OklahomaHorses Magazine January 2023

January / February • OklahomaHorses 19 roof, it is home to more events than just horse sales throughout the year. “Heritage Place was built specifically for the sale of quarter horses in the racing industry, and its design reflects that,” Stew- art said. “The equipment is state of the art throughout the whole building. No matter if you’re in the back of the barn or front row of the auditorium, there’s a monitor to see what’s going on.” If something ever happened to Heritage Place, there isn’t a facility like it that could take its place. Perhaps that was a larger part of the founders’ original design than even they knew. As a result, Heritage Place has become a gathering place of sorts for quarter horse breeders, trainers, and owners every January. Staying the Course The 45th Annual Winter Mixed Sale brings a diverse crowd to the Oklahoma City metro for a three-day event. Buyers and consigners from every state in the United States and from Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Chile make it to the sale. “It’s the most festive sale we host, in my opinion,” Kidney said. “I tell everyone it’s the last chance to get off the ranch and do something before getting locked down with foaling and then breeding. It seems to be the sale everyone enjoys the most.” The night before the first hip number en- ters the ring, Heritage Place hosts a banquet in partnership with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) to announce racing champions — horses, owners, and breeders from the previous year. “Even though Ruidoso has the mystique of the mountains and the All American Futurity during their sale weekend, not everyone goes to that one,” Stewart said. “It seems like everyone who wants to buy a horse comes to Heritage Place in January. That mixed sale is a gathering spot for the entire industry.” Heritage Place infuses Oklahoma City with millions of dollars of taxable revenue all year long through its sales. It sells quar- ter horses for the racing industry, period. However, a few select customers rent the facility to sell other animals. “Heritage Place means a lot to a ton of different people, and it could not be more appropriately named,” Kidney said. “I grew up on the breeding farm, and truly the highlight of the year for me was taking yearlings to the sale at Heritage Place.” Selling yearlings at Heritage Place is anal- ogous to a farmer or rancher hauling crops to town and finally getting a big payday. “Even as the ownership of Heritage Place has changed, they’ve stayed the course to provide a world-class facility,” Kidney said. “That’s why Heritage Place is still here, doing what it does best — selling champions.” Original Investors of Heritage Place Ruth Crosbie Bunn Bruce Gentry Robert A. Gentry Charles W. Graham John D. Hastie Melvin E. Hatley John T. L. Jones D. Wayne Lukas Walter Merrick Robert W. Moore George H. Suthers Carl W. Swan Current Owners of Heritage Place Robert Moore Family, Oklahoma City Bruce Gentry Family, Lubbock, TX Robert Gentry Family, Lubbock, TX Dr. Charles Graham, Elgin, TX 9 What started as rebar and exposed beams is now truly iconic. Millions of dollars have been spent for quarter horses in this sale ring at Heritage Place, and history has been written at the same time.