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Merrie Elliott
Merrie spent many years at Willomurra with wonderful stallions like- Jet Master, Warning Flag and Go Far Bar Bob- they were great producers of speed and all round ability. The racing scene was full on and exhilarating- she had no choice but to be completely educate people about this.
Merrie ' s has never deviated from the belief that speed in the Quarter Horse needs to be respected. So much has changed in our industry that speed is no longer an important consideration for most. Despite that, do not scorn the thought of speed, Merrie says. It is important to remember that it was 400 years of selected speed breeding that gave us this horse. Remember also, that it was horses bred for the track that provided the foundations, last century, of the truly wonderful cutting and cowhorses we have today. She refers, of course, to Three Bars, Doc Bar, Freckles, King P234 and The Old Sorrel as well as the Peppy tribe. It is a subject upon which she expresses she could speak at length.
Merrie felt some reluctance to accept the 2025 Heritage Hall of Fame Inductee Award, due to her belief that her achievements have been very lowkey. When it appeared inevitable I decided I had better toe the line and make the most of this honor. I therefore accept this investiture into the AQHA Hall of Fame on behalf of the thousands of members equally as lowkey as me whose dedication to our Quarter Horse is beyond question and provide the major base for the AQHA.
I also accept on behalf of the hundreds of small breeders who steadfastly breed the type of horse that they themselves like without stressing too much about fashion and image. They provide an essential foundation for our industry.
We all admire the great competitors and showmen of our industry who are such an inspiration to us and do so much to promote the Quarter Horse to the wider public. Any sporting event runs out of gas if there is not an ongoing stream of newcomers and there has to be a starting point for folk who wish to emulate the great achievements of these outstanding competitors.
The small breeder fills this need admirably in so many cases. I also accept on behalf of those remaining sprint horse people who, despite very little encouragement to do so, continue to breed pure speed to pure speed. Our numbers are thinning rapidly, but no way would us old radicals breed our good sprint mares to non speed horses.
Across her lifetime, Merrie Elliott has made a profound and lasting impact on the Australian Quarter Horse breed. Her leadership, knowledge, and dedication have shaped the industry, mentored countless individuals, and safeguarded the heritage of the sprint Quarter Horse. She is universally recognised as an outstanding and deserving candidate for induction into the AQHA Hall of Fame.
2026 AQHA JANUARY / FEBRUARY ISSUE