways on. She was truly a lady to be around and will always be my favorite halter mare (pictured right).
Robin Robinette – Let me just say many hold a special place in my heart but I’ve listed two of my favorites. Well Executed (APHA, AQHA, PTHA) as he was always so laid back and just wanted to be a pet and be loved (pictured right). We bought him as a weanling and sold him at 5, so for us to keep him that long must tell you he was special. He loved his treats and scratches. Mister Redesigned (APHA) – we bought at 4, shown one time. He was my first World Champion in amateur. I had always been the bridesmaid until him. He was always the show horse and knew when he won as he got massive and powerful, but would never hurt anyone. He loved his treats.
Doug Landon – Invest In My Pizzazz – I had him from the time he was six months old and I found him in an old barn at JD Taylor’s. JD’s daughter, Deb Taylor, and I won Missouri futurities, Iowa, the Congress and the World in the open and amateur. Then, we sold him into Ted Turner’s program, and they went on to win a few more titles with him. He was easy and fun to show and just a great horse.
Terry Sartain – The horse would be, On Cloud Nine (pictured left with Sartain). He was my first National Grand Champion and World Champion in 1977. He was an official AAA Race horse and is the only horse in the ApHC to accomplish all of this.
Maggie Griffin – Wow that’s hard..I’d say A Tad Tough and Mr Redesigned (pictured right) because they were monumental animals that were the epitome of perfect confirmation and demeanor while being capable of being so much more than just a ‘halter horse.’ They actually transformed the industry and will remain lifetime leaders for years to come.
So who is your favorite halter horse of all time? Let us know!
