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The Way to Go Magazine
Pamela H. Snow
It is the exception, not the rule for a horseman to be closely associated with one great horse over a lifetime. However, it's even more unique for a horseman to be associated with a succession of great horses - the kind of horses whose influence on the industry transcends the test of time. Dan and Carol McWhiter of Doniphan, Nebraska, consider themselves fortunate to have been associated over the years with stallions such as The Big Investment, Zippos Mr Good Bar, The Invester and Good Asset.
In 1985, The Big Investment was purchased by a syndicate group of individuals. He stood at McWhirter's farm for only two seasons before his untimely death in 1986. During that brief window of time, The Big Investment produced many outstanding individuals, such as Investment Asset, Principle Investment, Investment Creditor, Investment MS and Secured Investment.
Immediately following The Big Investment's death, syndicate member Darrell Saul of Des Arc, Arkansas, asked the McWhirters to stand his young show horse, Zippos Mr Good Bar, for his first year at stud. Zippos Mr. Good Bar stood for four years in Nebraska from 1987-1990. During that time he sired Due Gooder, Trace of Good Bar, Good Ending, She Due Good and Zippos Tiger Bar.
In 1990, the grand old sire, The Invester, moved to McWhirter's farm in Doniphan. The Invester was purchased in 1989 by Dan McWhirter and Wayne Atchley, following the tragic death of his former owner Jack Benson. Many of The Invester's very best offspring were produced in the twilight of his breeding career. Congress Champions, World Champions and High Point horses such as Assets, Vested Pine, Iota Invest, Vested Prescription, Miss Gold Invested, Invester Chick and Investers Fancy Doll are just a few of his Nebraska-bred success stories.
Recently, Good Asset, owned and raised by Dan and Carol, has made his mark with the colts he is producing. Good Asset began breeding mares in 1993 and is the product of two great pleasure horse families - Zippos Mr Good Bar and the great producing mare, Miss Rebel Rita. Good Asset has access to some of the best pleasure producing mares in the nation. Last year the dams of Sonnys Sweet Sadie, Cruizin With Class, Vested Pine, Vested Prescription, Good Terms, Shesa Fancy Invester, Invester Chick and Good Obsession were bred to Good Asset for 1997 foals.
"With a limited number of first offspring, Good Asset is really stamping his foals. The colts are uniformly tall, balanced, pretty, flat-kneed and slow legged. They are great-minded as well," says Dan McWhirter. "They just seem to be people-oriented, and they want to please."
One of Good Asset's first offspring to achieve success on a national level is the 1994 mare Good Obsession out of The Big Obsession by The Big Investment. Trained and shown by Patty Woodrick and husband Randy Leeper, she earned $11,513 in 1996 and was one of the top eight two-year-olds in the nation. She was Reserve Champion Open Two-Year-Old at the Drysdale Summer Futurity, placed eight at the AQHA World Championship Show, and she was in the top placings at The Southern Bell Invitational, ISBA Pleasure Jubilee and the Nebraska Silver Classic. At the 1997 Dixie National, Good Obsession was the NSBA Three-Year-Old Western Pleasure Futurity Reserve Champion.
Carol McWhirter comments, "We appreciated the opportunity Randy and Patty gave to Good Obsession. When they came to our farm and picked her out, the Good Asset offspring were an unproven commodity."
The previous year, Randy and Patty had selected a double bred Invester daughter named Invester Chick. In 1995, Patty and Andy showed her to win the APHA Two-Year-Old Western Pleasure World Championship and the Nebraska Quarter Horse Futurity Limited Open Championship. Invester Chick's owner Betsy Peterson from Kent, Washington, breed the mare to Good Asset in 1997.
This year, Randy and Patty's two-year-old prospect is Protect Your Assets by Good Asset and out of Scars Social Kitty. Scars Social Kitty is a top ten winner at the World Show and earner of 258 total points.
"Protect Your Assets appears to have what it takes to succeed at the futurities," says Patty. "He shows a high level of balance and maturity as well as a willing mental attitude." Protect Your Assets will be shown at the Whistle Stop Futurity, Drysdale Summer Futurity, Southern Bell Futurity, ISBA Futurity and the Nebraska Silver Classic.
Carol and Dan McWhirter consider themselves lucky to be associated with more than one great horse in their lifetime. They believe Good Asset's foals will continue to produce winning traditions that have become the standard at the McWhirter's.
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