Friday, January 28, 2011
Chris and Tina Hourigan were presented the 2010 Julep Cup by The Blood-Horse Magazine during Thursday's New Mexico Horse Breeders' Association's Zia Awards Banquet at the Marriott Uptown Hotel in Albuquerque.
Residents of Anthony, New Mexico, the Hourigans own and operate Hourigan Horse Farm, which they opened in 2005.The farm is now home to 26 broodmares, five stallions, and numerous weanlings, yearlings, and 2-year-olds.
One of the Hourigans' broodmares, Aquarellist, was honored on Thursday as the 2010 NMHBA Broodmare of the Year. A 17-year-old winning and stakes-placed daughter of the Danzig stallion Ole', Aquarellist is the dam of Cali Baby, a 5-year-old mare whose six wins in eight starts last year included the $182,690 Peppers Pride New Mexico Cup Fillies & Mares Championship (R) at Zia Park and $120,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission Handicap (R) at Sunland Park.
Cali Baby races for the Hourigans and UKUSA Stables and was honored as the 2010 NMHBA champion older Thoroughbred mare. Other NMHBA Thoroughbred awards went to Lesters Secret (top older horse or gelding, owned by Simply The Best Thoroughbreds and Henry Dominguez, bred by Henry Dominguez), Glory Be Mine (3-year-old filly, owned by Bobby J. McQueen and Dale Taylor, bred by Ginger Washburn), Train Rider Blues (3-year-old colt or gelding, owned by Freda McSwane and Joe D. Walters, bred by Thomas J. and Sharon Monsen), Squall Wilbud (2-year-old filly, owned and bred by William T. Stradley and Tom A. Williams), and Jannas Pride (2-year-old colt or gelding, owned by Charles W. Hunter and Dale Taylor, bred by Charles W. Hunter).
Also, Desert God was honored as the year's top Thoroughbred stallion. Owned by Joe Allen of Abilene, Texas, and Ron Allen of Tucson, Arizona, the 20-year-old son of Fappiano sired the earners of $1,642,039 last year, and his 57 starters included Train Rider Blues.
Gary L. Balzano's King Bull, a 10-year-old stallion by Holy Bull, was honored with the Thoroughbred Times freshman sire of the year award. King Bull is the sire of 2010 Dessie & Fern Sawyer Futurity (R) winner Shamrock Girl.
The following Quarter Horses were also honored: Jenuine Joy (older mare, owned and bred by Fredda Draper), One Diamond Kitty (older horse or gelding, owned by A & C Racing and Roping, bred by Jay and Mary Lou Standefer), Woody Dungarees (3-year-old filly, owned by Holy Bucket LLC, bred by Ron and Kay Jenkins), Corona Memory Crest (3-year-old colt or gelding, owned by Dee Mooring and Ramon Gonzalez Jr., bred by W.L. and Dee Mooring), Streak Of Sixes (2-year-old filly, owned by Peter B. and Marjorie Gallegos, bred by Sam and Karen Tanner), A Streak Again (2-year-old colt or gelding, owned by KH Logax Inc., bred by K. Humberto Lopez Gaxiola), Perfect Sevens (broodmare of the year, owned by Sam and Karen Tanner), Sixes Royal (stallion of the year, owned by Mike C. Abraham), and Stormin' Lyon (TB) (freshman sire, owned by Famous Lane Farm LLC).
Also, V.J. Callaway of Hobbs, New Mexico, was honored with a Longtime Breeder Award.