“It is with great sadness that we had to put Vested Pine to sleep this morning,” says owner Lori Watkins of Black Creek Crossing located in Hamilton, Indiana. “He had been showing many signs of falling over the last several months with difficulty controlling his steps and balance, and most recently losing his sight. His last days were spent in Georgia with Clarice Cooper, with whom he had a very special bond, so it is a huge comfort to me knowing he was loved to the very last.”
GoHorseShow reached out to Vested Pine’s breeding manager, Clarice Cooper, and she shared some of her thoughts about VP. “He was such a kind and forgiving stallion,” says Cooper, who is known for treating all her stallions like her own. “I will miss him running and playing outside and his mane flowing in the wind.”
Cooper, who is understandably upset about his passing, continues, “He was never in any pain and he nickered at the other horses and put his head on my shoulder right before we led him out to put him to sleep. There comes a time when they get older that you have to let them go but it doesn’t make it any easier. He was a part of history but he was also a part of my family.”
Vested Pine was sired by The Invester and out of Zippos Bay Lady and was bred by Dan and Carol McWhirter of Doniphan, Nebraska. The 1991 sorrel stallion’s show career included being awarded the 1996 Congress Championship in the Limited Western Pleasure Maturity while owned by Bill and Tina Kaven.
Vested Pine’s true success has come as a sire. As an NSBA All-Time Leading Sire, his foals have excelled in both AQHA and NSBA show arenas. He has sired 10 World and Reserve Champions in different breeds organizations as well as numerous Congress Champions. Some of his famous offspring include I Gotta Good Name, Vested Faith, Brittany Pine, One Cent A Minute, Vested Wishes, Invest In A Lotto and Invest N Vital Signs. These horses are AQHA World and Congress Champions as well as the winner of the Reichert $100,000 2 Year-Old Western Pleasure class. To date, his get have amassed over 7,500 points, $128,518.66 in AQHA Incentive Fund Earnings and $306,514.11 in NSBA futurity earnings.
“I have enjoyed all his babies and getting to know the people who have his offspring,” Watkins states. “Vested Pine has had a great life and was loved by so many people.”
Photo © Eric Hardesty
