RONALD MASON
Ronald S. Mason B. July 22, 1890 – Died April 26, 1985
He was a charter member of the AQHA, and on 2/28/1940 he registered 15 mares, plus his foundation stallion, Oklahoma Star was given the AQHA Registration number 6. He would own several other stallions who would go on to influence his breeding program and the quarter horse breed, namely Beggar Boy and Chicaro Bill.
Eighty-five years later the bloodlines of some of those original 15 mares, plus Oklahoma Star and Beggar Boy are the foundation of the female family which has produced leading stallions FDD Dynasty and Apollitical Blood. Their influence is also found in champions Blazin Fire, Pokey Bar, Jet Deck Junior and countless others. Even several highly recognized horsemen have stated, their path to success in the horse industry began early in their careers working for Ronald Mason. Those men include twice Hall of Fame Cowboy Louis Brooks, AQHA Hall Of Fame member Bill Hedge and Jockey Club Hall Of Fame member Carl Hanford (trainer of Kelso).
From when I can first remember as a small youngster, my father studied the bloodlines of horses and could recite bloodlines, whether quarter or thoroughbred, until he was up in his nineties.
There was never a man that loved horses more or had a keener eye for good horseflesh than Ronald S. Mason. One can look over the history of horses that he bought for sires and the horses that were foaled on the Cross J Ranch and see the results of his foresight. In his era (from 1928 to 1967) his horses' bloodlines could be found from coast to coast, during this time in history his horses created a legacy of his dream being realized.
As a young man, I sometimes thought he must have the blood of a great horse running in his veins, so great was his admiration for these animals. He bought his first horse in 1907, which he said was a right good mare. He had her bred to a sprinting thoroughbred, thus creating the foundation or destiny of what was to come. His love of horses remained with him until the day he died.
In his own words, “All I know is that if horses are in your blood, they won't go away, and they'll never let you go, either. Here I am pushing ninety-one, and I'm beginning to believe what the old saying says – a stallion owner can't afford to die, he's always got at least three more years to go to see what the next crop is."
“Sometimes I think about starting over. Say I turned young again and wanted to go back to the horse business. What would I do? I'd go out and try to buy back some of the blood I sold."
A man and his dream left behind a legacy for others to build on and aspire to. May we all follow our dreams with our heart and mind for the betterment of others as well as ourselves. After all, what is life without a dream to hitch our own personal star to? The wagon-wheel of life continues, be it horses or men.