A relative newcomer to the sport of cutting, when he purchased Doc’s Solano as a yearling, in 1972, Bryant had nevertheless done his homework. Doc’s Solano’s sire, Doc Bar, had become a significant force in the show and performance horse world, and Doc’s Solano was an impressive individual. At the tender age of 26 months, Bryant’s colt became the youngest horse ever to achieve an AQHA champion’s title, with points in halter, cutting, reining and western pleasure. And by that time, his full sister, Doc’s Marmoset, in 1973, had won the NCHA Futurity.

Through Doc’s Solano’s progeny, Bryant became an all-time leading breeder of cutting horses. Today, the stallion ranks among cutting’s top 35 all-time leading sires, as well as top 30 all-time leading broodmare sires.

Bryant was also a leading force behind the creation of the Atlantic Coast Cutting Horse Futurity, which evolved into the Augusta Futurity, the richest limited age event east of the Mississippi River. Bryant served as a director and also president of the Augusta Futurity and was inducted into the National Cutting Horse Members Hall of Fame in 1999.

“He was a major force in the cutting industry,” said bloodstock and breeding agent Jim Ware, who partnered with Bryant in the 1980s to produce the Bryant-Ware Sales, the first cutting horse auctions held in Weatherford, Tex., the “Cutting Capitol of the World.”

“Gabby was the first person that I know of in cutting to establish a second home in Weatherford,” Ware added. “He was the original pioneer that made it fashionable to live elsewhere yet have a cutting operation in Weatherford. He introduced a lot of people to cutting and to Parker County, Texas.”

Bryant is survived by his daughters, Elizabeth Bryant Young and her husband Ron of Weatherford, Tex.; Lynn Bryant Finnegan and her husband Jim of High Point; and Jean Neal Bryant, Dallas, Tex., as well as grandsons James Patrick Finnegan; Everett Bryce Young; and Reilly Bryant Finnegan.

In accordance with Bryant’s wishes, services will be private.