From the Annals of the Equines – In 1940, horse enthusiasts and ranchers met in Fort Worth to form the American Quarter Horse Association. Among those in attendance were rancher and Quarter Horse breeder Anne Burnett Hall and King Ranch president Robert J. Kleberg. The meeting was the first in a series that led to the formation of an organization to “collect, record and preserve the pedigrees of Quarter Horses in America.”  The name Quarter Horse goes back to the origin in colonial times when the speedy horses earned fame for their performance in quarter-mile races.   The AQHA was the first to regularize the breed and establish pedigrees.  Now based in Amarillo, the AQHA is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement and record-keeping of the American Quarter Horse  In Texas, the Quarter Horse brings to mind images of the cowboy, the cattle drive and today – the rodeo.  Quarter Horse racing is in decline across the Southwest, but the breed continues to compete in roping, barrel racing and other rodeo competitions.

Image from aqha.com.