PG . 29
AUSTRALIAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Ian has trained and shown Quarter Horses to become multiple winners in almost every competitive field in the Western tradition , and has been influential in the acceptance of Quarter Horse breeding as desirable in the campdrafting arena .
IAN ’ S ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE : - An NCHA Hall of Fame Inductee An NRHA Rider Legend A Mitavite Living Legend An International Reining Council World Cup Champion
HE HAS TRAINED : - 5 NRHA Reining Futurity Champions and 4 Reserve Champions 4 NRHA Reining Derby Champions and 4 Reserve Champions Equitana Asia-Pacific Masters Reining Champion 3 NCHA Cutting Futurity Champions and 2 Reserve Champions 1 NCHA Cutting Derby Champion 4 Reined Cow Horse Futurity Champions and 7 Reserve Champions 2 Cloncurry Stockman ’ s Challenge Champions 3 Brisbane Royal Champion Station Hacks
Ian ’ s contribution to the Quarter Horse industry has also included an on-going series of clinics on Horsemanship , Halter , Western Pleasure , Trail , Reining , Working Cowhorse , Cutting and Campdrafting in all the Australian mainland States as well as in the United States , Fiji and New Zealand .
He has promoted Quarter Horse excellence annually by the quality presentation of quality horses at the Rockhampton Quarter Horse sales , adding value to the breed by achieving very high top prices and consistently high averages . He is generally credited with lifting Rockhampton into its top place amongst Quarter Horse sales in Australia .
The complete list of his successes with Quarter Horses is aweinspiring .
Ian has always been an exemplary winner and philosophical loser – in either case , generous and helpful to fellow competitors . Top horsemen who were guided by and / or trained under him early in their careers and who went on to become rivals include Ken May , Mick Connolly , Raelene Higgins , Frank Greene , Melissa Rudd , Rick Tranter , Glen Wyse , Jedd Cameron , Paul Pownall , Dale Bennett , Shane Massingham , Gina Eddie , Damien Curr and John Arnold .
He has also helped encourage youth . His stables are always open and free to young people wanting to gain knowledge and experience . Ian has presided over ‘ umpteen ’ free youth clinics , including annual half-day clinics for youth at the AQHA Nationals . He has been generous in supplying horses for youth events and has trained a NZ Youth Team . Young AQHA riders helped by Ian include Melissa Deans ( now Rudd ), Fleur Falconer , James Hazeldean , Lani Fender , Zoe Wharten , Marie Albury , Christine van den Bosch and Nerida Cole .
An AQHA , HSAA and NRHA Judge , his services in the arena have been considerable .
Apart from breeding excellent horses himself ( The Equalizer , Hoodoo Voodoo – both out of the leading dam he also bred , Doc ’ s Lyric ) his advice to breeders , often sought , is always given with the benefit of the breed as his top criteria . His refusal to make recommendations to flatter or to further any other consideration has not always won him friends – but it has led to the production of horses which excel at the job for which they were bred .
Ian is a fine horseman and a great Australian , has proved you can start life with little and still make it to the top with hard work , high standards and a positive attitude .
Ian was born at Maryborough , Queensland on 28th June , 1945 , the only son of a Maryborough carpenter , the late Snow Francis and his wife , Ella . He was educated at the local State Schools . He did not start riding until he was 11 years old when he got a part-time job helping out on a dairy farm . As a teenager he watched and worked with Barry Whitaker of Maryborough ,
AQHA MARCH / APRIL ISSUE 2022