New Bronze Statue at AQHA Headquarters Honors Past President and Great-Granddaughter
AQHA Publicity
On October 22, the American Quarter Horse Association, American Quarter Horse Foundation, the Larry and Ellen Bell family, AQHA members and the Amarillo local community gathered at the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo to celebrate the lives of Amy Doris Bell and AQHA Past President Roy Parks Sr. with a special memorial bronze statue named “They Bred Good Horses.”
Parks was said to be a man of few words, but when he spoke, people stopped and listened. He was a respected cattleman and horseman known for his actions. Parks attended the 1941 meeting for AQHA, joined the Association and became a director. He was elected president of AQHA in 1960 and inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 1993.
His great-granddaughter, Amy, shared his love for horses. She was an AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeder, American Quarter Horse Foundation ambassador and longtime AQHA competitor. Philanthropy was also a very important part of her life.
She established the Amy Doris Bell Donor Fund at the Permian Basin Area Foundation and supported numerous agencies that provide health and wellness for children throughout the United States and the world. She helped fund numerous projects of Child Fund International and Feed the Children, and had a beloved sponsored child in Zimbabwe. She was a member of the Dallas Safari Club, Safari Club International, the National Cutting Horse Association, the National Reined Cow Horse Association and AQHA.
The Bell family joined forces with the Foundation to start the Amy D. Bell “Pay It Forward” memorial scholarship. The four-year $12,500 scholarship is awarded to one individual each year who shares Amy’s values of philanthropy and a love for the American Quarter Horse.
The Larry and Ellen Bell family and the Foundation commissioned renowned sculptor Rip Caswell to create a life-size memorial bronze in memory of Amy and Ellen’s grandfather, Roy Parks Sr. The bronze memorial, which depicts Parks “passing on” an American Quarter Horse filly to his great-granddaughter, represents the Parks and Bell families’ love for the life-long commitment to breeding American Quarter Horses.
“This is such a meaningful day that will be shared with our members, the local Amarillo community and horse enthusiasts around the world,” said Sandy Arledge, AQHA president. “The legacy of these amazing individuals and our great horse will remain in Amarillo for future generations because of this generous donation.”
The bronze truly depicts a love and understanding of the American Quarter Horse being passed down the generations, and because of this generous donation, that bond will continue to be passed on to future generations.
For more information on the American Quarter Horse Foundation, visit www.aqha.com/foundation.
