Dorn Parkinson

Dorn Parkinson was born August 5, 1946, in Phoenix, AZ to Roland and Margaret (Shirley) Parkinson. He graduated from Flagstaff High School in 1964 and soon joined the Army. He was sent to Officer Candidate School where he was promoted to Captain by the age of 20. He spent his armed service career in Korea. After that he returned to Arizona and enrolled at Arizona State University where he studied business and graduated in three years with honors. He is a lifetime member of the Delta Sigma Pi fraternity. 

In 1974 he married Debbie Grauman and moved to Missoula, Montana. In 1975 he was hired by Washington Construction company as an accountant. In 1979 their son Shadd was born, who is now a multiple World Champion trainer. Over the 22 years he rose to become President and Chief Executive Officer of Washington Corporations. Throughout this time, he worked with Dennis Washington helping to build a diversified portfolio of over 40 companies into what became a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, serving in a leadership capacity on all the Boards of Directors retiring in 1997.


After his retirement he purchased a ranch in Kirkland, AZ and moved his family there to follow their passion of raising, breeding & showing World Quality Quarter Horses. Dorn spent countless hours volunteering as Treasurer and was dedicated to the Arizona Quarter Horse Association. AzQHA gives an annual award, Dorn Parkinson Humanitarian award, and named the annual Dorn Parkinson Quarter Horse show in his honor.

AQHA LIFETIME Accomplishments

•     AzQHA President

•     AzQHA Treasurer

•     AQHA National Director

•     3 AQHA World Championships

•     4 AQHA Reserve World Championships

•     62 AQHA World Top Ten

•     6025 AQHA Lifetime Halter Points earned

•     Grand Champions 2,411

•     Reserve Grand Champions 1,371

•     108 AQHA Cowhorse Boxing points earned

Breeder of 139 AQHA Halter Foals

•     12,577.5 Points (90.5 points per foal average)

•     194 ROMs – AQHA All Time 1st Amateur and 4th Open

•     97 Superiors – AQHA All time – 1st Amateur and 1st Open

Dorn Parkinson was inducted into the AzQHA Hall of Fame in 2024.