The American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame is in Amarillo. We spent several hours enjoying the beautiful facility and the volumes of displays that are very well presented.
The museum begins outside where there are beautiful sculptures, showing the Quarter Horses in their various roles. This is Wimpy P-1 who luckily did not live up to his name. He was born as just Wimpy on the King Ranch in Texas and was the winner of the stallion class in 1941. The honor of P-1 was given to him to be listed as number one stud in the American Quarter Horse Associations book.
The statues depict the quarter horses as working stock.
They are shown as race horses.
The sculptures are so wonderfully detailed that it touches the heart. This sculpture is about the relationship of the owner, Carol Harris, with her horse, Rugged Lark. I was overwhelmed by the detail of her hand on his chest.
Once inside you enter the Grand Hall. It is spectacular with its soaring rock columns and soft lighting.
Looking down you see the interesting mosaic on the floor depicting all of the bloodlines that make up the present day breed.
In the niches created by the rock columns in date sequence you learn about the people and horses inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame. Of course I had to single out Barbara L............and she was even born after me. In 1948, W. D. Lumpkin of San Angelo, Texas, paid $140 for a yearling filly. He changed her name from Anthem to Barbara L after his teenage daughter, who broke the bay filly to ride. She had a distinguished racing career and later was a broodmare who had 14 foals. 11 of those foals went on to be highly rated. Barbara L died in 1977 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
There are many beautiful pieces of art inside as well. The Quarter Horse is the only horse breed native to America and is the most popular in the U.S., highly valued as a ranch horse, race horse and the star of rodeos and other western riding events.
To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, horses and people must have been outstanding over a period of years in a variety of categories. They must have brought exceptional visibility and or contributions to the American Quarter Horse. People being considered may be alive or deceased, but horses must be deceased.
The Annual Exhibit that was shown while we were there features twelve women who made a tremendous impact on the American Quarter Horse. Some were breeders, some were owners and competitors, and others were chroniclers and artists who recorded not only history but life at the time. All were leaders and visionaries, and each left their mark on the American Quarter Horse.
While each was interesting for some reason Anne Burnett Tandy drew me in. She was known as Miss Anne. She was a Texas heiress who was the only grandchild of Samuel “Burk” Burnett, a legend in the Texas cattle industry and founder of the legendary 6666 Ranch. He died when she was 17, leaving her two-thirds of his estate.
At 33, she was one of the single largest land holders in the world, with more than half a million acres under her domain. She became a renowned breeder of American Quarter Horses. “I like women, but I don’t know how to talk to them,” she told a reporter for Town & Country magazine in 1974. “I can talk to a man about anything, and I’m not shocked by anything a man says.” Miss Anne died in 1980 living to be 80 years old. Her estate was inherited by her only daughter, Anne.
There is a Gallery that is interactive and has several hands on activities for children. Fun for adults too.
Ruidoso Downs is on our wish list of races to attend.
This was a wonderful destination for our day. History, art, education and horses. We would definitely recommend this as a place to visit if you are in the Texas Panhandle.
On our last day in Amarillo after getting our chores done in preparation for moving on Walt decided we would make one last stop.
Visitors are inundated with advertisements of The Big Texan. It is the place that if you can eat a 72 oz steak, along with a shrimp cocktail, a salad, a baked potato and a roll in an hour you get the meal free. If you don't make it it is $72.00. No, Walt didn't try it. I think he thought about it though.
I will admit I was a little skeptic about eating here. I thought it would be just a tourist trap with bad food. Hmmm, maybe if this is where the cowboys eat it can't be all bad.
I was proved so very wrong. The food was delicious. Crispy cold Caesar Salad, hot and steamy chicken soup.
Ribeye for me and Prime Rib for Walt. Cooked to perfection and so tasty. A nice way to finish off our week in Amarillo.
"I ain't got a dime, but what I got is mine.
I ain't rich, but Lord I'm free.
Amarillo by morning, Amarillo's where I'll be.
Amarillo by morning, Amarillo's where I'll be."
George Strait