Era Ends for the Doc Bar Ranch
Jorene Downs
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Era Ends for the Doc Bar Ranch
A chapter in the fairytale life of the legendary sire Doc Bar ended last
month when the ranch that bore the quarter horse stallion's name changed
ownership. Located 40 miles south of California's San Francisco Bay Area,
the 680 acre Doc Bar Ranch, owned since 1958 by Dr. and Mrs.Stephen Jensen,
was recently sold to Thomas Kinkade, a popular artist.
Credited with revolutionizing the Quarter Horse world and western
performance arena, Doc Bar's career began less than auspicious. Breeders Tom
and Jack Finley had great hopes when they crossed AAA AQHA Champion
Lightening Bars with the proven race mare, Dandy Doll, but the dream of a
great race horse faded quickly when the pretty chestnut stallion /lost his
first race by more than 10 lengths. His three subsequent starts were just
as dismal and he was quickly retired from the track.
The stallion began a second and much more successful career as a halter
horse under the guidance of Charley Araujo. Shown 13 times, the correct
stallion with baby doll head won 12 first places and 10 grand champions.
During the 1962 Grand National Horse Show at the Cow Palace, Doc Bar was
crowned grand champion and two of his offspring, Barlet and Janie Bar, were
crowned reserve champion and reserve champion mare. Soon after this
remarkable sweep, the stallion was purchased by the Jensens who stood him at
the ranch that would come to bear his name.
But it wasn't in the halter world that Doc Bar made his mark as a quarter
horse legend. His offspring had an uncanny ability for follow a cow. In 1969
the cutting world was abuzz when three of his offspring placed second
through fourth at the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity. The
following year his son, Doc O'Lena swept all four rounds of the
futurity. And thus began a cutting dynasty that reigned for twenty years.
The impact of Doc Bar to the Quarter Horse world and western performance
arena is tremendous when one considers that Doc Bar produced sons and grands
ons that would become as famous as himself. Doc Bar sired leading sire Doc
O'Lena, who in turn sired Smart Little Lena. Both have been leading AQHA
sires and their offspring are highly prized by cutting and reining breeders.
Current superstar stallions, Grays Starlight - who produced the high selling
horses at both the 2000 and 2001 NRHA Futurity Prospect sale - and Gallo Del
Cielo (aka Rooster) are Doc Bar grandsons. Other famous decendants include:
Nu Bar, Doc's Starlight, Topsail Cody, Doc's Oak, Dry Doc, Lenaette, Doc's
Solano, Doc's Remedy, CD Olena, Shining Spark, and Playgun, Doc Bar's last
foal was born in 1978 but the stallion continued to live on the ranch until
his death in July 1992 when he was 36 years old. He was buried underneath a
black walnut tree, which was midway between the cinder block barn where he
lived and the mare barn where some of AQHA's greatest champions were
conceived.
Stephanie Ward, the Jensen's daughter and Doc Bar's caregiver, meticuoulsly
maintained blooming flowers on Doc Bar's grave. Just before ownership of
the ranch changed, Doc Bar's tombstone was removed and the flowers were
replaced with grass. The sign on Airport Road, which once led mare owners
to the great one, has been removed.
The property will now be known as Windmere Properties, the business name of
artist Thomas Kinkade. Kinkade is known as the "Artist of Light" because
his paintings seem to be lit from behind. Windmere Properties is in the
process of branding the Thomas Kinkade name. His artwork, common in many
shopping center galleries, will soon be available on household merchandise.
A housing development, featuring homes that resemble his paintings, is
under construction in nearby Vallejo, California.
Though his grave is unmarked, and his ranch changed name and owner. The
story of Doc Bar will never close. As long horse people breed Quarter
Horses, and as long as horses are asked to cut cattle from a herd, the
legacy of Doc Bar will continue.
Copyright 1997-2002 E-quine T
All Rights Reserved.
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Jorene
LIVE foaling stall camera online!
... just moseyin' down the trail on a Paint horse
from the CEOates Ranch in California ... ;)
www.CEOates.com