A familiar face at Paint Horse shows throughout Nevada and Zone 2, Ken was well-known in many roles. Owner, exhibitor and breeder of numerous Paint Horses, Ken was perhaps most proud of his 1982 palomino overo stallion Cupids Gold Bar, and APHA Champion, Performance Versatility and Superior All-Around titleholder. In addition to holding numerous offices in his regional club and zone coordinating committee, the Vietnam veteran also served as an APHA director for more than 20 years.

“He was dedicated to the breed and the association,” said APHA Past President Travis Titlow, one of Ken’s close friends. “He was one of those people who spoke his mind, whether it was politically correct or not. You could depend on him for anything—he’d give you the shirt off his back. He had a heart of gold.”

One of Ken’s most endearing traits was his dedication to helping newcomers to the Paint Horse industry, a quality the helped bind his friendship with Travis.

“We both grew up in small towns in Nevada, and it was kind of our goals in life to watch out for the little guy,” Travis said. “We were the little guy and knew how it was, so when we got into positions where we could make a difference, we tried to watch out for the little guy. He did that until the day he was gone.”

A passionate leader, Ken fostered the development of an Ombudsman Committee —this group, he hoped, would serve as a sounding board for all APHA members and help resolve their concerns. Initially created as a subcommittee of the Membership Services Committee in 2011, the Ombudsman Committee outlined its procedures and policies at the 2013 APHA Workshop—a living legacy to Ken’s dedication to the Paint Horse community.

“We’ll try to resolve as many members’ problems as we can,” Past President John Corbin said. “That’s all Ken wanted.”