Joe Cody (1952–1989) was a

Quarter Horse The American Quarter Horse, or Quarter Horse, is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name is derived from its ability to outrun other horse breeds in races of a quarter mile or less; some have been clocked at s ...

stallion A stallion is a male horse that has not been gelded (castrated). Stallions follow the conformation and phenotype of their breed, but within that standard, the presence of hormones such as testosterone may give stallions a thicker, "cresty" nec ...

famous for siring

reining Reining is a western riding competition for horses where the riders guide the horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and stops. All work is done at the lope (a version of the horse gait more commonly known worldwide as the canter), o ...

horses.Holmes, et al. ''Legends 5'' pp. 50–63

Life

Joe Cody was registered with number 42,543 in the

American Quarter Horse Association The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), based in Amarillo, Texas, is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement and record-keeping of the American Quarter Horse. The association sanctions many competitive even ...

(or AQHA). He was a 1952

sorrel Sorrel (''Rumex acetosa''), also called common sorrel or garden sorrel, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Polygonaceae. Other names for sorrel include spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock ('dock' being a common name for the genus '' ...

colt Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: *Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People * Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places *Colt, Arkansas, United States *Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United States ...

, bred by Tom W. Cochran of

Buckholts, Texas Buckholts is a town in Milam County, Texas, United States. Its population was 515 at the 2010 census. The town was founded in 1887, and had a movie theater and a hospital in the early 1920s, with a population around 1000 people. Geography Buckh ...

. He was registered in the ownership of Robert F. Roberts of

Tyler, Texas Tyler is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the largest city and county seat of Smith County, Texas, Smith County. It is also the largest city in Northeast Texas. With a 2020 census population of 105,995, Tyler was the List of cities in Texa ...

.AQHA ''Official Stud Book and Registry Combined 6–10'' p. 564 His sire was a product of the

King Ranch King Ranch is the largest ranch in the United States. At some it is larger than the state of Rhode Island and country of Luxembourg. It is mainly a cattle ranch, but also produced the Triple Crown winning racehorse Assault. The ranch is loc ...

linebreeding Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating or breeding of individuals or organisms that are closely related genetically. By analogy, the term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly refers to the genetic disorders and o ...

program, as he was a son of

Wimpy P-1 Wimpy P-1 was the first registered Quarter Horse for the American Quarter Horse Association, or AQHA. Life Wimpy was foaled on the King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas on March 3, 1937.Beckman "Number One" ''Quarter Horse Journal'' March 1990 pp. 3 ...

out of a daughter of

Old Sorrel Old Sorrel, sometimes known as The Old Sorrel (1915–1945), was a Quarter Horse stallion who was the foundation of the King Ranch linebreeding program for Quarter Horses, and the cornerstone of the King Ranch horse breeding program.Denhardt ''K ...

.All Breed Pedigree Database Pedigree for Joe Cody
retrieved on June 26, 2007 Joe's dam was a daughter of

King P-234 King (1932–1958), often known as King P-234, was an outstanding early Quarter Horse stallion who influenced the breed throughout the early years of the American Quarter Horse Association (or AQHA). Life King was born June 25, 1932, the offsp ...

Reining and cutting career

Joe Cody earned an AQHA Champion and a Performance Register of Merit from the AQHA.Wagoner ''Quarter Horse Reference 1974 Edition'' p. 314 When he earned his AQHA Championship, he was the youngest stallion to ever earn the award.Valentry "Comeback Horse" ''Western Horseman'' May 1965 pp. 133, 195–197 He was trained and earned points in reining and

cutting Cutting is the separation or opening of a physical object, into two or more portions, through the application of an acutely directed force. Implements commonly used for wikt:cut, cutting are the knife and saw, or in medicine and science the scal ...

. He was also trained for

team roping Team roping also known as heading and heeling is a rodeo event that features a steer (typically a Corriente) and two mounted riders. The first roper is referred to as the "header", the person who ropes the front of the steer, usually around the ...

. In 1989 he was inducted into the

National Reining Horse Association Hall of Fame This National Reining Horse Association Hall of Fame was created by the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) for the Hall of Fame to recognize extraordinary athletes, both human and equine, in the sport of Reining. It was founded in 1986 to ...

, only the second horse so honored.

Breeding record

After retiring to stud in 1961, Joe Cody was invited to

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = " Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , e ...

by the government of Bermuda to show both reining and cutting at the Agricultural Fair put on by the government. His owner at the time, Mrs. Virginia Harper of

Long Island, New York Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18th ...

, took him and had him perform a reining pattern and also a cutting exhibition. During his breeding career, he was the sire of Easter Cody, Sappho Cody, Paprika Cody, Sapphire Cody, High Proof, Topsail Cody, and Red God.Pitzer ''Most Influential Quarter Horse Sires'' pp. 60–61 His son Topsail Cody sired

foal A foal is an equine up to one year old; this term is used mainly for horses, but can be used for donkeys. More specific terms are colt for a male foal and filly for a female foal, and are used until the horse is three or four. When the foal i ...

s that earned over $1 million in NRHA earnings.NRHA Million Dollar Earners
retrieved on September 4, 2017

Death and honors

Joe Cody died on July 1, 1989. Fuller buried him at Fuller's Willow Brook Farm in

Catasauqua, Pennsylvania Catasauqua, referred to colloquially as Catty, is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Catasauqua's population was 6,518 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb of Allentown in the Lehigh Valley, which had a population of 861,899 and was the 68th ...

, with a granite headstone giving his accomplishments.Wohlfarth "Last Rites" ''Quarter Horse Journal'' July 1996 p. 14 Joe Cody was inducted into the

AQHA Hall of Fame The American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame and Museum was created by the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), based in Amarillo, Texas. Ground breaking construction of the Hall of Fame Museum began in 1989. The distinction is earned by people and ...

in 1995.

Pedigree

Notes

References

*
All Breed Pedigree Database Pedigree for Joe Cody
' retrieved on June 26, 2007
AQHA Hall of Fame
accessed on October 30, 2011 * * *
NRHA Hall of Fame
' retrieved on September 4, 2017 *
NRHA Million Dollar Earners
' retrieved on September 4, 2017 * * * *

External links

Joe Cody at Quarter Horse Directory

Joe Cody at Quarter Horse Legends
{{authority control Reining horses American Quarter Horse sires 1952 animal births 1989 animal deaths AQHA Hall of Fame (horses)