Bull Parker

Bull Parker, foaled in 1963, changed the look and performance of Quarter Horses in Arizona and at the same time left his mark on a national level. Bull Parker was sired by Dell Reed and out of the Spotted Bull mare, Hairpin Maid. Trained by Jim Paul and owned by Betsy Walbridge (Paul) for most of his career, the handsome stallion was shown at halter and won AQHBA (Arizona Quarter Horse Breeders Association) All Around Horse for several years in a row. In 1968 Bull Parker earned his AQHA Championship award and won the AQHA High Point Working Cow Horse Stallion for the year. He also won Champion Hackamore Horse at the prestigious Del Mar Open Horse Show.

It was Bull Parker’s record as a sire that put him in the national limelight. From twenty-one crops of foals, he was on AQHA’s list of Top Performance Point Earning sires and AQHA World Champions sires, a huge feat considering that he only sired 202 foals in his lifetime. Bull Parker sired earners of 6,617.5 points in all AQHA divisions. His foals won 11 AQHA World Championships, 11 Reserve World Championships and won over $55,917 in NCHA, AQHA, NRCHA, NRHA and NSBA competitions. At the 1977 at the Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio two of Bull Parker’s get, Chicaro Parker and Duncan Parker, in an unparalleled event, competed for the title of Congress Versatility Champion. The geldings were tied going in to the Barrel Racing. Duncan Parker emerged as the eventual winner, however Chicaro Parker would have his day at the 1977 AQHA World Show. Trained by Debbie and Cal Cooper, Chicaro Parker won World Champion Working Cow Horse, Reserve World Champion Western Riding, Reserve World Champion Reining and Top Ten in Hunter Under Saddle. Because of this superior show of versatility, the following year AQHA instituted the All Around Award at the World Shows.

The progeny of Bull Parker continues to leave its mark in the performance arena, he is the grandsire of earners of 3,591 points, four AQHA World Championships and winners of over $309,000 in NCHA, AQHA, NRCHA, NRHA and NSBA competitions.  Anyone who has ever ridden a son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter of the great Bull Parker can appreciate how he forever changed the ease in which horses changed leads. He was in part responsible for blending the western and eastern style of showing. Bull Parker was inducted to the AzQHA Hall of Fame in 2013.