~ 1999 AQHA HALL OF FAME PAST INDUCTEES ~
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~ 1999 AQHA HALL OF FAME PAST INDUCTEES ~
ARTICLE BY: AQHA
Ian Francis
The Australian Quarter Horse Association honours Ian Francis with induction into the Hall of Fame for setting standards of excellence across a broad spectrum in the Australian Quarter Horse industry by extraordinary personal example.
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
The complete list of his successes with Quarter Horses is awe-inspiring.
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.
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.
Australian Quarter Horse Association- www. aqha. com. au