“Let me give you some numbers.
13 – The age he ran away from home and began his long and influential life among cowboys, ranchers and horsemen.
18 – by 18, he had already worked for the Proctor brothers in Midland, the Long X Ranch in Jeff Davis County, and the famed Four Sixes in Guthrie.
26 – the age he would become a World Champion….for the first time.
32 – his age when he helped create the National Cutting Horse Association’s pre-eminent event, the Futurity.
5 – NCHA Open Futurity Champion titles
4 – NCHA World Champion titles
If the numbers aren’t enough, indulge us in a few names: Marion’s Girl, Rey Jay’s Pete, Dry Doc, Chickasha Mike, Money’s Glo, Mr. San Peppy, Peppy San Badger aka Little Peppy.
The numbers, and the names of these icons of the equine world, are just the tip of the iceberg when listing the accomplishments of the great Buster Welch.
With an unadulterated passion for his lifestyle, the Western lifestyle, and his incredible grasp of the history of his people and his land, it was Welch’s authenticity which attracted people of all stripes into his sphere. World business leaders, heads of states, prize winning authors and the jet set of Hollywood were drawn to his easy charm and alluring charisma. Working cowboys and horse trainers would flock to his ranch to hang on his every word for insights into his otherworldly abilities with horses and cattle.
One of the pre-eminent figures in Western American culture, he has been inducted into the National Cutting Horse Association Hall of Fame, Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, the American Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame, won the Foy Proctor Memorial Cowman’s Award, the Golden Spur Award, the Western Horseman Award, the Charles Goodnight Award and a host of other awards and honors too numerous to list here.
Simply put, when you think of the Hall of Great Westerners, there is no one more deserving than Buster Welch.”
