The upcoming Rock Creek Ranch Dispersal of cutting horses, on October 16, reminded me of past high profile Quarter Horse dispersals. Two of the most prominent within the past 30 years include the second Phillips Ranch Dispersal, which I covered earlier, and the 3 Bar D Ranch Dispersal.

Held on July 30, 1983, at the ranch of Dan and Jolene Urschel near Canadian, Texas, the 3 Bar D Sale was the most heralded event in that part of the Panhandle since the 1888 Cowboys’ Reunion.

The Urschels had taken racing’s spotlight in 1979, when their big bay colt, Pie In The Sky, defeated Streakin Six to win the $1.2 million All American Futurity. Then, in 1981, the Urschels paid an unprecedented $1 million for a 2-year-old in training named Special Effort, who would become the only horse to win Quarter racing’s Triple Crown and the first 2-year-old to earn over $1 million.

By 1983, however, due to financial reversals, the Urschels were forced to put 3 Bar D Ranch stock under the hammer. The catalog offered a dazzling selection of offspring from, among others, Special Effort, Jet Deck, Easy Jet, Rocket Bar, Raise Your Glass, and Rocket Wrangler. Champion mares Miss Thermolark, Lady Juno, and Pass Over sold bred to Special Effort, along with Pan O Lan, the dam of champion Moon Lark, and the mare Possum Jet, earner of over $400,000.

At the end of the day, 77 horses had been sold for $4,199,900, or an average of $54,344. Nine sold for $100,000 or more, including high seller Lady Juno, purchased by Post Time Associates for $500,000.