Flashbacks Supreme Genes
After finishing his own successful career, Joechief Bar produced a strong line of speed horses. By RACHEL FLORMAN
hough Joechief Bar’s own monumental achievements in the show pen are over, his descendants are still writing chapters in APHA’s history
books.The race-bred 1964 chestnut tobiano stallion by Bang Up and out of Josy Bar swept through the APHA show circuit in the 1960s and ‘70s and became the association’s third APHA Supreme Champion in 1971. His grandsons and grand- daughters are living reminders of his talent and speed. In 1966, the stallion’s breeders, Paul and Carolyn Crabb
T
of Winfield, Kansas, were forced to disperse their herd that included a number of Paint Horse legends: Babette, Painted Jewel and Powder Charge to name a few. The Headley fam- ily of Port Gibson, Missouri purchased 2-year-old “Joechief” to be the founding sire of their budding Paint breeding program, and 16-year-old Mott Jr. was charged with the stallion’s care. A testament to Joechief’s good nature, Mott was the sole trainer and exhibitor of the stallion. Showing across Missouri and nearby states, Mott and
Joechief collected win after win in halter, reining, barrel racing and pole bending. By 1968, the team had racked up enough points to meet the requirements to be named APHA Champion No. 22, earning 14 halter and 17.5 performance points. With Registers of Merit in Western pleasure, reining,
barrel racing and pole bending, Joechief was closing in on the requirements for the association’s pinnacle title: Supreme Champion. In March 1971, the 7-year-old stal- lion received his ROM in working cow horse, the last requirement he needed to achieve recognition as APHA Supreme Champion No. 3.
Though his bloodlines trace to racing legends Babette
and War Admiral (TB), Mott mostly put Joechief’s speed to use in the arena. He started in two races at Blue Rib- bon Downs in 1966 after only six weeks of race training, winning a 300-yard allowance. Satisfied with his horse’s ability, Mott cut Joechief’s racing career short. “My life’s ambition does not include owning the world’s champion running horse,” he said, “I’m satisfied just own- ing the world’s greatest Paint Horse.”
However, six of his 272 registered foals were race start- ers—including Olympia Joe, a top performer and sire in his own right. A 1977 sorrel tobiano stallion out of Olympia Babe,
Olympia Joe won eight of his 13 starts and finished in the top three in all but one race. He earned $11,661 in his racing career, achieving a speed index of 96 and win- ning two stakes: the Spring Paint Horse and Paint Stal- lion Breeders Association derbies. Like his sire, Olympia Joe was a successful sire of speed. Among his 453 get were 190 racing starters with total progeny earnings of $674,943. Many of Olympia Joe’s
get showcased their speed in arena events. Most notable is Slide A Way Sally, a 1992 sorrel tobiano mare who has dominated APHA World Show speed events in the Youth, Amateur and Open divisions for more than a decade. Owned and raced by Mott’s younger brother David and nephew Shelton, she is currently tied for the record of most APHA world champion- ship titles won, with 22 titles in pole bending, stakes race and barrel racing. The Headley family consider the mare dear to their hearts, as she serves as a reminder of their founding sire. Though Joechief Bar died in 1988, his legacy of intel- ligence, versatility and speed lives on as his progeny continue to leave their marks in Paint Horse racing and speed events.
Rachel Florman is the Summer 2013 editorial intern for Paint Horse Racing. To comment on this article, email
feedback@apha.com.
Joechief Bar’s speed genes live on in his get.
PAINT HORSE RACING
JULY 2013
11
APHA FILE PHOTO
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