THE AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION

THEY ARE AMAZING AMERICAN QUARTER HORSES

They are both Hall of Fame members, one in the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame, the other in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Now, Dash For Cash and Gills Bay Boy, “Scamper,” have officially been declared “amazing animals,” in the July 11-18 issue of Sports Illustrated.

Hitting newsstands this week, the special summer double issue of Sports Illustrated features several 25-themed articles. Dash For Cash and Scamper join other amazing animals including, Secretariat, Seabiscuit and Ruffian, among the equestrian stars; Little Yellow Jacket, the Brangus bull that’s won three straight Bull of the Year titles; Flipper, the popular finned mascot of the Miami Dolphins in the early 70s; Cher Ami, the world’s most famous – and bravest – carrier pigeon who despite being shot during World War I, delivered his mail helping Allied troops find a battalion of lost soldiers; and Leroy Brown, the large-mouth bass widely considered to be the smartest fish ever caught. The entire list of the 25 amazing animals appears on pages 120-123.

In his career, Dash For Cash had 21 wins from 25 starts, including two Champion of Champions (G1) wins. He was a multiple champion and was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 1997. However, Dash For Cash’s greatest contribution to the sport of American Quarter Horse racing came from his ability to pass his incredible speed along to his offspring. Out of 19 foal crops, the son of Rocket Wrangler, who was bred by the late B. F. Phillips Jr., sired 1,370 foals that have earned nearly $40 million racing. He also sired 16 World Champions that have earned 39 titles. Dash For Cash was laid to rest May 20, 1996, after struggling to overcome complications from equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Gills Bay Boy, popularly known as “Scamper,” carried his rider Charmayne James to collect a record 10 consecutive gold buckles in barrel racing from 1984-1993. The only barrel horse inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, Scamper also earned AQHA’s coveted Silver Spur Award, which recognizes horses that are cast into the national spotlight or significantly and positively impact a person’s life, in 1992. Scamper was retired from rodeo competition in 1993 and lives on James’ farm in Athens, Texas.

Not surprisingly, amazing equines comprise 12 of the 25, besting dogs (7), bulls (2), birds (1), fish (1), dolphins (1) and cats (1). The list of 25 amazing animals was compiled by Sports Illustrated editorial staff who evaluated a number of factors in selecting the animals. The article is written by Ben Reiter and Gene Menez.