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On the evening of January 12th, 2022 the who’s who of the Quarter Horse Racing industry met in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to celebrate at their annual AQHA Racing Champions Ceremony. For Canada’s Ross Brigden of Medicine Hat, Albert, this would be a night worth the trip to “The Sooner State”.
Brigden was awarded the prestgious American Quarter Horse Association’s Gordon Crone Special Achievement award. The award is given yearly to an outstanding man (it’s female counter part is the Mildred N. Vessels Special Achievement Award) within the American Quarter Horse racing industry to recognize his achievement within in the industry throughout the year. The award is voted on by the AQHA Racing Committee.
An AQHA member since the 1970’s Brigden, is a long-time supporter of Quarter horse racing. An AQHA director-at-large, he was elected to the AQHA Racing Council in May 2021, (this marked his third term serving on the Council) and he has twice been the Alberta Quarter Horse Racing Association’s president. The retired trainer in his career saddled graded stakes winners Katies Sign and A Special Martini, and trained the earners of nearly $1 million. He has bred the earners of nearly half a million dollars, including stakes winners Snoboat and Princess Of Zoom.
When interviewed just days after being honoured with the award by the Mediciane Hat News, Brigden said it’s an honour to be the first Canadian to receive it. “For a Canadian to win it, that’s pretty good, I’m happy. . .There’s a lot of good people that probably deserved it. . . [The Committee] voted on it, I was fortunate enough to win it and it makes you feel great, no doubt about it.”
To read the full interview please click here.
