AQHA History Lesson
"Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world” that my friends is the very reason that American Quarter Horse Association exists today. I’m Susan Allen I’ll be back with the story. The majority of us out west rides Quarter horses, in fact most of the nation as well because the breed is by far largest in the world. It’s hard to fathom that the first meeting of the American Quarter Association took place only seventy years ago when thirty three people from six sates and Mexico met at the Fort Worth Club and formed the registry, all because of a horse from Kentucky named Steel Dust. Steel Dust arrived in Texas in 1844 but his presence is still felt today in the linage of America’s horse. It was that quest to protect the Steel Dust horses ..those little horses from Texas that could “work a cow and run” that gave Bob Denhardt the idea of forming a breed registration. He didn’t know how tough it would be when set off visiting ranches to confirm that those with good cow horses had common ancestor in Steel Dust. He never gave up, as tenacious as a cow dog, Bob invited a group of prominent ranchers to meet and start the Quarter Horse Association in 1939 but hardly any bothered showing for the first meeting. The following year he planned his inaugural event during the Fort Worth Stock Show and found the enthusiasm he needed The following night Bob Denhardt was elected the AQHA’s first executive secretary and the American Quarter Association hit the ground running and has never looked back
