The Loss of a Legend – Remembering Zippos Sensation, (1993-2016)

By: Brittany Bevis

We are deeply saddened to relay the news that a legend passed over the weekend. Zippos Sensation was the 1993 brown overo stallion by the legendary Hall of Fame stallion Zippo Pine Bar and out of two-time Halter World Champion and Honor Roll Western Pleasure Champion mare Satin N Lace. He was born March 23rd, 1993 and passed July 10, 2016 at the ripe, old age of 23.

Since siring his first World Champion from his first foal crop in 1998, (Brightly Zippo in 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure) Zippos Sensation has gone on to become the most recognizable and decorated Paint Horse stallion in the industry. He holds the distinction of being the only Paint horse inducted into the NSBA Hall of Fame. His offspring have won over $1 million in NSBA earnings. He has claimed the top spot on APHA’s Breeders’ Trust sire list for 15 consecutive years.

According to APHA records to date, Zippos Sensation has sired 956 registered foals, 469 with show records, 170 World Championships, and 162 Reserve World Championships.

Andrea Simons fondly remembers how “Zippo” first entered her life, 23 years ago.

“We brought him home when he was just a baby. His mother, Satin N Lace, had won Halter two years in a row and then she showed in Western Pleasure,” Andrea says. “She was the Lifetime Leading Western Pleasure Mare for a long time. A man named Joe Bachmuth, who only did Halter, owned her.”

“Lynn was at his place looking at Halter horses. That night, he called me and said he didn’t find much, but that there was a really nice colt out of Satin N Lace. He brought videos home for me, because that was before the time that we could take videos on our phones. He asked me if it was possible for a Western Pleasure horse to have too long of a neck and I asked him if it was possible for a basketball player to be too tall!”

Back in 1993, the purchase price for the promising fourth-month-old colt was steep, $25,000. Originally, the plan was to purchase the foal with the hopes of making a bit of money in a future resale down the road, but that quickly changed.

“From the very beginning, he was a part of our family,” she says. “He was so special from the minute he got here. Over the years, we had a couple of offers to buy him, but that was the last thing Lynn would’ve done. He was a huge part of Lynn for me…”

Ultimately, it was complications resulting from a tumor in his small intestine that led to Zippo’s death over the weekend. Consistent with his stalwart spirit, Zippo survived the surgery and had lived comfortably for a few weeks, but his condition began to rapidly deteriorate Sunday evening. “Dr. McCarroll tried to save him, but all the damage from the complications was causing so much pain. That wasn’t something we could do to him.”

So, the final, difficult decision was made. Sara Simons’ fiancé, RJ King, spent Sunday night and well into the morning preparing a final resting place in the backyard next to the Simons’ other famed, late stallion, Jetalito.

“We wanted him to live forever,” she says. “We’re not going to change anything with our breeding program. It will stay the same. With frozen semen, we will still have Zippo babies every year. He will live on for us for a while…”

While some comfort is felt in the knowledge that his legacy will live on through his numerous, decorated offspring, that doesn’t make the walk past his empty stall any easier.

“We’ve lived here for 37 years,” she says. “Zippo has always lived in the big stall in the first barn. In 37 years there have only been two horses in that stall, Zippo and Jetalito. That’s pretty amazing.”

“Last night, I went down to check on the horses, like I always do, and I stopped at his stall… It’s going to take me a while. He was my best friend.”

Besides his superb bloodlines and eye-catching looks, what was it about this particular stallion that enabled him to have such a dramatic and long lasting impact on a single breed association?

“I think you just knew when you looked into his eye,” she says. “He was amazing. His movement, from the first day he set foot on this place to the last time he was out running in the pasture, was the kind that took your breath away. He was such a kind and loving animal. When he would take pictures with people, he would put his head on their shoulders. He trusted the world.”

“He was a kind of goodwill ambassador for Simons Show Horses. He leaves his own legacy; we were only his keepers for a time and we were so lucky to be that. We always wanted to do the best for him, and it was a privilege to have him in our lives. I don’t think any other stud has had more impact that quickly and as long lasting as he has. We were so damn lucky.”

“He went out the way he came in, a class act all the way. He let me hug him and kiss him goodbye.”

On behalf of everyone here at The Equine Chronicle, we express our sincerest condolences to the Simons family and Zippos Sensation fans around the world following this heartbreaking loss of a legend.

Rest In Peace

Zippos Sensation

March 23, 1993 – July 10, 2016